endlessrarities | (no subject)

We had two full days in Grasmere, and we doubted we were going to get a proper walk on either of them.

Day One was misty. This was the view from outside our hotel:-

With conditions like that, it would be a foolhardy soul who ventured out onto the fells. We learned later that day that just two days previously, Helvellyn had claimed another victim, which served as a stark reminder that even these pleasant little mountains have sharp teeth, and deserve respect.

Getting into Grasmere was itself difficult. The ground was covered with a dense layer of compacted ice and slush which would have made crampons very useful indeed. They were, of course, right up there on the top of our shopping list. But we found a path which was navigable:-

The town itself was mobbed. It's always busy, but with everyone confined to low level, it was particularly busy. And, of course, there wasn't a set of crampons or snow-chains or yak-traks to be found in any of the outdoor shops. So we decided we'd come back in the summer-time and purchase them then.

Here's a view of Grasmere in the snow:-

And, because it's me, I thought I'd take a picture of the churchyard of St. Oswald's church, with its obligatory gravestones:-

Some day, I'll have to give this church a spotlight in its own right...

We had lunch, then headed back up the road and took a little stroll up the Borrowdale bridle-path, which was equally treacherous. We were rewarded for our efforts with some lovely atmospheric images:-

But by then, the thaw was really setting in, so we had high hopes for a longer walk the following day. And oh, boy, did we need one, what with all the food we were shovelling down at night!

More from the Lakes tomorrow!