Stephen: Lake District 15 October 13

What a glorious day though it was a bit over cast at times. We decided to walk from Troutbeck to Ambleside, a lovely walk that gives great views across Windermere. We parked the car in a little lay-by just beyond the National Trust property of Townend and walked up the unmade track that opened up the views of the lake

The route took us across the back of Holbeck Ghyll to high Skelghyll around Jenkins Crag through the lower part of Skeghyll Woods and on to Ambleside

Looking toward Lakeside

I was intrigued by the hinge on this gate

That is extreme dry stone walling!

I liked the way they had incorporated this outcrop in the wall

The long and winding road!

The great thing about this walk is that with Ambleside in the middle of the route we could find somewhere to buy lunch part way round. Strange we could not find the lovely little 'Walkers cafe that Steve and I used the first time we visited Ambleside six years ago, are we looking in the wrong place or has it closed?? We eventually lunched in Walnut fish and chip shop where Asher played his usual staring role! Why is it that people find this Greyhound so adorable??

After lunch we had a decision to make. Do we head back the way we had come or go over Wansell Pike? The decision was made to tackle the Pike and we set of visiting Stockghyll Force on route. We walked through the remnant of a Victorian pleasure ground running up the side of the stream to the 'Force' its self complete with the original 'Revolving Gate' entrance at the top!

Money tree at Stockghyll

Stockghyll Force

I was interested by how this beech is rooted
in the rotten stump of another tree

Asher and Chris and the wrought iron fence support

The tree tries to protect itself from the iron!

The revolving gate

Then we struck out to walk up the 482 metre pike - I didn't realise how steep the Ambleside face of this hill would turn out to be!!! On reaching the saddle of the hill Steve and I took a breather whilst Mark & Chris climbed to the very top. Then it was down hill all the way, the clouds had thickened by then and although it did not rain the views did not really lend themselves to photographs.