Up and Down

 

Langdale Pikes on our Only Blue Sky Day

Twice a year, Mister E and I decamp to the Lake District. Last week was one of those occasions and, unlike previous January visits, it was unseasonably mild and, I should add, also muddy and for the most part overcast. It was, however, dry which is rarely ever the case when we visit in the height of summer and we did enjoy a hard frosty day with blue sky at the beginning of our stay.

Loughrigg Tarn on that Blue Sky Day

 So, we took advantage and wore down the soles of our boots. In fact, I walked so far that I received a notification from the fitness app I use for the gym, to say that I had broken my personal record of miles walked in a week. An impressive feat (even if perhaps the bar was not exeptionally high) when I think that it was just a year ago that I was still ruminating on the fact that I had been struggling with anything beyond 4 miles because of the old knee problems.

Less impressive was the fitness app which, notwithstanding the accolade it gave to me, was clearly under-reading as to both distance covered and calories burned; I mean 64 calories for walking 9.5 miles, half of which were uphill, is patently ridiculous. Not that we were calorie counting, as the daily pattern for walking was essentially uphill, down into one of the adjoining valleys, a satisfying pub lunch before returning over the top and back to our accommodation. Yes, the good thing about visiting in the winter, is you actually have a choice of tables in popular pubs and cafes, instead of being constantly turned away. Of course, it's probably just as well, as, despite it being warm for January, at 6 degrees or less it was still a little cool for outdoor picnics!

Grasmere (photo taken on a previous winter's visit)

 A few weeks ago, the peace and beauty of Grasmere was under threat when it was announced that Lowther Estates was potentially seeking to put "houseboats" on the lake. The commercialisation that constantly permeates our lives, seeks to creep around the National Park too. Hats off, however, to those who organised such a large public protest in what was essentially a short space of time. Wherever we walked there were posters denouncing the scheme and then, proof of the power of the people, when it was confirmed during our stay that the application to the Planning Department had been withdrawn. We walked over to Grasmere, not just to appreciate the water's edge but also the village, where, last summer, the crowds had been so great we couldn't even find pavement to walk on. On this occasion, not only did we have footpaths to ourselves but there was also no queue for Sarah Nelson's gingerbread; talk  about treating yourself!

 Of course, we did tell ourselves that returning home was not to be an excuse for hanging up our boots. Driving back the scenic route through Wensleydale (stopping for another pub lunch on the way) we even promised ourselves some more walking in the Yorkshire Dales. It is now Day 3; I'm not sure where my walking boots actually are but I have done a Pilates Class. Hopefully that will count instead and as the fitness app thinks it's worth 205 calories (equivalent to almost 30 miles the way it counts) I must at least be entitled to a piece of that gingerbread.