Cautley Spout to ourselves

*Yesterday's blip has been updated for posterity to show just how close the flood waters got.

Waking to blue sky & thankfully receded water levels there was only one thing to do - get out and have a decent walk at last. Up and out early we headed for Cautley Spout - it lets us take in a long flat walk that Pooch can manage (today is her 12th birthday) and then if wanted a quick blast for one of us up the side of the 198m cascade that is the largest (above ground) falls in England. 
When we arrived at the parking by the Cross Keys we were the first car in the spaces - and we saw not a soul on our leisurely walk in - jackets tied round our waists it was wonderfully mild - and the rushing of the River Rawthey and then the falls themselves added a sense of wilderness that this place often lacks. I was reminded as we approached the end of this glorious glacial valley that I'd visited here on the same day in 2012 to climb the then frozen Spout - an admittedly rare occurrence - but what a change - possibly as much as 20degC warmer today.
With such a vista ahead of me (see extra) I was fairly confident that I knew what my choice of Blip would be today - but turning to head back we paused at the remains of the sheepfold that marks the centre of the old Iron Age settlement and  the quality of the light on the fields towards Baugh Fell was too magical to ignore - so whilst Pooch went for a wade in the beck I played with little camera's settings - this one seemed to reflect the moment best.

As we got to Ben End at the shoulder of Yarlside we met the first of the usual groups of people that Cautley attracts - but by then we knew we'd stolen the best of the day, always a great feeling.