Orrest Head

Today's the day ............................. for a New Year walk

It's quite a while since I have walked up to Orrest Head, which was a favourite viewpoint of the walker and writer, Alfred Wainwright.

In fact it was his first encounter with this modest summit 0n the 7th June 1930, aged 23, that so inspired him - and set him off on a lifetime of exploring, writing about and illustrating the Lake District fells. This is how he described what he could see:
'I was totally transfixed, unable to believe my eyes. I had never seen anything like this. I saw mountain ranges, one after another, the nearer starkly etched, those beyond fading into the blue distance. Rich woodlands, emerald pastures and the shimmering water of the lake below added to a pageant of loveliness, a glorious panorama that held me enthralled. I had seen landscapes of rural beauty pictured in the local art gallery, but here was no painted canvas; this was real. This was truth. God was in his heaven that day and I a humble worshipper'.

Today, the view looked pretty good to me too - especially because I know that I probably would not have been able to get up there pre-hip ops. A real milestone reached for me today ..................................