Lakes and Dogs

Most unlike me, but I got up at 7ish this morning in order to get to Stickle Ghyll in the Lake District for 10am. Met with my friends at Lancaster services and was chuffed to bits that they had brought their two dogs with them because they are the coolest dogs in the world. If Carlsberg made dogs, they wouldn't be as good as these two.

Weather was typically "Welcome to the Lake District" when we got there - grey, with that special kind of drizzle that I only ever seem to encounter up there, and the prospect of climbing (some would say walking) the path to Stickle Ghyll tarn was made all the more exciting by some strong gusts of wind. Whoever thought it was a good idea to attempt to do this with the still lingering remains of a cold and chest infection should be locked up. Oh, that would be me. The same idiot who forgot to take her tablets this morning that might have given her some relief from the sinus congestion and breathing problems. Durrrrr.

Sadly, one of our Malaysian visitors found the hill climb somewhat of a struggle too, so as I was clearly not up to it (unless I wanted to be airlifted back down, or dragged on a sled by Logan and Wilson the amazing doggies), I offered to walk back down with Maureen. Harder work going back down - a bit treacherous. Bloody dodgy knees.

What I love about the Lakes is that everyone says hello or good morning. I also love that you can always find an alternative activity to your original plan if it goes pear shaped. So Maureen and I, on descending, had a nice cup of tea, then headed into Ambleside for a mooch about.

What I don't like about the Lake district -
1. That 5 miles takes half an hour
2. That the only car I encountered on the treacherous single track road from Stickle Ghyll to the main road was an Audi who
a. Didn't understand the concept of "passing places" and so ignored the one right next to him and made me reverse right the way back down the road, round bends and
b. DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE the fact that I had done so.
I didn't swear - I had a visitor from another country in the car. I didn't want to cause offence or create the wrong impression!

At Ambleside, we were dive bombed by kamikaze seagulls, watched the ducks being fed, took a stupid number of photos and then introduced Maureen (who was freezing!) to the delights of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream. Yum yum in my tum.

A couple of hours later, we were joined by the intrepid gang, who had summited and we celebrated with a meal in the bear garden of the Wateredge Hotel. Lee advised me that he was knackered (not his exact words, but this is a family show) and that we did the right thing by not going past the point that we did (we made it 1/3 way up). We ate, some of us ate FAR MORE than others (human dustbin - you know who you are) and Logan occasionally let out a little howl to make it known that any leftovers had to go his way!

Straightforward journey home, made sweeter when Lisa passed me in the car and her passenger was zonked out, clearly having sweet dreams - good job he wasn't drooling against the window...could have taken the mickey about that for ages.

4 hours later - the photos are uploaded, I'm going to bed!