Early Summer Walks 2014, Saturday 3rd May, Loughrigg Fell

Reporter: Caro Brown

As a precursor to the main Lakes Walk Alan decided we should test out his ‘new’ heart by joining Dave and Vanessa Miller, Liz Moore and Paul Prentice for a gentle promenade around Loughrigg Fell on the Saturday afternoon.

We met up in Ambleside for an early lunch at Lucy’s, with one notable exception—no Vanessa! Apparently she was managing a Cat Crisis, which meant she had to forego a convivial weekend with us to stay home and look after a post-operative puss. By all accounts said sick animal was much-improved by Sunday evening at the expense of the Miller’s kitchen floor!

I digress. Back to the walk and the route took us out of Ambleside through Rothay Park, west to Loughrigg Tarn, then around the base of the fell and along Loughrigg Terrace down to Rydal Water, and then back along to Ambleside via Rydal Park. The weather was very benign and the visibility excellent at the various viewpoints along the way. Despite it being the first day of a Bank Holiday weekend there were not too many people—perhaps because of a late Easter—and one family kindly stopped to take a group photo for us.

There was no need for refreshment stops en- route but once at Rydal Park Liz and Paul had time to pay a quick visit to Rydal Mount (historic home of William Wordsworth) while Dave, Alan and I made a beeline for the Rydal Park tearoom to indulge in a cuppa and obligatory piece of cake. Well, why else go walking?!

A great warm-up for the following two days’ walking—many thanks to Dave for arranging.