Getting Above it All

Autumn has come (and somewhat passed) in the past couple of weeks. This tree was pointed out to me by my friend Pam (thanks Pam!) in Durham. What gorgeous autumn colour!

As well as beginning the second year of my MA, I have taken to the hills, and recently completed a gorgeous walk in the Cumbrian fells.

Alongside a small group of fellow all-weather walkers, Dad and I conquered the Fairfield Round.

The Fairfield Round begins in Rydal, a sleepy hamlet in deepest Cumbria. Climbing the hill behind the village (past Rydal Hall and the Coffin Route) we very quickly rose into clear skies and glorious sunshine.

As we climbed, the clouds drew in. The views were still stunning (in fact, even more so once moody shadows of the encroaching weather were being thrown across the hills) as we toiled towards our highest peak at over 2.800 feet.

 

 

The landscape at the top was barren, alien and beautiful. Having risen above the orange bracken, we clambered amongst loose stones to the oddly flat plateau.

Then the clouds appeared lower. This next picture is thanks entirely to my Dad, who despite standing in the same spot as me, managed to capture the sunlight and drama of the day when I couldn't.

Until the view vanished, that is. We struggled along like gorillas in the mist for the first part of the descent, offering vague condolences to walkers we met going the other way until the wind moved the mist off...
...and we saw this!

 

One of the things I always love about walking in Cumbria is the plethora of dry stone walls. Where lowland farmers might nowadays rely on a barbed wire and wooden post fence, in Cumbria many of the dry stone walls are not only still standing, they are kept in impeccable repair.

The Fairfield Round utilises eight Wainwright walks, and I can't recommend it highly enough for a long Cumbrian walk.

Plus, there's a lovely pub in Ambleside when you have descended.