The Old Coach Road

Not really a walk, just a stroll to pass an hour on and avoid the crowds. I had just been in to Penrith to do some shopping so I had some lunch with me and fancied eating it outside and Ullswater was the obvious place. I droven down to Glenridding and there wasn't a single parking spot, either in the village or by the lake side.

I was resigned to eating it back at the caravan but on the way back I passed the dead-end road to Dowthwaite Head. Just on the off chance I drove along it to the parking area at the start of the Old Coach Road to St John's In The Vale and lo and behold there were spaces to park. I hastily scoffed my lunch, grabbed my camara and set off walking along the old pony route.

I had hoped to get some good photos of Blencathra but the track undulated and curved a lot so it turned in to one of those scenarios where you keep saying to yourself "I'll just go as far as that next bend...". Well the final bend never came so eventually I turned back and headed for the car. I wasn't too bothered as I'd had my hour of peace and solitude.

There had been a bit of rain earlier in the day so the smell of pine needles was still lingering in the forest. That ranks very high on my 'favourite odours list', matched only by the smells of cut grass, baking bread, fresh coffee, bacon sandwich and...curry!!!