Lake District, Sepember, Day 5

Just another reminder to be careful what we wish for: another wet morning.  Sticking to the plan, though, we headed off to Ambleside for 'A Tea Shop Walk' based on the magnificent 'Apple Pie cafe where we indulged ourselves with cornish pastie and one of their wonderful bath buns.  To be fair to us, though, shared between us, and that was more than enough.  Several years ago I was silly enough to have that for myself and could barely move for a week.  The walk recommended by the book is one we have done before: along Scandale to High Sweden Bridge and return along the other side of Scandale Beck via Low Sweden Bridge.  The route follows first quiet, but steep, lanes out of Ambleside and then an equally steep rough track up into Scandale Wood. The wood was a delightful place to be in, even in the rain.  Woods are a wonderful place in the wet: colour saturation enhanced, the beauty of water drops trickling from leaves and, in this case, the babble of the beck below us in the valley bottom.  We passed an ages old slate quarry, evidence of an industrial past, as, perhaps, as is the old hazel coppicing.

Leaving the wood brought us out onto wild fell side with Scandale Head above us hidden in the lowering hill fog.  We quickly reached High Sweden Bridge, an old pack horse bridge used by generations of famers, traders and hill ponies.  The ponies were often heavily laden, significantly extending their girth so such bridges as this have no parapet which would impede the ponies' progress.  Afer the bridge the path climbed high up the far side of the dale before wending its way down to Low Sweden Bridge, a more modern affair and still in use by today's farmers.  Views down to Ambleside and Windermere were spectacular with even some clearing skies on the horizon.  Even more dramatic, though, was the view over Rydal Water and Loughrigg to The Langdale Pikes with their heads clear of the murk.

From Low Sweden Bridge we made our way back down into Ambleside where I had a quick scout around for some new boots, my current ones having worn through into the midsole.  I have loved these boots which Scarpa still make but their replacement in the flesh pots of Ambleside was going to set me back £220!!  I shall be looking elsewhere!! ;-(

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