Lake District Part 4

Ullswater towards Glenridding

THURSDAY - AIRA FORCE OR AIRA TRICKLE?

On our penultimate day the sun was still shining fiercely, with our fleeces, long trousers and raincoats still in the suitcases where they'd been all week. One of our pre-trip plans had been to go to the Aira Force series of waterfalls near Ullswater so we hopped into the car. I'd wanted to drive there over the Kirkstone Pass, the highest pass in the region open to traffic and then loop back past Thirlmere. Unfortunately it was closed the whole week we were there for some roadworks, so it looked like we were stuck with a "there and back" trip on the Thirlmere road (not that that was problematic. It just meant seeing the same bit of road twice). The drive up was lovely as we drove along the Thirlmere road, under the base of Helvellyn with initially distant, but fast closing views of the Skiddaw range.

Once at Aira Force (a National Trust place inevitably, with parking, toilets and a little cafe) we took a gentle stroll up towards the waterfalls. Luckily the path was shaded as it was VERY hot. The several weeks of no rainfall however meant that the waterfalls were little more than a trickle in some places, and not overly spectacular throughout. Never mind - we'd recently visited some decent cascades closer to home in Wales, but at least we'd ticked the box and "done' Aira Force. If we every come back out of summer season, it will be worth another visit.

One of the smaller cascades at Aira Force.

Bridge across the falls at Aira Force

A very short stroll from the car park was Ullswater, so we took a walk down. The views towards Glenridding were fabulous (see top photo in this post), but sadly like so many still waters in the country, there is a significant problem with blue/green algae as the photo below shows. Not a place to go swimming or let your pets or children play in.

Blue/Green Algae at Ullswater

Back in the car as it was still fairly early afternoon, we decided to go to a place called "Surprise View" Back through Kewsick and down the eastern edge of Derwent Water before climbing a (very) single track road steeply to a rough car park (but NT again - saved a fortune on NT entrance and car park fees this week, making full use of our membership). Literally 20 meters or so from the car park brings you to the view below. Glorious views along Derwent Water, towards Keswick and Bassenthwaite Lake beyond, with Skiddaw in the right hand distance of the frame.

Derwent Water and Skiddaw

With views like this it was fairly busy, with some inevitable "instagrammers" posing for ages with their shots, but then what was I doing other than taking some great photos. The difference being I suppose that I was shooting the view not the person.

Then it was back home to Grasmere, and then we wandered once again up to Allan Bank (Wordsworth's old gaff - remember?) to sit and read our books quietly for an hour or so before calling an end to another lovely hot and long day with a nice pint at one of the hostelries in the village.

Allan Bank

The best of our Lakes Photo Album (Flickr)

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