Wansfell Pike

Last Sunday I climbed Wansfell Pike, walking from Troutbeck to Ambleside, and back through Skelghyll Wood.
I enjoyed a cup of coffee at the Queen's Head, Troutbeck, and considered walking north up the Troutbeck valley, but the ridge at the top, 784 metres was definitely in the low clouds. I was hoping that Wansfell Pike, 482 metres, might not be, but I was disappointed in that respect.
The path starts at Lanefoot farm on the B road that runs through the village from Town Head to Town End, and rises steeply at first, and flatten out as it joins a track called Nanny Lane.  This track runs North to a further peak slightly higher than Wansfell Pike, and there was a well signed turning to the left. The sign also requested walkers to keep to the path; good advice, as we were up in the clouds now, and the ground apart from the path was both boggy and snowy.

There were a few other walkers about, appearing through the mist. The gloves and hat, which had been consigned to the backpack during the sheltered early part of the climb were called back into service. At the very top the wind was biting cold on the bare skin, and I would have worn a balaclava if I had one.  There is a wall running North to South at the top, and it was more sheltered to the west of the wall, although the view was no better.

The path down to Ambleside was generally steeper, and very much so near the top. It was also much more busy, so there was quite a lot of waiting to pass as it was often only wide enough for one person.  Gradually the valley below became visible through the cloud, and eventually the path widened as it came down alongside a stream to reach a track, which led down into Ambleside.
During the descent there seemed to be a rather grand building, with orange windows, but when we passed it it turned out the orange was the boards over the windows of a university building no longer in use.
The road into Ambleside was now very busy, with pedestrians not traffic, because it is the route not only to Wansfell Pike, but also to the waterfalls of Stockghyll Force, a sight I left to another day.
While eating my lunch in Ambleside, I planned my route back, through Skelghyll Wood and Robin Lane back to Troutbeck.  A side road runs parallel to the A591, and just before this rejoins the main road, a path is sign posted to Skelghyll, Troutbeck and Jenkins Crag.

This is a pleasant walk, initially through woodland, and sheltered from the wind and with no threat of rain, the cagoule was packed away for the rest of the journey.

one boat under sail

Jenkins Crag is a short 50 yard detour off the main path. It was quite a surprise that the crag made such a good viewpoint, being in the middle of woodland. It gave a great view over Windermere, and I was impressed to see one boat under sail on the lake.
Further round, there were more impressive views looking South down Windermere seeing the Islands near Bowness in the distance.  I am looking forward to doing the walk on a brighter day.
All my way up this path, I passed people coming the other way that I had passed as they made their way up from Ambleside as I was making my way down, and some of them recognised me.It seems that a lot of people like to climb Wansfell Pike using the steep path, and then enjoy a more leisurely path down. Either they had been to Troutbeck, doing my route but in reverse, or they had turned South along the permissive path before they reached Nanny Lane.
There was one confusing point on the way back. The path joins a lane and following this will take you back along Skelghyll Lane through to Town End. I wanted the higher path that leads to Robin Lane, which meant turning off the lane. I avoided this at first thinking it was the path back up to Wansfell, but this was further on along the track called Hundreds Road.
Once on Robin Lane, there were benches at points along the way to enjoy the views, and it was a gentle walk down. The entrance to Robin Lane is signposted in Troutbeck, it is just past the post office.
So altogether a good walk, some steep paths, up and down, exposed hillsides, snow wind mist and cloud, as well as gentle paths and sheltered woodland.

Scout Scar

Last Saturday I walked at Scout Scar, near Kendal.

It must be a great walk in good weather, with wonderful views, south as far as Arnside, and across the the fells on either side of Windermere. The snow on the hills to the North looked very enticing, but the rest of the view looked more eerie in the low cloud and mist.

It is very spectacular, the path runs along the cliff top, with gently sloping access land to the west, and a sharp drop to the East.
It is a very easy walk, just five minutes out of Kendal on the road to Underbarrow, there is a car park on the right, with a path leading to the left.  Because you start at the top of the ridge, there is no great climb before you are rewarded with great views.
I drove past the spot at first, and off to the right where I found a nice spot to eat my lunch in the car with a view of the Scar through the one window and of a waterfall in the other window.

Part way along the scar is a path that leads down to a farm at the foot of the cliff, which I took and walked on  to the village of Brigsteer.
This was a pleasant walk through a wooded area.
I did not look round the village but walked up a steep road to get back onto the access land at the cliff top again.  The road took me past signs to a church and a viewpoint, which I would have taken, if I had more time.
There were cattle grazing on the access land, but they seemed fairly unperturbed by my presence.  There are lots of paths across the land, but the only one marked took me to the foot of the cliff and up the route I had come down previously. I avoided that but did get tangled finding a style to cross the wall that runs right across the south end of the access land.

The weather had brightened up a bit by now, and the views were looking a little more inviting.

Hotel Comte

So, what about Hotel Comte in Rue de Dijon, Nice? Yes, I would stay there again, and I would recommend it, but look elsewhere if you want thick carpets and palatial rooms.  A studio flat was very satisfactory for the four of us for four nights at a total cost of €291.00.
The tariff was €70 per night for the flat, plus sales tax. I did think it was going to be €107.50 per night, with breakfast and car parking.  The hotel coffee did smell good as I went out to the nearby pattisserie to buy the pain au chocolate and pain au rasin, but we were very happy eating breakfast in the room, and the nearby car park turned out to be free on Sundays and overnight.
My first impressions were not good. I was dismayed for Kath, because there was a short but quite steep ramp at the front door, and our room was up a flight of stairs with no lift, but she did really well.  The rooms in the main part of the hotel did have lifts, but our flat was in the building at the back, along narrow corridors with light switches on timers. The flat itself had a living room with a table and two single beds, a separate bedroom about 9" longer than the bed.  The bath was too short to lie in and the shower was a hand held affair. There was a balcony looking over an untidy garden and looking over the car park.
For all the initial disappointment, it suited us very well. It was clean and comfortable, we got good nights' sleep. The kitchenette served us well for tea and coffee, and the table sufficed for breakfast and one of our four evening meals.
Our first problem was how to drive to Rue de Dijon in the hire car. We got this off to a tee by the end. From the Promenade des Anglais, the main road running from the airport to the town centre along the coast, turn onto Boulevard Gambetta, and keep going under the bridge that carries the main overhead dual carriage way from East to West. After a while the road forks to the left, or would do, except it is one way, and the next right turn is Rue Clement Roassal, which leads to Rue de Dijon.
Arriving by tram is even easier. It costs just one euro for any journey within 70 minutes however far you travel.  When you get off at Liberation, the hotel is in sight. Liberation square was a great place to be near, especially on Sunday morning. There were fruit stalls every morning, but on Sunday there were all sorts including a complete row of fish stalls.

We bought fruit not only to eat, but also to draw. On our evening in we used one of the pieces of paper that the food was wrapped in to draw a still life. Good times.

You can tell which is mine, it is the least artistic one.

Two of our three meals out were a very short walk away from the hotel, and Restaurant L'Instant on the first night was especially good and welcoming.

The Narnia Experience

You have ten days left to take your family to The Narnia Experience at St. George's Hall Liverpool.  It really brings the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe story to life.
The entrance is at the Walker Art gallery end, and the air raid wardens are there to welcome you into war time London. There is music, a quiz, and a clip of the children being evacuated from London before you get taken to be briefed by the Professor's housekeeper, Mrs. Macready. Then the Narnian Dryad's come to lead you through the wardrobe, past the fur coats and into the magical world of Narnia.
This is St. George's hall as you have never seen it before. There is a snowscape (it is has been winter in Narnia for hundred years after all) forest (beware of the trees - some of them are spies, for the white witch) and a frozen waterfall with stepping stones.
There is good Narnian hospitality from Mr. Tumnus, the fawn, and Mrs. Beaver, in their cosy houses offering the best that Narnia has to offer. Edmund follows a slightly different route, which involves Turkish delight and the Queen of Narnia. The story moves on with film clips and live actors to Aslan's camp, the stone table, the witches castle and finally to Cair Paravel, where the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve are crowned Kings and Queens of Narnia.
Then it is back through the wardrobe door, to meet the Professor and make sense of it all, and onto the craft area, to make snowflakes and to talk to Aslan.  The whole experience takes about 90 minutes.
While you are in Narnia, you are guided round by Dryads, which was my part in the proceedings. It was good fun, and less lines to learn than Mr. Tumnus, Mrs. Beaver, or the White witch. It was great working with folk from various churches all over Liverpool. Well done to Annie Spiers and IAP for organising it.
Tickets from Ticketline