Celebrating Easter in Carnforth

No we were not in Carnforth at Easter, but we were there in time to see the Easter decorations in Market Street

Finchingfield

Travelling between Braintree, where we had visited the Warner Textile Archive and Saffron Walden, on our way to Cambridge, we could not help but stop at the picturesque village of Finchingfield.

Dovedale

If you sometimes think, on your way from Ullswater to Kirkstone, that some of the valleys on either side would make a good walk, then you would be right.
The last valley on the right, lying between Middle Dodd, and High Hartsop Dodd, is Caiston Glen which has a path running alongside Caiston Beck leading to Scandale Pass. This was my return route.
My outward route one Sunday last month was up the next valley of Dovedale, starting from Brotherwaters Inn, or Sykeside camping site, where the convenient parking costs just £2.50 for the day.
After some mixed weather the previous two days, last Sunday was a beautiful bright clear day, with excellent visibility and a great day for walking.

The path goes through the camp site across the beck to some farm buildings, then turns left past another farm, where there was a herd of black cows. They did not seem particularly perturbed as I walked through the herd.
The walk was gentle at first, with Hartsop above How on the right, and High Hartsop Dodd across the other side of the valley to the left, with the stream some distance off in the valley.

After a while the path comes nearer the stream, and then crosses it over a footbridge. By this point the valley has widened, the stream turns off to the right, there is a hill in the middle of the valley, and on the left there are a series of streams, flowing into Hogger Gill, that cut into the hillside as it sweeps round the corner of the valley.

The path starts to rise here, and there are some waterfalls, including one high one, which was quite spectacular.

Then there is a second footbridge, and we joined the path on the right hand side of the stream.

I had seen three men in white shirts on this path, which had missed out the cows and the waterfall. They were young geordie lads, who were just drying off and warming up after a dip in one of the pools in the stream. Very hardy young lads. While I was chatting with them, we were passed by a couple I had met at the waterfall. Six of us had the whole valley to ourselves.

looking back down the valley, towards Caudale

The path continues climbing a little higher up the hillside from the stream, which curves round behind the hill. It feels quite concealed and closed in at this section. It is a river valley with steeply sloping sides rising either side of the stream.

The valley curves round behind the hill.

The path then takes a turn to the right, and becomes very steep indeed. It is almost a staircase, with stones set into the hillside making a clear path up the steep slope, which climbs to the right of the rather fearsome looking Dove Crag. The view gets better and better, across to High Street, and past Place fell across to the Pennines.

Part of the valley concealed behind the hill

Then it becomes less steep again, less rocks and more grass. I left the path here, and tried to find the cave, called Priest's Hole, but I did not find it. Then I ended up missing the path, so I scrambled up the last bit of slope to the ridge, and enjoyed a picnic looking down over Rydal Glen, and out past Windermere to Morecambe Bay.

I had my picnic looking down over Rydale, and out towards Morecambe Bay

I walked up to Hart Crag, where the all round view was spectacular, across to Helvellyn, and over Kentdale  to the Howgills. I looked down on Hartsop above How, that was towering above me in the valley not long before.

Looking out past Penrith to the pennines

The route back was down from Hart Crag, up to Dove Crag, which was quite busy, and then by a path that runs alongside a fence that keeps a respectful distance from the top of the steep slopes with the streams that flow into Hogger Gill, which I had admired earlier in the day.

Scandale Tarn in the foreground, and Windermere in the distance

I could see the three geordie lads ahead of me, and thought I might catch them up, but they went back across the top, onto High Hartsop Dodd, while I went at the bottom of the valley, walking alongside Caiston Beck.

A pond on the plateau

Caiston Glen is a river valley, with steep grassy sloping sides, strewn with rocks, and some shrubs growing toward the top on the south facing slope. The beck has carved a deep gulley at points, and there are some waterfalls. The valley runs fairly straight, and then turning slightly as it reaches Kirkstone Glen.

Waterfalls in Caiston Glen

Waterfall on Claiston Beck

From this point there was a breeze, stronger than there had been on the ridge, and coming from the North.
I met someone who has spent the afternoon climbing boulders alongside the path, who remarked that the breeze was quite cool. Then I met another man who had just recently taken up walking, who chatted with me as we made our way to the carpark, walking at some pace, so that I could get back to meet Ann at the agreed time, which I just managed to do.
What a great day's walk.

Caiston Glen has carved a deep gulley at points

Arnside on the previous evening

Swallows & Amazons

It exceeded our expectations. We went not knowing what to expect, as it was the only show on the evening of my birthday, but we were well entertained by Song, Dance, and Drama.
It told the story of 4 children from one family who go off to sail in a boat, the Swallow, on the lake, and camp on the island, where they met two girls sailing their boat, the Amazon. They make friends, engage in mock battles, and have adventures.

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The actors do a great job of playing children; John, twelve years old, in short trousers, captain of the ship, carrying the responsibility; Susan first mate, oldest girl, keeping the family together, and a very expressive dancer; Titty (short for Letitia, I thought it must be Kitty and I was mishearing it) had some great scenes, Ann thought she was the best; and Roger, played by the largest actor, was the youngest. He had some great lines, and made a great eight year old. The two Amazon girls were wonderfully fierce, until they started squabbling with each other.
The props were simple but very effective. Cormorants on long sticks, blue ribbon to represent the water, wood shaped like a boats bow, were all manhandled to give a very vivid impression of the scenes being conjured up. The scene where they were sailing and changing tack was very impressive, as was the night time storm with lightning and wind machine.
The props were maneuvered by other members of the cast, as well as the six children there were seven other actors who, when they were not playing four minor adult characters, would be on stage in gray coats and hats, moving the props, or fulfilling their other function, as musicians. There was a violin, two cellos, a piano, and a variety of other instruments.

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My worst fear of musicals, being bored during the musical numbers, proved groundless. Far from interrupting the drama, the music added to it and carried the plot along. It was very engaging.
It got even more engaging towards the end, as we in the stalls (so glad we did not manage to get the seats in the circle) got thrown bean bags to help throw at the villainous pirate, and during the final number a five foot model of each of the boats was passed over the heads of the audience.
There were a fair number of older folk who seemed to be enjoying it, and considerable number of teenagers including one large school group, in the seats near us. We were impressed how they quietened down as soon as the lights darkened. Young and older, we all enjoyed it, and it was a boisterous, excited crowd pouring out into Williamsons Square with the final number ringing in our ears, having enjoyed a wonderful evenings entertainment.

I, Claudius

This is the story of an intelligent, quick-witted, resourceful man surviving in a brutal and capricious age. Regarded as an idiot by many on account of his stammer and his limp, he was despised by many and the butt of  cruel jokes. But partly because of this he survived to become ruler of the Roman world, at a time when many in his imperial family met untimely deaths, with foul play strongly suspected.
The action takes place during the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula. Augustus ruled very ably, but as far Claudius was concerned his wife (and Claudius grandmother) was the evil power behind the throne. Tiberius ruled fairly ably, except in Rome, where he did not have the qualities to be an inspiring leader. Claudius' brother Germanicus would have made a better Emperor,  and Tiberius knew it, making him more insecure and malicious. Caligula was completely of the page.  As Claudius said, all the members of his family were either very good, or very bad. There are not many shades of gray.
It is written in the first person, as if Claudius' autobiography had been lost for 1,900 years and suddenly discovered in the 1930s. Most of the major events are a matter of public record, and if the gaps are filled in with speculation, Robert Graves was given a head start from all the speculation that was around in Roman times.  There is an amusing incident where the young Claudius engaged in a conversation in a library between two eminent historians, one writes attested truth, the other writes readable speculation.  We get all the speculation, with unlikely explanations of how Claudius got to know real truth.
It is an enjoyable read. There were several amusing incidents or well written paragraphs you want to share, but there was a problem. After a while I stopped being as offended by Caligula's outrages, and caught some of the black humour of it. It is fun to read in its context but difficult to share.
At the end of the day you forget the injustice and outrage, and remember the inspiring stories. Many people despised Claudius and treated him shamefully, but he had a few, very few, friends and family who appreciated him and were very loyal. An old professor, a soldier, the daughter of a prostitute, a servant, a cousin, a brother (and great general); these are the noble characters.
The final page opens a new chapter, with Claudius as Emperor. Whether Graves does as good a job of persuading us of Claudius' virtues in that book remains to be seen, but I Claudius was certainly a good read.

Troutbeck

On Saturday we gave a lift to a friend who said how they enjoyed Kentmere, so I headed there, but as often happens, all the parking spaces by the institute were taken, and I drove back and parked beside the road opposite the mill. Map I took the path that goes through the mill's yard, behind Kentmere Tarn to Kentmere Hall, and then walked up Garburn Pass meeting a few other walkers, but more cyclists, getting as far as the ridge before having to turn back. I was glad to reach the ridge, as I was there again the next day, approaching from the other direction.  On getting back to the village I walked back on the road. At one point I turned back to see an approaching  vehicle, and saw the valley beyond the village was full of weather.   I was glad to have put my waterproof back on for when the hail came.

For all there was hail, it was quite mild, but by six o'clock the temperature had dropped, there was a clear sky, and the stars looked very bright that evening.

On Sunday I did the other half of Garburn Pass, starting from a parking space on the road between the church and the Queen's Head in Troutbeck, past Limefitt caravan park, getting some great views as the track led higher.

Last year's grass has died back to a a reddish brown, giving the valley a beautiful colour in the bright sunlight.
Climbing the southern slopes gives a different view of the valley than you get from the road, on the other side.

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As you climb higher, you are rewarded with views of Windermere that you do not get to see from down in the valley.

At points the path was quite icy, even in the bright sunshine.

The valley has a flat bottom, while Raven Crag by Kirkstone can be seen in the distance.

On reaching the ridge just past Garburn Nook I took the path that that follows the ridge. It is a great walk, taking in some peaks along the way, The Yoke, Ill Bell, and Froswick. It was a beautifully clear, with impressive views not just over Kentmere to the right, but beyond that to the Howgills, looking quite distinctive in the distance. At one point there was a clear view across to Great Dun Fell, not that I could do justice with my camera.
There was a group of about eight from Manchester just ahead of me, and I caught up with them at different points along the way.  It was comforting seeing them ahead of me showing where the path was. We sat down at a sheltered spot at the Yoke, and I had a bite to eat, but when I got to Ill Bell and Froswick, it was getting too cold and windy to sit and eat.
Of all the peaks, Ill Bell was the steepest clamber to get up to the top, more so from the other direction, which was a careful few steps down for me.

Further along the ridge widens out, and the valley floor is hidden from view

Snow lying on the North facing slopes

Snow capped peaks in the distance

A view looking South at Windermere, with Morecambe Bay in the distance

A frozen pond on the high ground.

A view of Kentmere resevoir

The View to the West

The crags looking down over Kentmere

The path near the Yoke

Another view showing Windermere and Morecambe bay

Looking down over Kentmere. You can pick out the Howgills to the left in the distance

Looking back 

Had I gone on, the path would have forked, with Threshthwaite at the far end of Troutbeck, and the old Roman Road, High Street, to the the right. The path I took down into Troutbeck was the route the Romans used to take up to High Street. It was steep at first, and there was a section with ice and frozen grass which was quite beautiful.
The valley is divided in two by the Tongue. I followed close to Hagg Gill which passes to the South of the Tongue, while Trout Beck runs to the North. The A592 turns out of Troutbeck at that point, so from the road you do not get to see the top end of the valley.  The Tongue always seems curious viewed from the road, but from this end you can see the long gentle rise that gives it its name.
Hagg Gill is a delightful little river, and the walk would be very pleasant with more time to savour it. As it was I rushed as quick as I could, and was still late meeting Ann and she had to wait for me. The path also went past Hall Hill, a very small hill, in Troutbeck park, just before the confluence of Hagg Gill and Troutbeck.
Altogether a Great Day.

On the descent showing the Tongue and Trout Beck

The Rush Grass frozen in Ice

Frozen Grass

A waterfall of icicles

These stones lay at intervals beside the path

Decisions

I have discovered the secret of making decisions about important issues.

In section 133 of book one of the Histories, Herodotus writes of the Persians:-

They are extremely fond of wine... it is usual for them to be drunk when debating important issues. However, any decision they reach is put to them again on the next day, when they are sober, by the head of the household where the debate takes place; if they still approve of it when they are sober, it is adopted, but otherwise they forget about it. And any issues they debate when sober are reconsidered by them when they are drunk.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

I was looking forward to a quiet evening in last night when David rang and asked if I wanted to see Mission Impossible IV - Ghost Protocol at the iMax at 9.30pm? It was a big evening.
The first  big thing is the zigzag staircase to the Odeon at Liverpool one; the secret is to go behind it to the escalator behind. The second big thing was the ticket price, at £12.60 it is not cheap. The next big decision was whether to buy an overpriced drink; I opted for a Ben & Jerry ice cream instead.
It is a big experience watching an iMax film. The screen is large and the sound is impressive. The seats are comfortable and tiered quite steeply, so there is no problem if you have a tall person in front.  The front seats, designated premium were all empty; I dread to think how much they would be.
The film was ideal for iMax, stunning shots from sky scrapers and lots of action, and explosions. They certainly looked and sounded great. The experience was good, but was it a good film?
Well, although it is called Ghost Protocol, it is nothing to do with ghosts. The protocol just means they have no contact with any superiors, which just means there is no need to disobey orders or possibility of being betrayed from above.
The action takes us from Budapest, to a Moscow prison, to the Kremlin, to Dubai, and then Mumbai. Tick.
There is a blonde assassin and an attractive agent who has a task attracting attention from a playboy character at a lavish party. Tick.
One of the team is a computer whiz who can hack into computers and take control of systems at a moment's notice.  Tick.
At one point Ethan climbs up the outside of a sky scraper, discarding one of the high tech gloves that starts to malfunction. Tick.
There are multiple high speed car journeys, including one mega car chase ending in a front end collision. Tick.
There is a scene where everything has gone wrong and the team are incriminating each other, and secrets from their past come tumbling out. Tick.
Nuclear catastrophe is avoided with just a few seconds to spare. Tick (Woops, I have given the end away!)
There is a clandestine operation inside the Kremlin, and a tense scene exchanging money and codes between two sets of simultaneous negotiations. Tick
There are gun fights, fist fights, and a fight on several levels in a multi storey car park, which lifts and ramps. Tick.
It does seem to have all the right ingredients, and was a lot of fun.