Nine of us travelled up on the Saturday and we spent the first night at Thorney How Hostel, the first hostel to be bought by the YHA in 1931. It was old fashioned but comfortable. The other three nights were spent at the larger Butharlyp Howe Hostel.

On Sunday Neil led the walk up to Sergeant Man and then on to High Raise (some 2500 ft!). Very strenuous but rewarding. The views from the top of the surrounding fells and down into Grasmere and Lake Windermere were impressive. The descent was long and rocky which tested the physical reserves the group.

On Monday some of us were nursing aches and pains from the day before so we decided to opt out of the planned walk and do an alternative walk. Five of the group drove to Langdale and walked via the ‘band’ up to Bow Fell and then onto Crinkle Craggs, led by Steve. Four of us were on the alternative walk led by Niki. We left Grasmere and followed a (sometimes elusive) permissive path between Swinescar pike and Lang Howe. The sun came out as we had our lunch sitting on Silver Howe, and we could just see the peaks of Bow Fell and Crinkle Craggs almost shrowded in mist. As we walked around the fell we were rewarded by breathtaking views into Langdale and Lake Windermere . The path back into Grasmere involved a steep and exhilarating descent and accent to cross Megs Gill. Just before re-entering Grasmere we were rewarded by a glimpse of a red squirrel.

On Tuesday it rained. Two of the group were suffering from the climb and descent of Bow Fell and decided not to walk, so drove to Kendal. Another two decided to do the Wordsworth experience, and visited Dove Cottage, Cockermouth and Rydal House instead.

Neil led the remaining four on a walk to Ambleside via the corpse road, so named because before 1854, when St Mary’s church in Ambleside was consecrated, the deceased from Ambleside were carried 4 miles along the road to be buried at St Oswald’s church in Grasmere . We had coffee at Rydal Hall a beautiful country manor with fine gardens now owned by the diocese of Carlisle , where members of the public can go on retreat, either staying in the house or in tents or pods in the garden. After lunch at Ambleside we returned to Grasmere via Loughrigg Fell. Parts of the path was paved and very slippery in the rain, so we went very carefully but were rewarded by stunning views of the lake as we dropped down into Grasmere.

As we drove past Lake Windermere on the way out of the area we paused so that we could take in a last panoramic view of the lake and mountains behind. All in all it was a glorious visit.