Allen, Southey and Tetley, were sitting quietly reading their respective magazines, when Shaun arrived with Little Eric riding on his back clutching the cake tins. Grizzly was close behind flasks in paw.
"Great", cheered arch tea belly Allen. "Tea!, I'm...
"gasping for a cuppa", finished off Tetley with a laugh.
Southey had dropped his magazine and gone to get the mugs and plates. "I'll lend a paw the help fill them, pal."
"Thanks", replied Shaun.
"What cakes have we got today?", asked Tetley.
Little Eric replied, "Well Southey has been busy and made sultana scones, and there is butter jam and cream. So Grizzly and I have had a bit of a day off, and have just made coconut chocolate and cherry slice."
"Lovely", said Tetley. "Thanks Southey, you are a real dab paw at the scones, they are going to be delicious for sure."
We all dug in and there was quiet for a while, other than for Allen to ask for his mug to be refilled twice!
"Without a doubt you are the arch tea belly", laughed Southey. "I'm a bit of a tea belly too, but I can't keep up with you."
"I definitely take after Dad", laughed Allen. "The scones are scrumptious pal, just as Tetley said they would be."
"As is the cherry slice", added Shaun, who was on his third slice. He then went on, "Dad has told me that we are to go walking on Wednesday, and has asked us to come up with a suggestion."
Grizzly said, "I know what we can do and I am sure Dad will agree. On that fateful day when he lost his GPS, we were only able to do half of the walk from Ashes Lane. We did not get up onto Cunswick Scar and round via Fell Gate. We need to lay the incident to rest."
"Yes, but what if Dad was to find his old GPS. That would create complications with the insurance claim", said Little Eric.
"That's true", agreed Shaun, "but we could not find it on the day as we walked back and if we did miss it by now there will have been more walkers on the route and it will have been found by now."
"Well I'll just finish this mug of tea, and then go and see what Dad thinks", said Allen. "Oh and...
"I know", said Shaun. "Fill it up again. Don't ever change pal. We love you just the way you are."
Allen was soon back. "Dad agrees. Also it will mean he can go to the River Bela Cafe afterwards, where we get to go in too."
As with the weather generally at present, the day was basically cloudy and rather dull with a cold stiff breeze, particularly on Cunswick Scar.
The start was once again from the loop of old road near Ashes Lane.
Dad got ready and meanwhile we snugged down in the rucksack. This shouldered there was a bit of a delay.
"What's up", asked Tetley.
"This new GPS is much more complicated, and I am not completely au fait with the options to set the tracking on and zeroing the distance and time etc. Ah got it", he went on slipping it safely into the pouch.
A few yards we came to the signpost indicating the route.
"There is still the sign about the woods being closed after storm Arwen", pointed Little Eric.
"Aye pal, but as we saw last time any blockages to the path had been cleared", replied Tetley. "And at the other end there is no sign about the path being closed."
There was plenty of evidence of the effects of the storm.
The path led us over a small beck.
"I know we really do not want to find the old GPS, but we aught to keep our eyes peeled nevertheless", said Grizzly as Dad strode on.
"Yes lad, we should, but I do not hold out much hope."
Reaching the gate we crossed Ashes Lane, to follow the path that came close by Ratherheath Tarn.
"There's that tepee like shelter", pointed Southey. "There is a section of tree trunk as a seat inside."
"As we remarked last time, this tall fence surrounding the tarn was not there years ago, and I am sure we could get through that gate to get a picture", said Allen.
"Aye lad. It is private and owned by an angling association."
"I looked it up. It is WADAA, that is the Windermere, Ambleside and District Angling Association", informed Grizzly.
"Thanks for that lad, I always wondered what the initials stood for."
At the top Dad walked off the path to take a picture, holding the camera above the fence.
Meanwhile we were looking closely at the rough ground in case this was where the GPS had fallen off. To no avail.
The path led through a gap where the gate and fence had been destroyed by a falling tree, to come to the bear sized waymark....
...pointing us to the stone step stile...
...over which the route was left across pastures, to where Dad climbed the stone step stile onto Ratherheath Lane.
"Turn left, then right along the track to Moss Side", advised Shaun, although Dad did not really need any directions.
Just before the house a footpath sign directs walkers along a muddy track towards some buildings, our path then being round right and through the small gate and on to a gate in the wall into the field to the left of the woodland.
"Please take the pond" said Little Eric, "it's pretty."
As we had walked by Tetley said, "look there's a dolphin sculpture."
"And a frog", pointed Grizzly.
Through the gate in the wall, Shaun pointed right. "That gate will be on our return route. Now we go ahead keeping left and through the grounds of Bank End, to gate on to its access.
At the access Dad turned right, Southey saying, "we walk to the start of the wood. There up the slope and over the stile and through the gate.
The waymark points ahead by the right boundary to a stile in the corner. There, it was right to a gate onto Crook Road.
"This was as far as we got last time", commented Little Eric, "and as we suspected no sign of the old GPS."
"Well maybe someone else found it and put it to use", said Tetley.
"Through that narrow gap stile opposite." pointed Southey.
Across the pasture a similar stile took us into the woods to follow the narrow path up Hallhead Nab, and through the stile at the top to walk left by the boundary to a gate, and out onto the ridge of Cunswick Scar.
"We want the path right", said Southey. "But we will have to leave it left to get up the slope to the summit."
Very shortly Dad took the trod left for the very short ascent to summit cairn.
"Come on pals, picture time", called at Little Eric.
Although visibility was not particularly good we could see below the town of Kendal.
"Uncle Eric lives there", said Little Eric. "Let's give him a wave. Hope too that it will not be too long before we can have a walk with him."
Snuggled again, we walked on, Dad reversing the narrow trod to regain the path on the edge of the scar. "We are looking for a gate to the descent path", said Shaun.
About ten minutes later Allen called out, "there."
The descent path while not terribly steep was muddy and rocky making it slippery. "I'm glad of my stick on this section", said Dad. "This was the reason I brought it today."
Following the clearly waymarked route, we exited into a large field. Southey pointed, "we should aim for the left end of Ash Spring Wood."
However Dad ignored the instruction, prompting Southey to say, "where are you going."
"To try and get a shot of sorts of Cunswick Tarn."
Grizzly said, "according to the walk details this was used as a fish pond by the early owners of Cunswick Hall.
Now following Southey's guidance we crossed to Ash Spring and took stiles into and out of the wood, and then as directed by the waymark, walked left to descend to the access to Cunswick Hall.
Grizzly said, "I have some information about this. The house is mainly 19th century, on the site of an earlier house belonging to the Leyburn family until the 18th century of which fragments of wall and a 16th century two-light stone mullioned window remain. The window is said to have the oldest glass in Westmorland. It is said that King Henry VIII was entertained here, when he was courting Katherine Parr."
As we had approached the drive Dad spotted a sheep with big horns and got the camera out with the intention of snapping a picture. It turned its back on Dad, and then walked into the corner of the field out of shot.
"Ha ha ha ", laughed Allen loudly. "Maybe a sheep picture free story is on today."
"Cross the access then follow the path diagonally right", advised Shaun."
The route was waymarked, and Tetley said, "I remember us walking this path years ago. We will come to stile on the left to cross into the adjacent field and then walk on in the same direction to its end."
"Wow what a memory you have pal", said Southey in wonder.
Looking about Little Eric mused, "the trees bare of their leaves might make nice pictures."
"Hmm, yes lad", agreed Dad as he lined up the camera. Here are the results.
Tetley was spot on with his directions and reaching the top of the adjacent field it was through a gate and down to the access drive to Fell Gate Farm.
However before descending, we stopped to look at the distant views.
"Shame it is not clearer", said Grizzly. "There is something of the view to Kentmere. Maybe take a shot as it will give readers some idea. The high fell to the left is Yoke, and at the back under cloud High Street and Mardale Ill Bell, with Harter Fell to the right."
"That's Sour Hows with the patch of sunlight", said Tetley. "I recall after we had reached the Birkett summit of Capple Howe, we passed near that line of trees to attain the summit. We last climbed them in February 2013."
Approaching the farm Shaun advised, "walk through the buildings then go right along the main access road."
"Thanks lad."
After striding out for a little while, Shaun then instructed, "just before the cattle grid, leave the access right, climb the stile, and then cross the tiny bridge, to follow the the path to a gate onto Crook Road.
At the road, Southey said, "turn right to the buildings of High Brundrigg on the left, and there take the signed path."
This led through a gate and onto a track round the rear of the buildings.
There were sheep here, but they too proved uncooperative when Dad tried to get a shot. "Yippee", cheered Allen. "A sheep picture free story. Made my day!"
Beyond, the route was through a succession of gates, to the corner of a pasture, and the gate Shaun had referred to earlier, on our way from Moss Side to Bank End. Crossing left we rejoined the outwards route to the start.
There was not much different to photograph to finish the story, but liked this of a cockerel at Moss Side.
And finally this further shot of Ratherheath Tarn.
As we arrived at the car, Southey said, "thank you Dad for another lovely walk. It is good to finally complete it all."
"You're welcome lads. Good to be out in the fresh air."
So now as planned Dad went to the River Bela Cafe, in Milnthorpe being greeted cheerily by Martyn and Sarah. We went in too and sat on the table as usual.
Dad enjoyed lovely Cumberland sausage with chips and egg, followed by delicious apple crumble and custard, with tea to drink. They were having trouble with microwave, so soon when Dad was the only customer, they closed early. This enabled him to have a lovely long chat with them.
Rounded the day of just fine.
