Three years ago I was mildly puzzled by people who wanted to talk about, and extol the virtues of grandchildren, but now I am one of them.
Katie is now 2 years 3 months old. On Saturday, along with mother Jill (High Horse), we all made the ascent of the first proper hill for Katie.
Orrest Head, at approximately 750ft is a popular viewpoint above Windermere involving a two mile round trip and 350ft. of ascent, all pretty steep going.
I know it is not so remarkable, but what gave great pleasure was Katie’s obvious enjoyment from beginning to end. Despite a biting wind, rain in the air, and mud underfoot, she walked cheerfully the whole distance. One of my walking poles was requisitioned, and it was obviously too long, so Katie trailed it behind, and told us it was her dog that she was walking. I remarked that there could be a market for walking poles for children until a bit of lateral thinking had me shorten the pole to suit - Katie was well pleased with that.
The weather was hostile on the summit, but no bother to K. She joined in at being pirates looking for treasure when we sought and found the local geocache and she was rewarded with a little spangled booklet which she cherished for the rest of the day.
On the descent K had a little tumble and muddied her jeans, so back in Windermere HH shot into a charity shop and bought a virtually new pair of designer (Joules) jeans for 75p so we were all neat and tidy to finish the day in Café Ambio at The Lakeland Motor Museum.
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Some of the pics were taken with Jill's iPhone and leave much to be desired.
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| On the summit |
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At speed on the descent.
Note colour difference between my Canon SX150is and Jill's iPhone |
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| iPhone panorama from summit - very pixelated |
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| At Café Ambio |
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Arriving back at Arnside - nb railway viaduct
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Thursday 16th January
My regular Thursday walk with Pete took us to Humphrey Head setting off from Cedric Robinson's cottage near Allithwaite. Cedric is the Queen's guide for walks across the sands of Morecambe Bay from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands. Some years ago I was on that walk with my old Springer Spaniel, Barney. I was concerned whether he would make it or not in view of his age, but out at the front was a lady with a little terrier that was on heat and Barney got tucked in behind and never flagged.
Despite both our ages (Pete is a few years older than me), and not having the same incentive as Barney, we managed the seven mile round trip in sprightly fashion at an average speed of 2.1 mph including finding three out of four geocaches and taking pics.
Zoom to Arnside Knott
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Good shots. I especially like the look on her face on descending - the satisfied look of the conqueror!
ReplyDeleteOn our annual visit to the Lakes we stopped off to stretch our legs and walked up Orrest Head and almost stepped on an adder who was sunning itself on one of the steps.
ReplyDeleteHello Conrad. Katie is obviously destined to walk the hills. Before you know it she'll be asking for a tent and discussing the pros and cons of boots and trail shoes.
ReplyDeleteWell done Katie.
Tough to pick a favorite photo out of that bunch...they are all charming! Pretty pleased in the posed shot with the shortened pole, the two of you together on the "steps"....obviously a grand day.
ReplyDeleteThe Crow - Hi Martha. I thought you might be the first to comment on this one. Thanks.
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welshpaddler - getting your own back a bit after I have endlessly commented on my travels coinciding with your part of the world.
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afoot - I think the main thing is not to cheese them off by doing too much at the beginning. Based on my own experience with my two I will be watching that.
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Mike M - None of the shots were posed. You can't keep her still for long enough.
Your blog is among half a dozen or so that I check on each morning before I do anything else. I think we're about 5 hours different on the clocks (I'm behind), so that means I didn't get to the computer the very first thing yesterday morning. Still, a nice way to start my day, so thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe shot of the two of you ascending the steps is worthy of a frame and a spot on the mantelpiece.
I was mildly confused by the layout - reckoning I'd reached another post without being offered the opportunity of commenting on What Katie Did Next.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if those who use iPhones to take photos will fade away like the pix they shoot. As you say, the orange is no kind of match for the red. No use trying to argue wuth iPhoners; I know, I'm surrounded by them. The next iPhone will come with a special hydraulic press to be applied to the user's forehead where it will leave behind an iPhone-shaped depression into which the phone will slot. A little bit of plastic surgery and the user will - to all intents and purposes - become simply the phone's arms and legs. Goodbye sentience, goodbye decision-making. You want bread? Buy iBread at £5 a loaf. Passing through PC World the phone-self will learn not to look at Windows-based equipment having been discouraged in the past by experiencing the hideous sensation of admitting an iPhone-shaped suppository up the orifice... well, you can guess the rest.
Please protect my grand-niece from that. Please.