Catbells looking towards Keswick
Catbells ascent
View from Catbells
"Catbells or Wainwright’s Grannies"
It’s not a great big mountain
With edges - chasms deep
It’s really gently moulded
We thought we’d take a peep
We puffed, we stepped, we scrambled
On hands and knees at times
After early drizzle
The sun at last, it shines
The top is flat and rocky
The views are just quite grand
We called to signal triumph
We’d joined a Wainwright band
The bands a group of grannies
Who climbed to Catbells top
It really was quite easy
“Hey but what’s up Pop?”
Ron Blundell
View down the RHS of Catbells.
View towards Catbells
Birds eye view
Towards Castle Crag
Spring at Ullswater
"Aira Force" falls.
"The Fell Walker"
The fells and tops are covered
In rain, mist and cloud
The slated grey is darkened
And covered with a shroud
The chill winds fingers follow
Each ridge, edge and beck
And curl the grey white curtains
Down his exposed neck
The dream of warm sun shafting
Down valleys broad and deep
Of dappled banks and rustled leaves
Lay in a shattered heap
But wait, a hint of sunshine
Clips a high and rocky slope
A painter’s new bright palette
A glimpse of some small hope
The colours slowly brighten
The curtains fall away
The golds, the browns, the purples
At the ending of the day
The shadows and dark reflections
Spread all across the bay
A boat is slowly sailing
Another man at play
The lake is gently lapping
The grit upon the shore
The ripples move the rushes
A latch clicks on the door
The door swings slowly open
Stood framed within the door
The walker pauses, then paces
Tired across the floor
His muddy boots leave footprints
Upon the wooden floor
The huts a Mountain Rescue Hut
He could not hope for more
To rest, recoup, refreshment
A bite of Kendals cake
A draught of clean cool water
The salvation of the Lake
Ron Blundell 2012
Castle Crag
"Castle Crag"
Castle crags a rocky place
With slate stacked high in heaps
The stiles and piles blocked our path
It’s not a place for leaps
The trees atop and poppies red
Loomed over far below
The lake and island, mountain peaks
The starting of a show
The river runs past emerald fields
Helvelyn sits on the right
The browns, the blues and greens and hues
A truly stunning sight
By grassy slope and stone steps down
We descend the Eastern side
By river swift and caverns deep
To lunch in Catbells hide
By quarry path and cyclist ride
A sandwich with a view
Across the lake to a much higher seat
We sat there two by two
Ron Blundell 2012
Descent from Castle crag.
View across the lake to Castle crag in the centre
Winding road
Close to Castle Crag
Tarn Hows
Memories of a later visit the the tarn on a different day some years after the picture above.
The roads were narrow, windy
Through trees and mossy glades
They climbed up quite gently
We didn’t need the shades
The rain it was also gentle
But gusty found its mark
The squirrel darted quickly
And now its time to park
The waters dark and wavy
The trees are dark Scots pine
The path is bumpy, humpy
The umbrellas mine
We walked, we stopped, we plodded
Would it never end
The dizzle was blown sideways
A pictures round the bend
The cattle just sat chewing
With rain about their heads
The path just kept on going
My feet were going dead
At last the picture loomed
Sat on a grassy bank
A frame in natures picture book
Now we can all give thanks.
Ron Blundell
September 2012
Hardknot pass
"Far away fells"