This third Ride & Stride expedition from The Lakeland Pathfinder/555 bus service puts a focus on Ambleside's glorious situation between the fells and two lovely lakes, one large, one petite. The view from Todd Crag will put a smile on your face, well displayed is the Fairfield Horseshoe to the north above Rydal Hall.

I finally managed a long planned walk yesterday. Grasmere to Seatoller via High Raise and Eagle Crag, with a plan to try and meet up with Helmut on High Raise.

Helmut started his big walk today in superb conditions.  Roger and Ann climbed with him over Ullock Pike from near the Ravenstone Hotel and parted company with him on Carlside summit.  Helmut then climbed Skiddaw and descended to Skiddaw Little Man and Lonscale Fell and then headed down the gully between Lonscale Fell and Burnt Horse crags.

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For the past few years, along with friends, I have spent an interesting week down at Hay-on-Wye for the annual Guardian sponsored literature festival.  This short article and video excerpt revisits the 2007 sojourn along with the excellent walk taken on the Black Mountain.

Today Ann, Roger, Jo and myself did a walk from Seathwaite which contained not one but two Unfrequented Wainwright Routes and we enjoyed it immensely in mostly hot and humid conditions.

I will be joining Helmut on Blencathra (possibly with Jayne Hill) and it is possible that Helmut will descend via Sharp Edge if the conditions are dry.  Polly has climbed Sharp Edge before but never descended it so, as conditions were superb today, I decided we would climb the mountain by Halls Fell ridge and descend by Sharp Edge to see if Polly was going to be fine.

Sunday's walk was intended to be Sheffield Pike and Glenridding Dodd, new turf for me, not for our companions though.  It thundered early in the morning and we thought we'd be calling the walk off, but, we decided to give it a go and see what happened.

After Friday's exertions I didn't feel like walking much, but Lorraine had come all the way up to Barrow, so I dragged my aching bones out of bed and we headed for Devoke Water.

This second Ride & Stride expedition is a significant departure from the established pattern of Park & Stride. Being basically a low-level excursion concentrating on the relationship of dale and lake, though the latter is strictly a reservoir.