Gunnerside Valley Walk

Immediately behind our cottage the path led to a Valley which used to yield a handsome profit for the landowners.  There are extensive remains from the lead mining industry.  We walked up the East of the river and returned on the Western Path.  Nothing could have quite prepared us for what we saw.  This is one of the best walks I've been on.  We had great weather, and the whole day in front of us.
One of the first really delightful sights as we approached the edge of the wood were two beautiful young stoats playing in the sunshine.  There were less than 5 metres away, we were in the gloom of the wood, and froze as we watched them gamble over a fallen wall, looking into all the crevices, it felt like 10 minutes, but we worked out it was only about 3!

We stopped by the little stream for the first half of our lunch, and soon I was looking at all the various types of vegetation, which including really small achemellia mollis.

Further up the hill, I had to venture a few feet into this culvet to see the various ferns.

 We stopped at this little stone bridge for the second part of our lunch and a drink.

 The heather was pretty, and sheep were grazing the pasture.

The red grouse were flying around too.

The mining left scars on the hill side.

and as we reached the end of our walk the valley became more tame, with fields closed in with stone walls with barn built to shelter animals and hay for the winter months.