Christmas Break in the Lake District

The start of a few days in the Lake District with myself, Karen, Keith and Pete Collins staying at Claremont House B&B in Ambleside. Karen, Keith and I drove up in my car to meet Pete at a lay-by in the hamlet of Scales to walk up Blencathra. Everywhere was covered with snow and the weather remained dry with some cloud.
We followed the rising path leading from the road near the lay-by with hard, compacted snow making the going slippery. Then along steeper ground above Mousethwaite Comb along the side of Scales Fell.

Karen (Picglet), Keith and Pete

Eventually we arrived at Scales Tarn. Keith and Pete decided to ascend via Sharp Edge but as Karen wasn't happy about that option as she hasn't much experience of walking on snow and ice on steep ground, the two of us decided to take the more direct route to the summit of Blencathra via a gradually rising slope which was straight-forward walking on steep snow.
Soon we arrived at the summit with spectacular views all round and short intervals where the sun was shining brightly through the clouds. We sat on a snowy lump and had a drink from our flasks as we waited for Keith and Pete to arrive via their less direct route via Sharp Edge. There were quite a few others out walking up Blencathra and several were also on the summit.

Summit of Blencathra

Once Keith and Pete had arrived, we dropped down the slope Karen and I had walked up and then followed another path which dropped down between Doddick Gill and Scales Beck leading us back to where we started.
In the evening we had a nice meal at a nearby Italian restaurant. I had spaghetti bolognaise which was unusual in the the spaghetti was cut into small pieces.
I wore my Paramo Cascada trousers, Paramo Velez smock. Also Polar Buff as a hat, Asolo Powermatic 200 GTX boots and Osprey Kestrel 38 rucksack.