For the past month I have been mostly:
- working
- driving long distances
- swimming
- going on holiday (aka vacation)
Work. My recent switch of jobs has taken a bit of acclimatisation. Despite the hokey phrase, no-one really hits the ground running when taking on something new and challenging. I prefer to think of it as hitting-the-ground-digging. So there's lots going on and this has resulted in the frequent long distances en voiture.
Clearly, with running banned I've needed to do some other sort of activity to try to maintain at least some level of fitness. So, I've been off down the local swimming pool a couple of times a week to get in 40 laps before breakfast. This has been OK although my work schedule has been preventing me from making 3 weekly visits up until this week, when Friday shall be #3.
Before I get onto holiday/vacation, I have now had my latest osteo assessment for may hip. The outcome is fairly positive, in that it seems most likely to be a ligament/muscular problem rather than bursitis and that the 4 weeks of rest put me in a good position to restart running in 2 or 3 weeks, these things usually taking 6 weeks to settle down and heal. I will be back to a very gentle re-introduction - it'll be another lengthy walk/run programme (won't that be fun to read about) but I am so looking forward to it. I've really missed having running as part of my life.
So, finally, the holiday photos. Last week we had the distinct pleasure of spending a week in Cumbria, the English Lake District. This is my absolute favourite part of the country but despite visiting many times in the past, I've never actually climbed a Lakeland Fell until last week. The photos here are of Cat Bells, off Derwent Water. It's a classic family climb with lots of people on the fell. We arrived in Keswick and took a motor launch across Derwent Water to Hawes End, at the foot of Cat Bells.
As we took the launch, this was our view of Cat Bells.
The route is to climb from the woods on the right hand side of the photo, up the first peak, across the ridge and then up the second peak
This photo is from about halfway up the first peak and shows my boots and a view across Derwent Water to Keswick on the far shore.
This is heading from the first peak to the second, across the ridge.
And finally, one of many views from the top. This looking North towards Bassenthwaite Lake.
I took this one late in the afternoon, after returning to Keswick.
If you've enjoyed these, I'll post a couple more from around Ullswater from later in the holiday.
Hope all is well with you!
Mr Stumble.
