To combat the gluttonous feeling of too much Christmas goose, mince pies and chocolate, what better way to brush off the cobwebs than to go for a long day's hike in the Lake District.
With the December snow almost completely melted and a murky day forecast, we decided to do a lakeside walk. Having recently walked round Crummock Water, and its neighbour Buttermere being too similar to contemplate, this left us in a bit of a quandary over where to walk. Then I remembered the track along the southern length of Ullswater which I mountain biked as a teenager. For transportation, you either have to get creative with the Ullswater ferry and your choice of car park, or bribe family to drop you off and pick you up at the other end. We went for the latter ;-)
It wasn't the best day for views or photos, but I was determined to make the most of my Christmas present which took the form of a Nikon DX 35mm f/1.8 lens. With low light conditions all day, the lens worked well and did a good job of capturing drab winter colours. Panorama shots came out fine too stitching together multiple hand-held portrait shots. All in all a quality acquisition.
Ullswater is a great lake and many more visits are needed to see the best of it and explore some of the water-sports options. From a hiking point of view, this track is a perfect length for giving your legs a good workout and the views won't disappoint either. Combining it with a ride on the ferry would be the icing on the cake.
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By Darrell Grundy - visited on 28 December 2010