Familiar paths

To Cumbria, for Easter and a family gathering to celebrate a group of birthdays - or, as my husband said, anyone who has had a birthday this year.  I think we felt that, after the gathering for my mother's funeral in September last year, it would be good to meet for a happier reason.
This image of Sale Fell shows the gorse blazing away.  The weather was not very kind to us, but it held off admirably as we walked one of our favourite routes.

Another day saw us on the Lorton walk, where we were pleased to see the little red squirrel still in residence.  He must think that this is his own pantry.  Certainly he does not trouble himself to move for the odd walker going past.

Around Loweswater and to the Kirkstile Inn for lunch, we were struck by this dramatic scene.  In fact we missed the snowfalls as we moved up the country, but they added an edge to the higher ridges, as here.

And the Solway coast, just north of Allonby.  One of the great empty places; miles of beach with no one else in sight.  We took our lunch, looked for sea-glass, and watched flocks of oyster catchers.  On our last evening, it had warmed up enough for an evening picnic, watching the light change over the Scotch Hills.