By the latter end of the week I still hadn't decided where exactly to walk despite having my 'to do list' at hand nothing really jumped out with the exception that I quite fancied a walk in Great Moss, an area of Lakeland which commands a descent forecast. With this I put half a route together which I couldn't finalise until the forecast had been confirmed, by which time I had received an e-mail from David who asked would I join him on a walk he had originally set out to do but was forced to abort after a mishap with his glasses, a sickener given the fact that he had taken the day off work given the clear and bright forecast.

It didn't take much convincing with my mind being taken up by work and more work so having someone decide for me where I was going to walk fitted in just fine despite the fact that I was only on these fells just over a month ago. I was feeling rather eager to cast my eye over Greenhow End and The Step which forms the head of the Deepdale Valley, a route that I'm hoping to take over the next few weeks before winter really sets in.

Todays walk takes in the familiar Deepdale Horseshoe in an anti-clockwise direction starting and ending in Patterdale taking in Arnison Crag, St Sunday Crag and the summit I was most of all looking forward to, Cofa Pike, from where we will be able to confirm that future walk, but today isn't just about eyeing up that route onto Greenhow End, today is about taking our time under an unseasonal warmth around one of Lakelands best known Horseshoes.

We're getting to that time of year now when it's still dark outside when I leave home for Lakeland which means it's around dawn by the time I arrive despending on location of course, the flip side to this can mean I get to see the sun rise and all the vivid colours it brings from the comfort of my car, this mornings sun rise didn't quite live up to expectation but there was plenty of promise in them there clouds if the forecasters were to be correct.

By the time I reached the top of the Kirkstone Pass dawn had broke but it was one of those mornings where the sun hadn't quite broke through leaving Lakeland under a shade of grey. I slipped the car into 3rd gear and let it coast down the pass letting the engine do the work rather than the foot brake, below the headlights of another car coming towards me but still a good distance away, we pass at the foot of the pass both drivers eyes fixed on the narrow road. Back in high gear I cruise towards Brothers Water whilst my foot hovers over the brake pedal, I guess I've seen many a sheep jump out from the hedge along this section of road catching me by surprise every time.

Cow Bridge is passed where I spot one walker using the back of his bumper to tie his laces, next it's Patterdale, one of my favourite villages in Lakeland arriving via the dog leg in the road not far from Goldrill Beck. The parking space just down from the White Lion Hotel are all empty which surprises me, as too are the ones just outside Patterdale Primary School one of which I take up after spinning the car around. There's only enough room for maybe two or three well parked cars which of course, can only be used at weekends or during the School holidays.

It feels quite mild as I kit up behind the car, the silence only disturbed when a local Landrover passes followed by a young chap walking to work whose footsteps I can hear from over sixty yards away before passing on the other side of the road with a 'morning' by which time I'm almost ready, it's ten-to-eight. A pair of Ravens squabble in the trees as I wait for David while looking towards Place Fell whose bracken covered lower slopes have started their Autumn retreat weeks ago, for now it's just me, my thoughts and a pair of bickering Ravens.

The noise of a car engine breaks the silence and as I glance towards its direction David has already pulled up behind my car and opens the door saying 'second time round' aye I laughed. It doesn't take long for David to boot up still opting to wear his summer attire of shorts and mid layer, sleeves rolled up of course. With the cars locked we strike out in the direction of the Patterdale Hotel and pass the noisy Ravens who by now are fighting it out so loud in a tree on the opposite side of the road we stop to look if one had broken its wing such the rabble, but I guess the Raven is an agile bird and seconds later they're squawking like the best of friends again. We hook a right passing through the car park of the Hotel and soon pick up the footpath behind and head west from where the steep ascent on Arnison Crag will follow.

The steady ascent continued all the while keeping with the familiar wall until the summit path branches away towards the left when all that is left is the last push towards the summit cairn and possibly, one of the finest viewing platforms in the district, Arnison Crag summit.

Unfortunately our view didn't extend as far as the High Street range whose summits are beneath a curtain of local cloud which is slowly making its way along the ridge in the direction of Thornthwaite Crag which is starting to break up, happen it won't be there for long anyway. Despite the numerous stops to chat we had reached the summit well within the hour and I was starting to overheat so I decided to delayer my jacket whilst continuing our chat, by the time we were ready to leave however, the sweat had started to freeze against my back which saw me add my jacket again, there's just no happy medium this time of year.

After moments Birks summit cairn is reached as two walkers head out into the distance having spent the last few minutes here themselves. Not so much David and myself as I tap the cairn, speak a few words, before heading out towards our third and possibly grandest summit, St Sunday Crag.

With our views over the Grisedale Valley getting clearer by the minute we began our ascent on St Sunday Crag via the north east ridge stopping every now and again to enjoy the views. It feels some time since I last enjoyed the ridge which when I think back actually extends all the way back to September 2013 which left the last pull towards the summit feeling almost 'new like'

We managed to get the summit to ourselves with only the two walkers we had seen back on Birks who by now were behind us and making steady progress towards the summit, up ahead our next summit of Fairfield awaits but between ourselves and it, is Cofa Pike and just another summit I was looking forward to reaching.

I think they call my syndrome glutton for punishment.

Feeling a tad out of breath we arrived at the summit cairn and found that we had the summit to ourselves with the exception of two walkers who had sat down some distance away although beyond the cairns we could hear advancing parties all heading this way. Over head cloud blocks any warmth from getting through and this is reflected by how cooler it feels, much more than it did back on St Sunday Crag as I billow warm air into cupped fists.

Okay, no point hanging around lets head out towards Link Hause.

If it wasn't for the waft of a Sunday roast being cooked as we made our way past the White Lion we could have been forgiven for walking back into Patterdale feeling like it was the height of summer at a point when I too, wished I worn shorts. The Patterdale Hotel is passed next where folk sup from pint glasses under the unseasoned warm sunshine as we make our way back to our cars which I'm thinking, are baking inside.

A large coach is parked close to the entrance to Side Farm as I note the driver who is yawning away arms stretched out as we unlock our cars and start to kit down. Our Greenhow End walk has been reckied and will be confirmed over the next few weeks before spotting a long line of walkers heading from the direction of Glenridding were I mutter "I bet they're heading for that empty coach waiting over there"

How right I was, the coach driver starts the engine and is soon about to leave as the walkers start to board the coach after throwing thier gear into the hold. A slight panic ensues as I hurry around closing my boot while making sure I hadnt left anything behind, I shake hands with David, start my engine and put my car into gear making sure I beat the coach out of Patterdale.