It's been an extremely busy fortnight in between work and house moving duties and I think I've just approached that time to down tools and clear my head. Since around midweek I was wondering where to walk which just goes to show how full my head is with other stuff because this usually comes easy put togeather with the weather watching which predicted that the east of the park would be the brightest.

It was around about midweek when I remembered receiving an email from Brenda who hosts wainwrightwalking.co.uk, a few weeks earlier Brenda and her husband John had just walked Dove Crag via the Dovedale valley and had recommended the walk to me despite the damp conditions underfoot that day which then got me thinking 'you know what' that sounds like a corker of a walk and would fit in with my busy schedule with a relatively low mileage of around seven miles but within that distance I would get to take in the wonderful Dovedale valley and maybe also include a long awaited visit to the Priest Hole.

Despite very similar conditions underfoot as Brenda and John had todays walk ranks highly amongst the best five walks of the year, here's how I got on.

I guess I'm still getting used to driving to Lakeland before sunrise which in time I'll get used too but for those first few weeks when your alarm goes off and it's still dark outside you kinda need that nudge to get out of bed. It must have been by the time I reached the Lancaster turn off before I noticed the sunrise but with so much cloud cover any light struggled to break though but at least the cloud was high which left me feeling optimistic about what I would find once I reached Lakeland. Little droplets of rain were hitting the windscreen as I drove by Kentmere and I could see in the distance that any low cloud was starting to lift from the Coniston and Langdale fells but I would have to wait until I descended Kirkstone Pass before I could see into Dovedale and indeed Dove Crag. By the time I reached the bottom of the pass I was unable to see into Dovedale valley purely because I had to keep my eyes on the road which meant I would have to wait until the last minute to see if todays intended summits are above or below the cloud, but I guess that doesn't matter, I've had a week away and I'm raring to go.

I pulled into the car park at Cow Bridge and tucked the front end of the car facing Goldrill Beck, two other cars looked like they had been there all night, both had parked side on taking the space of four cars, there's no point in hiding it, this really annoys me. The rain had eased away but it was still pretty damp underfoot and the sound of a pretty full Goldrill Beck filled my ears as I kitted up. I'm not sure if we have many 'shorts' days left but I reckon today would have been one of them had I have known how warm it was about to turn out but for now I'll follow the forecasters advice and wear long trousers just in case I'm caught out in any showers. With my car locked I pass through the gate and head towards Brothers Water before dropping down towards the shoreline, even in the low light the surface of the water was so still and I spent a few moments drawing in the morning air while taking in the wonderful views.

I left the Priest Hole and followed the precarious terrace path back to the col, it was while walking back along the terrace path did I remember the many vertical rocks that had to be negotiated since my previous visit, these can be avoided easily by descending back to the path at the top of the rock gully but the stubborn in me told me that direct was best and so the terrace path, despite its obstacles won.

I must admit the feeling of elation was beginning to dawn all over me, partly because of Dovedale and the Priest Hole but mostly because of the sudden amount of light and heat I was now feeling, this was not forecast, and therefore I shall reach for the sunglasses while I can.

It seems like months since I last stood under a warm sun like this, I needed this right now more than anyone would know. The pressures of work and moving house just lifted off me in an instant, you can't bottle this, but it is a remedy.

From the col I peeled myself from the wall and started the short climb to Dove Crag summit where I had expected to see walkers but found that pleasantly, I had the summit to myself. I'm not one to sit down at summits, it just isn't me but today I did just that, only for a few more moments whilst over looking the High Street fells and to the south, the Coniston and Langdale groups, all cloud free, this was not meant to happen, what a day this is turning out to be.

I left the summit and strode out following the stone wall for a short while, then descended east towards the cairn at High Bakestones, it was here I am passed by two fellows who wave from the path "never expected this" they said, aye, I smiled, me either.

Given the amount of rain that had previously fallen I had expected to be ankle deep whilst crossing Bakestones Moss, especially my 'off the path' route but I was pleasantly surprised to find I made it across without so much as getting my laces wet.

Okay, I think it's definetly time to de-layer so off came the windproof and up went the sleeves.

The path alongside Brothers Water was quite busy as I started to reflect on what a great morning I had spent on the hill and I was particularly looking forward to closing my walk with lunch besides Goldrill Beck, but first, a re-visit back to Brothers Water which by now is just as busy as the path alongside it with children playing and dogs fetching sticks. By now the midday sun beats down and glimmers over the waters surface and it feels like mother nature is in her own way apologising for the Summer we never really had.