There were a couple of clear times during the night but mostly it was thick cloud and rain. I woke to wind but no rain and hoped I may get a dry walk off the fells. No such luck. Within half an hour the rain was back with a vengeance so I packed as much as I could in the tent and waited for daylight. It was 8:25am when I set off after packing the tent down in the rain. It was a nice pitch and I would have liked to see it with a view. I continued along the narrow path along the cliff edge until the final rise to the saddle below Froswick. It was difficult walking in the blustery wind as I was constantly being blown sideways. It's a good job the wind was blowing me away from the drop. At the saddle I noticed some path and drainage work seemed to have been done. I continued in the same direction to join the line of the Roman Road which descends diagonally down the fell. I was still in thick cloud almost all the way down to Hagg Gill at the bottom of the valley. The rain continued but not as heavy. I reached Troutbeck Park farm and half hoped someone would just be setting off in a Landrover to Windermere and would say “want a lift?” Obviously I was living in a dream world.

The farm track to Town Head wasn’t as wet as the last time I was here when I had to take my boots off and wade along one flooded section. I reached the bus stop in Troutbeck and had a look to see if a timetable was available. I sign was fixed to the post giving a telephone number and website for bus times. Now that is about as stupid a way as possible to give people information. There is no phone, no mobile signal and no internet access. As I passed the church the suns rays broke through causing a wonderful rainbow. I got my camera out but the filter on the lens was misted over.

Troutbeck, the rain stops at last!

By the time it cleared the rainbow had gone. I continued my plod to Windermere Railway Station and arrived with plenty of time to spare. It was nice to see the new station building finished. The ticket office and waiting area are now combined. And there is even a toilet, but you have to have a valid ticket to get the key. That’s much better than Chorley where you have to be disables to use theirs and have your own key. There were no direct Chorley trains so I had to catch one to Oxenholme then another to Preston then another to Chorley then a bus home.

Windermere Railway Station
the new building

Windermere Railway Station
the new building interior

Oxenholme - my train approaches

Preston Railway Station on Sunday afternoon
a fine example of Victorian engineering.