The Lake District - WHY???

[washedoutandabout]

Rain, drizzle and yet more rain. Grey sky, grey houses and damp. Everyone in anoraks. Mist and fog and more grey. Plus I’m here with a bunch of American relatives who are all gung-ho and outward-bound and very loud, shrill “upspeak” voices, who think even the grottiest pub is “Awesome!!” Plus DH loves it and is showing off on his competitive extreme hikes.

Help - take me back to Fulham!

AIBU to think this is hell on earth?

The Americans in your party are the problem. The Lakes offer a million-and-one things to do. Take them to the Honister Slate Mine Via Ferrata: they’ll shit their pants and stop annoying you!!

Fulham?! Over the Lake District? Jesus wept.

DH has just commented that the rain is romantic...We live in the Lake District and have 4 dc.

This might have already been pointed out Op and @Scrowy but the spray pint on the sheep is so they know what date the tam had sex with the ewes and can work out roughly when the ewes will lamb.

At least thats what we use paint for in Somerset. Ear tags identify them.

You will miss the nice weather. It’s going to be 28c on Tuesday with a nice big sun.

@washedoutandabout

Where did you see this washed? That needs attention.

Yes apparently a heat wave is coming. Thank god for that! I’ll be sipping iced cocktails in Chelsea in no time

Don’t loads of sheep get run over? They’re wandering all over the lanes. I worry for the poor things.

I think rain is only romantic if you’re in bed cosy with a log fire. Otherwise it’s just grim. Grey clouds get me down. I need sunlight!

shesgrown - do you mean the sheep?

@washedoutandabout yes

This might have already been pointed out Op and @Scrowy but the spray pint on the sheep is so they know what date the tam had sex with the ewes and can work out roughly when the ewes will lamb.

That's 'raddle', it's not spray paint but transferred from a container on the ram when they mate.

The colour year round - on lambs as well - denotes the farm as many of these sheep are pretty much free range.

If you think sheep in the road are bad in the Lakes, it's nothing on Dartmoor where there seem to be lots of cows which have figured out that roads and parking places are a good alternative to soggy moor.

You will miss the nice weather. It’s going to be 28c on Tuesday with a nice big sun.

That's horrible for walking.

The Op has had some shitty comments and taken them all with good grace. We all like different things! Not keen ondoorsy type stuff myself, equally would hate some of the AI packages by a pool that people rave about on here. Each to their own.

That sheep was not on its own or lost, but it was just outside the window baaing loudly, before they all vanished. They must have been moved in the middle if the night, though we heard absolutely nothing. I understand why they are spray-painted now, but it does make them look more mangy. Poor things.

Thank you so much for this thread, OP. I was travelling back through the Channel Tunnel yesterday (petrifies me) and it really too my mind off things.

I'm totally with you; hate the rain, the grey, the dreary, dead-looking hills. I think hills get in the way of a good view personally. And as for climbing up them? Why? You only have to come down again. Just go round, much easier.

Have really enjoyed my two weeks in very, very sunny Limousin. Wide skies and fields of brilliant yellow sunflowers against a beautiful blue sky. Lots of swimming in warm lakes too.

And as for those who love to trot out "there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing" - bollocks! Try getting your clothes dry on the line, or sitting outside sipping your cappucino. Just don't fancy doing it in my anorak with rain dripping into the froth. Rant over.

@washedoutandabout Ah I see. They have probably had their fleece shorn so do tend to look a bit straggly. I'm sure it's fine.

I'm into horses so no stranger to the outdoors but I still say 'seen one hill - seen em all! ' my DH loves walking in the rain though, in fact when it starts raining he goes up the nearest hill! My SIL has sheep farms in the lakes and my ds loves it. But it's not for me, I get bored and restless.

Thankyou. To be honest, the people I’m with are absolutely lovely, don’t get me wrong. Plus they’re relatives anyway. But I do find the “no such thing as bad weather” people a bit obtuse, because obviously there is such a thing as bad weather We all know this. So I’m quite proud that I managed to drag myself up these mountains (hills)? but just not proud enough that I’d want to do it again of my own volition. I think DH and co are prone to taking themselves and this kind of thing too seriously. You don’t need to be all “all terrain” and making a song and dance about it to just “be” somehere and experience it. I personally get no fulfilment in traipsing around in mist or under ominous clouds. If that makes me a “wuss” then I’ll wear that hat. I’m just being honest.

Just be careful of the sheep. Aren’t they vampire/zombie sheep in the Lakes?

Hey OP, have you thrown the relatives and DH in the lake yet? Tick tick!

*tock

@somersetlady its very unlikely sheep in the Lake District have been raddled for tupping this early in the year. It's much more likely that they have just been clipped and remarked (either with sheep Mark/raddle or spray mark).

But thanks for explaining sheep marking to a hill farmer any way

@marthaginyard @anyfucker. There was also someone found in Wastwater. Dh knew/knows the husband who killed her. He's out of prison now. Oddly enough when we moved into our current house and ripped the old carpet up they'd used newspaper as underlay and it was full of the murder trial.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hogg

I believe it, MP

Blimey madam how spooky

I'll have a read

Wastwater gave me the creeps +++
It's not a happy place.
I didn't know about that murder victim, poor woman.

Washed I’ve really enjoyed this thread! It’s been so funny.
Glad you survived the wilderness. Back to civilisation tomorrow!