November

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We have got an amazing combination of beautiful autumn colours (they always tend to be at their best the first week or so in November) and snow on the fells! Last weekend the first snow arrived on the tops of the high fells but yesterday it was much lower and when I went over to Keswick in the morning there was snow on the road over Whinlatter. The combination of coppery beeches and snow resting on the branches of the fir trees was stunning!

I had my son, Paul, and his family visiting over half-term and at the end of the week we went down to Muncaster Castle.  There was an impressive Hallowe’en theme there with lots of families dressed up and enjoying a great day out. Paul’s children are a bit young for spooky things but they had fun having their faces painted and mixing spell drinks! We all were very impressed by the witch flying on her broomstick over the castle – you could not see any wires at all!

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Judy and I decided to take full advantage of the beautiful autumn weather last week and maximised on the shorter days by starting off very early (we convinced ourselves our bodies hadn’t at that point adjusted to the clocks going back!) We drove down to Eskdale and climbed Scafell and Slight Side. A long walk on a glorious day!

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The Melbreak Communities run a Coffee and Cakes morning every month which is hosted by a local group. Last Saturday, it was the turn of our local walking group. We had a very successful morning: well over eighty people came along to support us and together with the money we took on coffees and donated cakes, and John and Rosamund Macfarlane’s sale of their beautiful photographic cards and prints we raised around £450 for Fix the Fells.

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