A Painful Walk around Rannerdale May 16th 2013

I Had heard that the Rannerdale bluebells had started to open so made the decision to go and have a look. its a very long drive to the Buttermere valley area of the lake district but its great for walking and Mollster would like the climb.
I stopped off to get petrol, this is when felt the first pain in my back as I twisted to get something out of the back of the car!  anyhow continuing the drive and arrived at the Rannerdale carpark, the weather was not looking as good as the forecast had said, as usual!   I opened the car door and fell on the ground in agony, the pain in my back is excruciating!  Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh.
 Managing to crawl to the wall and hoist myself up , my back will not straighten!  clambering back in the car , I am in agony , having just driven 2 & half hours and this has happened. I always have painkillers in camera bag and have taken two them waiting over half hour before trying to get out again, Molly is not amused and is whimpering and looking at me with soulful eyes .
  I have managed to start walking, well hobbling is more accurate  around the carpark and decided after coming all this way I must at least make the effort to try and walk.
the sky has cleared now , so off we walk Very slowly along the track to the blue bells...

  looking up towards the bluebells the blue sky has been replaced with cloud,  o dear not good for photographs    sigh!

 

Having walked right around and over the bridge crossing the stream, the pain in my back is easing and its making it easier to walk on the rough paths. the only blue bells that I can see open are on this   side of the stream, it gives superb views across the lake to Mellbreak.

 

 

Mollster is enjoying the view , not  much colour in the bluebells though ,should have left coming another week  I think.

 

 

having stopped to shoot the above image Mollster is getting restless, she jumps up on the rock as if to say   "come I'm getting bored! "

 

 

Come on the Mol, lets go for a walk, my back is feeling ok now.  one last pose then :)

 

 

We are now heading up towards Rannerdale Knotts , I cannot feel any pain now with moving around and the painkillers are working. a bit of blue sky showing in the wrong direction though

 

 

It is a nice easy walk up the valley, I hear shouting and looking up on the fell side to the left, a dog is chasing sheep down towards the stream, a walker is shouting and swearing at the owner who is a long way off  , and gets between the small dog and the sheep!   Mol is safely on her lead and wondering what all the barking is about.  the path climbs steadily and I am taking the right turn off to climb up Rannerdale Knotts.  I can see Crummock water now ,  thepath leads up to the left in the next image, cloud is building rapidly now :(

 

 

we have made it to the top of Rannerdale knots , its a superb view down Buttermere valley towards Fleetwith pike and Haystacks but rain spots are now hitting my camera lens .

 

 

 

and looking down on Crummock water in the opposite direction.

 

 

Im glad I made the effort to climb up here, another wainwright for Mollster :)   she looks a bit confused in the next image  haha.

 

 

 

now to make our way down, slowly the way I came up not the direct route down to Crumock water that I did last time. that would be too risky with my back as it is now.

I would usually climb somewhere else but I am going to go straight back home now before the pain comes back!