Four seasons in one week

We've just returned from a lovely trip of just under two weeks to the Lakes, staying on the outskirts of Grasmere. We have been in November for the past few years and love late autumn, early winter for colour and walking, especially if you're lucky enough to see the sun as well. I think we had all four seasons in the space of a week.

At the beginning, it was balmy but with a fresh breeze and no need for a jacket, just like late spring. A day later, it was ridiculously warm, with sun all day which had some strength like early summer. Autumn came mid week, with cooler temperatures and the need for a down jacket, then at the weekend it was suddenly full blown snowy winter with hat, gloves, scarves and central heating.

This trip was more relaxing than our usual hiking weeks as, with our other four visits this year, we are still unable to walk our young dog for more than half an hour until he's a year old at least. We still had some lovely shorter, flatter walks admiring the autumn colours, then had a wonderful surprise of a heavy snowfall one night that made everything look magical. With the sun, it was stunning and I haven't seen snow like that in the south since 2011.

We did manage to do a couple of the Outlying Fells (taking our total to a princely 7 out of 116!). The dog’s first Wainwright, Humphrey Head, was stunning on the day we went; clear and calm with that wonderful soft, autumnal light and a low sun. It was completely still on the summit and the views were beautiful and far reaching. The gentle, short ridge walk was perfect for the dog, although he didn't really know what to make of the trig point and barked at it suspiciously on the approach!

We also climbed School Knott (Bro and I summited in tandem, one staying with the dog) which has one of the best views I think we've seen so far on the lower fells; a 360 degree panorama right round from Coniston Old Man to the Pennines. The snowy fells in the background lit by the sun, especially the Howgills, were just staggeringly beautiful and it's a huge reward for such little effort.

A lovely set of walks, and interesting and unusual to experience so many different seasons in such a short time!