I can’t quite believe how hot the weekend has been, especially Saturday! I am not big on hot weather, but finding nearby water to splash about in certainly helps.
We figured that heading to the Lakes from the caravan might just prove too crowded. So we packed our swimming stuff and found our way to Garrigill in the North Pennines. Having visited Ashgill Force back in October, we thought it might be nice to return to this lovely waterfall on a hot Summers Day.
Unfortunately we hadn’t thought that it might presently be but a trickle and not the mighty force that we remembered. Recent warm weather had dried up the fall. Luckily downstream were some smaller waterfall pools and not a soul in sight.
Unlike most labradors Hugo is not a great swimmer. He will go for a doggy paddle but tends to dip in and out of the water and is mostly only interested in the wet stuff if someone flings a stick/ball/stone in for him to retrieve. We also have to encourage him to have a drink. Daft dog!
I didn’t exactly do much swimming but I definitely cooled down in this mini waterfall which was like a natural jacuzzi. Refreshing and cold. 🙂 Not long afterwards we were startled by a group of Gill Scramblers making their way upstream. I was so surprised I forgot to take a photo! Then we saw the flash of a Red Squirrels tail as it scrambled up a tree. A fab and mostly peaceful morning was spent by the water. 🙂
A friend recommended a good spot for lunch about ten minutes drive from Garrigill. Nook Farm Shop & Cafe on the roadside near Alston is popular with motorcyclists and the food is quite delicious. The farmland is also home to the remains of an ancient Roman Fort which we were too hot and lazy to investigate. This time!
Sunday too was hot though there were a few clouds in the sky. On the way home we met my Mum and brother for Sunday lunch at The Fat Lamb near Ravenstonedale, a quirky country Inn full of classic car memorabilia.
How are you keeping cool? It’s a bit of a heatwave were having!
sunshine and celandines 
Yes, it’s a scorcher, isn’t it? Generally, 20 degrees is hot enough for me… What a beautiful place.
20 degrees is hot enough for me too. It is still scorching back home in Lancashire. Twenty eight at the moment!
Lovely place to keep cool. My toddler and cat are as daft as Hugo, one just wants to run around the garden and the other spends all day sunbathing on the windowsill, then both get grumpy because they’re too hot. 😅 I’d be quite happy to sit in the summerhouse with a glass of white wine. 😉
I can just imagine you removing them to cooler places and both objecting furiously. I keep tripping over my cat. She just lounges around on the floor all over the house. X
Is that your Ferrari parked outside the Fat Lamb?
Think I’ll head down to the Hodder to cool down today.
Haha, no to the Ferrari. The owners seem to be classic car buffs.
Hope you found a good spot to paddle!
Not much water in the Hodder, will try a different spot tomorrow with family and dog.
What i wouldn’t give to be able to dip my feet in a secluded waterfall right now. I keep googling places to paddle near me … but sadly there is just nowhere. I’ve had to make do with a garden trug filled from the hosepipe 😂
Sounds like it does the job. 🙂
That salad looked yummy and I am glad you are getting into the water! It looked divine! I will have to live vicariously through you for a while as David is ill 😥 Enjoy the rest of the heatwave! xx
Sorry to hear about David. I hope he is on the mend soon Christine. xx
Bit of wild swimming for me on Saturday, well less swimming more sliding down the wet slippy rocks into the pool, the same outcome though with a nice cool down in cold Dartmoor water. Lake District for me next week, if we can get through the week without getting pinged that is, expect it to be busy but I don’t care as long as we are away
How fabulous! The weather has been just amazing here too.
A lovely post with wonderful photos! 😊 It is too hot to do anything, although yesterday we left home early and headed for the coast along Belfast Lough. Can’t believe I forgot my hat and now my face is like a beetroot! 🥵
Oh no. I actually could do with a sun hat. I hope your seaside trip was lovely otherwise.
Yes! It was a brilliant day out when we did very little!
The pool and waterfall look lovely. I love the hot weather, in theory. Then when it actually heats up, I wilt and mutter about how ridiculous it all is. Very hot here in Wiltshire but the weather is due to break this weekend, so there’ll be some relief. And then I can mutter about British Summer time until it warms up again!
Haha, yes our British summer weather always gives us something to mutter about that’s for sure. 😀
Scorching here as well!! Our hottest day ten days ago was 38!! Today 28 and it feels cool 😎. But we sure need rain. Dry as a bone and grass is crunchy!! Your waterfall looked so fresh!!
I’m glad you managed to find some water, and that salad looks delicious. A perfect meal to enjoy in this warm weather, X
Aye, it has been a scorcher.
How did you enjoy your taste of wild swimming? Are you going to make that a regular occurrence? 😉
Hiya, it would be great to do it more. Only managed a paddle in Ullswater yesterday as forgot to pack my swimwear. The water was warm. Would have been perfect!
It certainly looks like you and Hugo were enjoying yourselves in the water 🙂 The weather has certainly been very hot although here today there’s been a cool breeze making things much more pleasant.
I have loved that cool breeze. More of that please with future sunshine. 🙂
What a wonderful walk and swim! It really was hot last week, wasn’t it? I’m glad it has cooled down a bit this week.