I must admit, I struggled to motivate myself to get out of bed at 6:00 am on the first Sunday morning of the new year. It was still pitch black outside and my car was covered in a thick frost. It was going to be a cold one... After a quick brew & breakfast, defrosting the car, and setting the heater to 'full whack', I set off up the M6 towards Ullswater. Turning off at Penrith, I headed south along the shoreline of the lake just as the sun was starting to rise. Heading towards Glenridding this way takes you from the low rolling hills & fields around Pooley Bridge, into the jaws of the Patterdale valley, surrounded by the foot hills of the Helvellyn and High Street mountain ranges. Setting off from the Lake District National Park 'Pay When You Leave' car park in the centre of Glenridding, the start of my path took me along the road to the old Greendale Lead & Silver Mine, which was now a Youth Hostel & Outdoors Centre, but too start with, I wouldn'