It is that time of year again. Down at Watermead the snowdrops are out in force. 
A nice surprise was seeing two pair of Little Grebes (Tachybaptus ruficollis) on the river near Watermeade Bridge.
The Crack Willows (Salix fragilis) were just showing the first signs of spring returning as well.
Then on the shed at the bottom of the garden I found this chap.
Green shield bug (Palomena prasina) in its winter brown colouration.
Back to the lake district then for a retelling of our Kayaking Ullswater expedition. It was back in the atrociously wet summer of 2008 and the day threatened to be similar to all the other rainy days we had experienced whilst we were there but to our great relief the clouds held their precipitation until after our jaunt up the water. The photo above shows where we launched our boat from at Pooley Bridge. The tree covered hill is Dunmallard Hill. This pokey little hill at the end of the glacial valley could be a roche moutonee or drumlin. I'm not sure which, maybe a geographer could tell me.
Looking up the lake now. On the left the steep bank leads up to Arthur's Pike of Barton Fell before Swarthbeck Gill dips the profile slightly and Bonscale Pike rises again behind. Then the profile drops significantly down to where the boats are on this picture. Behind the third mast that breaks the horizon is the low profile of Steel Knotts and to the right of that Beda Head. Behind the nearest boat Hallin Fell. Then disappearing into the rain behind that is High Dodd and Place Fell.
Another look at Arthur's Pike of Barton Fell and Bonscale Pike.
Hallin Fell with High Dodd and Place Fell behind. The hills stretching away just to the left of the boats sail actually trace the course of the lake. The lake doglegs to the right here before returning back to the left. Those distant hills mark the western valley side further up. Visible to the left of this image is Birkhouse Moor. On a clear day Helvellyn can be seen above these foothills. To the right of the sail you can see the dark summit of Sheffield Pike and to the right of that Raise.
Back in 2008 I walked around Derwent Water in the Lake District on a cloudy day. It was a long walk but a really good one. The view above shows the familiar shape of Blencathra looking down on the dark waters. 
We walked anticlockwise around from Keswick, passing the Catbells (above).
The peaks from left are Ether Knott on Grange Fell and Kings How on Grange Fell. Then looming in the background the slopes of Glaramara. A small hump to the right of that just before the steep foreground of High Steel Knott on High Spy is the much more distant Esk Pike.
Blencathra.
Framed between the steep slopes of Kings How on Grange Fell and High Steel Knott on High Spy the little foreground knoll of Castle Crag. On the left of this is the distant Glaramara and on the right Great End.
As we rounded the southern end of the water Skiddaw came into view above Keswick.
Skiddaw.
A friendly Belted Galloway cow in a stream.
Then as we walked back up the eastern coast of the water the sun came out. Maiden moor on the left, Cat Bells on the right.
From the left, the edge of Catbells descending. The sharp spire of Causey Pike. Then the slope descends down to Outerside. Then the little knoll is the very top of Sand Hill and next to that the very top of Hopegill Head. The larger peak to the right is Grisedale Pike.
Causey Pike.
Looking all the way back to Great End.
Great End. It was a nice walk, with plenty of good views and things to see.