Weekly Writing Update

Very late with this update, I know.  No doubt everybody by now realises I've been away this week.  I did take some work with me, but good intentions often lead nowhere.  Mind you, the daily postcards did take a little time each evening to put together.

Markan Throne: thanks to those who pointed out the editing errors, which have now been corrected.  Once G.A. goes up, I'll upload a corrected version of Throne.  Remember that on Smashwords, once you've bought it, you can always download a newer updated version!

Gifted Apprentice: a little patience needed here.  I'm still hoping to have this free novella up in early July.  The writing part is finished, just waiting for the artwork.  As soon as I have it, I'll set the ball rolling.

Markan Empire: I had hoped to continue editing while away, but this came to a halt last week.  The good news is that I'm now ploughing through the chapters again.  I'm already one-third of the way through the book, and still aiming for summer's end before releasing it.

Markan Sword: not a lot to report this week.  Planned out, and new ideas to work into the plot are pinging around the inside of my skull all the time.

Bounty Hunter: follow-up novella to G.A.  This (also free) novella should be out before Christmas.  It will be about the same length as G.A. (c.25 thousand words, or slightly less) and continues Sallis ti Ath's journey from farmboy to commissioned bounty-hunter.

Now you're all as up to date as I am!

Be well all.

Daily Postcard from the Lake District #12, Friday

My last full day in the Lakes :-(

As it's featured in so many photos this week, today I decided to walk Skiddaw.  This is one of the most impressive fells in the district and the views from the ridge are well worth the effort of the climb.  Pictures below:

 Memorial stone to father and son shepherds Edward and Joseph Hawell.  Note the celtic cross and imagery.

Derwentwater from the ascent path.  I took quite a few breathers heading up this!

First glimpse of Little Man, which is the furthest peak.

Looking at the Coledale Round, that looks quite low down from here.

Looking across the Solway Firth into Scotland.

The ring of fells surrounding Derwentwater.

Looking towards Helvellyn on the final pull to Skiddaw's summit.  The near peak is Little Man.

Looking towards the summit.  I was afraid that the cloud would come down on me, but I got away with it this time.

Looking across the Solway Firth to a distant Criffel.

The rest of the fells look so insignificant from here!

Looking down on Lake Bassenthwaite.

And across to Blencathra, with the Pennines in the far distance.

Looking over to the Pennines.

Although the cloud came close, it never touched the summit while I was there.  However, it was windy and very cold.  Another look at the Coledale Round.

Derwentwater from Little Man.  The air was clear enough to see some of the Coniston Fells, walked on Monday.

Looking back to Skiddaw summit from Little Man.

High Spy, Maiden Moor and Cat Bells are visible just to the right of centre in this picture.

Looking over Keswick and towards a very distant Dunmail Raise.

There you have it, the last postcard from the Lake District until November.  Normal Saturday walk postings will resume on the 1st July.  And I've got a week in the Highlands towards the end of July.

Until the next walk, be well all.

Daily Postcard from the Lake District #11; Thursday

Today's walk was a glorified circular from Keswick to Seatoller via Watendlath, returning along part of the Allerdale Ramble and over the fells High Spy and Maiden Moor.  Pictures below:

Jaws of Borrowdale from Calfclose Bay

Maiden Moor and Cat Bells from the same spot.

Derwentwater and a distant Lake Bassenthwaite from Ashness Bridge.

Derwentwater and Lake Bassenthwaite from Surprise View.  Not sure if the surprise is the view, or the sudden fall if you step too far forward.

Moss Mire and Watendlath  Beck.

Peaceful spot beside Watendlath Beck.

Path leading to Watendlath.

Two ducks waiting for tourists to feed them at Watendlath Tarn.

Watendlath Tarn.

View of a distant Haystacks.  This fell was nowhere in sight on Sunday when I was at Buttermere.

Looking towards Great End and Stonethwaite.

Same shot, zoomed in a little.

Then the cloud came down!  This was just after eating at the Flock Inn.

But it cleared up again.  Remained showery for about an hour.  This is looking at the Jaws of Borrowdale from the other side.

Looking at my ascent path to High Spy, or perhaps more correctly the path to Wilson's Bield, which is the path onto High Spy.  The spoil heaps are from the now defunct Rigghead Quarry.

Looking down on the spoil heaps of Rigghead Quarry.

Looking across Wilson's Bield to Dale Head, during a breather from my pull up to High Spy.

Looking across to the Derwent Fells.

And the other way to the distant Langdales.  Glaramara to the right.

Looking ahead.  Derwentwater is out of sight in the valley, but Blencathra is to the left in the distance, with Walla Crag and Bleaberry Fell in the centre (near).  Great Mell Fell in the far centre.

Zooming in on Ashness Farm.

Looking ahead to a distant Lake Bassenthwaite and, far away, the small lump is Lord's Seat.

Looking across Maiden Moor to the distant Skiddaw.

Looking down on Derwentwater, descending from High Spy.

There's nowhere better than being high on the fells with the views for company.

Looking ahead to Car Bells, Skiddaw in the distance.

Looking over Little Town towards Bassenthwaite.

Cloud down on Skiddaw again.  At least it didn't rain for the rest of the walk.

Looking between the fells to a distant Red Pike.  That's another one that had its head hidden in cloud on Sunday.

Looking back at Cat Bells.  The walk is nearly over now.

Keswick's High Street, at the end of another popular market day.

Well, that's it until tomorrow.  Be well all.

Daily Postcard from the Lake District #10; Wednesday

Two walks again today.  Thankfully, the weather turned out much better than expected, which was good for morale!  First walk was showery, but the waterproof stayed in my rucksack for the second walk.

First walk was a circular over Broom Fell and Lord's Seat, from Spout Force car park.  Pictures below:

 This dead hawthorn interested me enough to take its picture!

Looking up at Broom Fell, my first target.

After bashing through the wet ferns, a quick look back.

Another retrospective, showing the ascent path.  Steep, punishing and relentless are how I describe this one!

Looking across Graystones and Kirk Fell from Broom Fell summit.

 Looking ahead to Lord's Seat.

Looking south from Lord's Seat.

Barf, from Lord's Seat.

Looking back to Broom Fell from Lord's Seat.  My ascent route is over the shoulder (in sun) at centre of the picture.

This is the valley I climbed out of.

While returning to the start, a quick picture of my ascent route of Broom Fell.  The faint straight line is the wall I followed.

Zoomed in on my ascent route.

And my second walk, was a circular from Keswick, over Latrigg and returning via Castlerigg Stone Circle.  Pictures below:

 View of Skiddaw, summit still in cloud.  This was true for everything above 2900 feet.

My first objective in  sight: Latrigg.

The A66 being surprisingly unbusy.  Obviously 3pm on a Wednesday is the quiet period!

And what do humans do?  Climb over or go round??

A quick shot of Lord's Seat, summit of this morning's walk.

Coledale Horseshoe, now almost free of cloud.

Keswick and Derwentwater from Latrigg.  Walla Crag to the left, which was Sunday evening's walk.

A glimpse of Lake Bassenthwaite.

Bleaberry Fell (centre) from Latrigg.

Looking towards a distant Helvellyn, peak still in cloud (else I might have gone and walked that instead).

Great and Little Mell Fell.

Castlerigg Stone Circle from the descent path.

Looking ahead to Blencathra.

 One of the bridges over the River Greta.  This carried the Penrith to Keswick railway line, now a footpath and cycle route.

 Castlerigg Stone Circle.  The neolithics obviously had a lot of spare time on their hands!

Castlerigg.  The people haven't all gone, I just positioned myself so they were out of sight.

Well that's it for today.  I think I've earned my evening meal and pint today.  Until tomorrow's postcard, be well all.

This week, I am holidaying in the Lake District, staying at Dorchester House.