Last Wednesday with the family I went to the Lake District for walking , geology and birdwatching . We dropped the boys off at Scales a few miles outside Keswick so the lads could go up and over Blencathra and we met them 3 hours later at the Blencathra Center . Fo and I parked up at the Center and walked into the Glenderaterra Valley so I could have a good look at the geology . I had an excellent guide book and it really brought the place alive . As we started out seeing the huge side of Lonscale Fell sweeping up on our left it just made my heart soar. Decoding the landscape to understand the rocks was challenging ! I really could have done with a small scale one inch map but I got there . We rounded a bluff and joy of joys I found the outcrop of chiastolite I was after and loads of it had eroded into the stream so I got a good sample with lots of crystals . The Chiastolite had formed from the baking of the rock (metamorphosis) and further up the valley there is a stream which wends its way up the hill but neatly cutting through the rock which shows different rocks all ending with -ite indicating the heat going from hotter to cooler as it goes up. Very interesting . There were three female geography students doing a project standing in the stream where my samples were and we had a nice chat with them . Pity the lads weren't with us they would have enjoyed there company! They found it hard to believe that where we were stood was 18000 feet under the sea 440 million years ago but then again they were geography students ! Aw : do geology ladies! Further up the valley there were more of them doing project work and it was great to see youngsters out like me and Fo trying to understand the place . We met up with the lads, who'd hardly broken a sweat , and went to Keswick to get them to row us around the lake but it was mega busy so we went to Dodd Wood where there is an RSPB viewing point and had a good look at an Osprey nest but no Osprey . The lads still had some energy to burn so they strode up to the top of Dodd Wood adding another 5 miles to there walking for the day . Good doggies. Nice meal at the Loose Box followed and back home for Star Trek . A spot on day in the company of my fine fellow sons and the lovely Fiona who found the Glebderaterra Valley beautiful. When Fo is happy I'm happy !