Ullswater

 I lived at Sharrow Bay on the shores of Ullswater from the age of 5 until I was 15 during the WW2 years. I look back now and realize the idyllic existance we lived in those far off days. We swam, we fished and we climbed the fells, we built tree houses and caves. One year it snowed and we were blocked in, no school. The lake was frozen over and we crossed from one side to another. We were snowbound so long we ran out staple foods so with Dad and I went down the lake centre to Pooley Bridge store and carried back our groceries on our backs in a sack. All the way we could hear the ice groaning and grumbling from its own weight. One year we were snow bound and the local farmers and workers decided to dig the road out.We helped too. The day we finished, a futher snow storm occurred that night and next morning the snow, blown down off the fellsides filled the road again. Just as it was before we dug it out. There was no road, no fences, gates or hedges to be seen. Just a contiuous expanse of pristine snow. And during the morning, the sun shone and sparkled over natures work.