At least it was for me, I know it’s the south if you live in Scotland! Anyway, just back from a walking/fishing holiday in the North Pennines, Lakes and North Yorkshire so here are some pictures of the rivers we came across and the fishing I did.
Started with a long, long drive but stopped off for a short walk at Stanhope along the River Wear, no sign off who owns the fishing rights but it looked good!
Then a day on the Durham Derwent though Grommit’s auction which had been kindly arranged by Yorkio on his club water and hosted by Ian, the club secretary. To be honest, after a couple of days of fairly heavy rain I was relieved to find the river fishable. It was probably up 6” or so and quite coloured. Ian had spoken to me beforehand and I was looking forward to a physically hard day....and it was! We plodded down a track in pouring rain to the start of a gorge. Ian had made clear that we had about a mile of fishing through this and once we started we had to stay in to the end so I knew what to expect. And it was fantastic. This was wild fishing at its wildest! A couple of pictures of the river
And the “path” alongside it!!!
Ian at work....
....and me (cap rather than hat again, sorry)
And we caught fish pretty regularly through the morning, fishing the duo with everything coming to the nymph, a very small JT beadhead in my case
Then met Yorkio who had heroically struggled down into the gorge laden with food, great to meet you John.
The afternoon was harder, the river came up another couple of inches and it coloured further but we picked up a few more fish and I typically struck too hard at a take to the dry and snapped!
A really good day out. Hard work but rewarding and excellent company. If Grommit/Yorkio come up with this offer again in next year’s auction then bid high, you won’t be disappointed.
We moved to the Lakes on Monday and en route we walked Allen Banks along the River Allen, not far from Haltwhistle. Nice river
It is Tyne passport water but only from 1 April to 31 July and looks well worth a go.
The Lakes were wet (well obviously! I mean the weather was wet). Last year at this time I gave up on the Rothay because of lack of water, not a problem this year, quite a torrent. On to the Eden Valley and a look at Crowdundle Beck near Temple Sowerby, fishable on the Eden Passport scheme.
Mr Trout and I should have been fishing the Eden on Thursday but we decided to leave it a day to let the level drop (Stephen’s exact word was “doomed” which had me worried about any prospect of fishing). As a result we walked near Derwentwater. Part of it was along the banks of Watehdlath Beck which looked fishy and next to Watendlath Tarn where there was somebody fishing. Fly only day ticket water if anybody is interested. It may be quite remote but it was still pretty crowded when we were there.
Then through Borrowdale alongside the absolutely crystal clear River Derwent.
On Friday Mr Trout and I tried our luck on an Eden in much better condition than we feared and he has already posted on the Eden thread. To clarify, I prefer not to think of it as “abandoning” Mrs Marxach, let’s just say that she had the car keys and freedom to roam through the Eden Valley as her fancy took her (and she did see Mrs Trout who was, apparently, wrestling with a goat so she thought better of saying hello). Bruce – the big stick is my comfort blanket, I don’t even get in the bath without it. Mostyn – the hat was specially for you!
Anyway, some pictures of the river and Mr T in action. Just let me say that I had a fabulous day with good company in beautiful surroundings and caught some fish. It doesn’t get any better. I look forward to doing it again.
A plug for forum auctions. I’ve been lucky enough to have the winning bid on a few of them. They are always for a good cause, be it Grommit’s charity or the MFA, the days out are always wonderful with the host always anxious to provide a good day and I’ve never had the slightest cause for complaint. If anybody holds off bidding because it means paying out some cash to meet up with somebody you’ve never actually met to fish a strange river then stop worrying and bid (but not the ones I am bidding on)
Sunday should have been with Coasty on a little Yorkshire beck, the weather put paid to that!
Regards
Peter
A trip to the north
, isee you caught him doing his scarecrow impersonation on second pic from bottom 
SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.
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