Wednesday 30 March 2011
Images of Spring - part 2
These photos were taken in the beautiful Rusland valley and Haybridge nature reserve.
Rusland Hights
Female Pheasant sitting on her eggs
Lungwort
Pink Lungwort
Lilac Primulars
Scarlet Elf-cup
Oposite-leaved Golden Saxifage
Daffodils in Rusland woods
Me and my Daffodils
Common Lizard
Haybridge
Wood Sorrel
Larch flower and cone
Lesser Celandine
Lesser Celandine
Thursday 24 March 2011
Images of Spring - part 1
Spring is here and what a lovely time to get out and get snapping.
Daffodils
Primrose
Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Comma Butterfly
Coltsfoot
Stinging Nettle
Cuckoo Pint
Dogs Mercury
Alder catkins
Willow catkins
Lambs
Common Toad
Lilac Cowslip
Shining Cranesbill
Flowering Current
Forsythia
Priory wood, Ulverston.
Wood Anemone
Wood Anemone
Lesser Celandine
Common Dog Violet
Daffodils
Barren Strawberry
Daffodils
Ramsons
Ramsons in Priory Wood
Garlic Mustard
The beautiful mist and rain.
The great British weather, you either love it or hate it.
Sadly, unless we have sunshine, most people moan and complain about our weather.
Considering we have many more dull or wet days than sunny warm days, those people must be miserable the majority of their lives!
On a very wet and misty day on the last day of Winter, March 20th.
Myself and a friend set off into the misty hills on Subberthwaite Common which can be a very bleak place at any time. My companion on the day wanted to learn some map-reading skills, so these were the perfect conditions for that.
Our walk began from Blawith Church and from there we walked up the narrow road leading up to Tottlebank, Subberthwaite Common and eventually up onto Blawith Knot. We couldn’t see Blawith Knot, due to the heavy mist, even though the fell stood right above us.
This was a place that most people would consider the last place Earth to take a walk in such ‘dull’ conditions, not weather hardened country folk like us though. Anyhow I think weather like that brings out the child that lies deep within all of us. The child within us who likes to splash in the puddles, the child who likes to get soaking wet and step into the gloomy mystical fog.
We walked for about 4km before getting to the road that lies at the foot of Blawith Knot, we knew the fell was there; our map told us so!. I guess that not being able to see the fell gave us the urge to venture to the top, an urge to be up in the mist where nobody in the whole world could see us, giving us a total feeling of isolation.
Walking up was quite easy and it wasn’t long before we reached the summit, a summit that has two cairns. Looking around we could probably see no more than 10-20 meters and there was an eerie feeling in the cold wind and heavy mist. It was like a scene from ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles,’ or some other ‘Hammer Horror’ film!
Anyhow we had to get back down so by the use of our trusted map and compass we took a 96˚ reading and headed down into the cold mist.
We were hopefully heading towards a stream, a stream that would, if found, lead us eventually back to the main path at the foot of the fell. we had not been walking for very long when, through the cold grey gloom, we could hear the sound of a bubbling stream. This was the stream we wanted and we used it as a handrail to find our path, this is a good skill to use in bad visiblilty.
Reaching the path back to where we began made us reflect on what had been a lovely walk, a walk in conditions that most other folk would have shivered at and turned their central-heating up another notch. Walking in ‘bad’ weather can be a very good experience and I just wish more people would appreciate how lucky we are to have such a diverse weather system, how boring would it be if we had nothing but sunshine and warmth?
I think it was Alfred Wainwright who said:
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.”
Sadly, unless we have sunshine, most people moan and complain about our weather.
Considering we have many more dull or wet days than sunny warm days, those people must be miserable the majority of their lives!
On a very wet and misty day on the last day of Winter, March 20th.
Myself and a friend set off into the misty hills on Subberthwaite Common which can be a very bleak place at any time. My companion on the day wanted to learn some map-reading skills, so these were the perfect conditions for that.
Our walk began from Blawith Church and from there we walked up the narrow road leading up to Tottlebank, Subberthwaite Common and eventually up onto Blawith Knot. We couldn’t see Blawith Knot, due to the heavy mist, even though the fell stood right above us.
This was a place that most people would consider the last place Earth to take a walk in such ‘dull’ conditions, not weather hardened country folk like us though. Anyhow I think weather like that brings out the child that lies deep within all of us. The child within us who likes to splash in the puddles, the child who likes to get soaking wet and step into the gloomy mystical fog.
We walked for about 4km before getting to the road that lies at the foot of Blawith Knot, we knew the fell was there; our map told us so!. I guess that not being able to see the fell gave us the urge to venture to the top, an urge to be up in the mist where nobody in the whole world could see us, giving us a total feeling of isolation.
Walking up was quite easy and it wasn’t long before we reached the summit, a summit that has two cairns. Looking around we could probably see no more than 10-20 meters and there was an eerie feeling in the cold wind and heavy mist. It was like a scene from ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles,’ or some other ‘Hammer Horror’ film!
Anyhow we had to get back down so by the use of our trusted map and compass we took a 96˚ reading and headed down into the cold mist.
We were hopefully heading towards a stream, a stream that would, if found, lead us eventually back to the main path at the foot of the fell. we had not been walking for very long when, through the cold grey gloom, we could hear the sound of a bubbling stream. This was the stream we wanted and we used it as a handrail to find our path, this is a good skill to use in bad visiblilty.
Reaching the path back to where we began made us reflect on what had been a lovely walk, a walk in conditions that most other folk would have shivered at and turned their central-heating up another notch. Walking in ‘bad’ weather can be a very good experience and I just wish more people would appreciate how lucky we are to have such a diverse weather system, how boring would it be if we had nothing but sunshine and warmth?
I think it was Alfred Wainwright who said:
“There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.”
Thursday 17 March 2011
Ask a Plodder!
Anybody who likes fell walking and the views, read on.
If you enjoy nature and the wildlife that the Lake District has to offer, read on.
Any Ramblers reading this, look away now!
Plodders
I have always been a ‘Plodder,’ a person who likes to stop and look at wildflowers. I like to amble along, sampling the fresh edible leaves, petals and berries of our plants and trees along the way.
How nice to pause and listen to a songbird as it sings from near or far, or hear the buzzing of insects busy with their daily tasks. To sit and listen to the wind blowing through the grass or the hypnotic sound of a bubbling stream as the ice-cold water flows over its rocks and boulders.
Plodders are usually seen on their own, they are people who enjoy walks and can always tell other people about the many interesting things that they have seen or heard. A Plodder doesn’t have to boast about the fells he/she has walked upon, instead they have a more informative voice, a voice that deserves to be heard.
Ramblers
Ramblers on the other hand are a completely different species, they run around the fells like headless Chickens, usually in loud conversation. They talk about such things as recent holidays, new lawn-mowers or the latest gossip from the Golf Club!
They boast about all the ‘Wainwright’s’ they have 'bagged' and often wear red socks, bobble hats and have matching poles in their hands. I doubt any of them can even read a map or use a compass; follow the leader is all they seem to do. Ramblers are often found in large groups and usually give their presence away by constant chatting, bright designer clothes and those bobble hats.
These 'bobble hatters' don't see or hear very much at all, apart from each other of course. In fact they may as well walk about wearing blindfolds and poke cotton wool into their cloth ears.
They don’t even enjoy the views; Ramblers don't have the time for veiws and just want to get up and down the fells in the shortest time possible.
Despite all this they certainly have plenty to say, even if it is just boasting about all those ‘Wainwright’s’ they have done.
Wainwright
Wainwright was a Plodder; I dare say he would have felt very insulted if anyone called him a Rambler. The great man plodded around the fells in his own time and in his own company, he saw many wonderful things and certainly had plenty to write about.
So why these people want to be so boring is beyond me, they follow in the footsteps of a man who would always avoid Ramblers while he was walking on the fells, i imagine he would have looked down on them on many an occasion with a chuckle or two from behind his pipe up there on a fellside!
So if you are walking on the fells and you want to know how to read a map, or if you want to know about the things all around you, just ask a Plodder, as Plodders always know best.
If you enjoy nature and the wildlife that the Lake District has to offer, read on.
Any Ramblers reading this, look away now!
Plodders
I have always been a ‘Plodder,’ a person who likes to stop and look at wildflowers. I like to amble along, sampling the fresh edible leaves, petals and berries of our plants and trees along the way.
How nice to pause and listen to a songbird as it sings from near or far, or hear the buzzing of insects busy with their daily tasks. To sit and listen to the wind blowing through the grass or the hypnotic sound of a bubbling stream as the ice-cold water flows over its rocks and boulders.
Plodders are usually seen on their own, they are people who enjoy walks and can always tell other people about the many interesting things that they have seen or heard. A Plodder doesn’t have to boast about the fells he/she has walked upon, instead they have a more informative voice, a voice that deserves to be heard.
Ramblers
Ramblers on the other hand are a completely different species, they run around the fells like headless Chickens, usually in loud conversation. They talk about such things as recent holidays, new lawn-mowers or the latest gossip from the Golf Club!
They boast about all the ‘Wainwright’s’ they have 'bagged' and often wear red socks, bobble hats and have matching poles in their hands. I doubt any of them can even read a map or use a compass; follow the leader is all they seem to do. Ramblers are often found in large groups and usually give their presence away by constant chatting, bright designer clothes and those bobble hats.
These 'bobble hatters' don't see or hear very much at all, apart from each other of course. In fact they may as well walk about wearing blindfolds and poke cotton wool into their cloth ears.
They don’t even enjoy the views; Ramblers don't have the time for veiws and just want to get up and down the fells in the shortest time possible.
Despite all this they certainly have plenty to say, even if it is just boasting about all those ‘Wainwright’s’ they have done.
Wainwright
Wainwright was a Plodder; I dare say he would have felt very insulted if anyone called him a Rambler. The great man plodded around the fells in his own time and in his own company, he saw many wonderful things and certainly had plenty to write about.
So why these people want to be so boring is beyond me, they follow in the footsteps of a man who would always avoid Ramblers while he was walking on the fells, i imagine he would have looked down on them on many an occasion with a chuckle or two from behind his pipe up there on a fellside!
So if you are walking on the fells and you want to know how to read a map, or if you want to know about the things all around you, just ask a Plodder, as Plodders always know best.
Tuesday 15 March 2011
Blencathra - March 2011
Blencathra, also known as Saddleback, stands shoulder to shoulder with Skiddaw. The two mountains look down on Keswick, which is one of the most picturesque towns in the Lake District.
I walked with a local Rambling group on this occasion, not something I intend to do again but more of that in my next blog.
The day was dry but overcast; getting clearer by the hour until eventually the day was warm and sunny. There were patches of fresh snow in places high on the fell, nothing that could be considered dangerous though.
Our walk started with a slow ascent of Scales, a narrow path of mostly dry ground but occasional mud patches made wearing gaiters a very good idea. As I had not done any fell walking for six months I found the going extremely difficult, in fact I was absolutely shattered in no time at all.
We did reach a flatter part of the path after the first mile or so, from where we got our first view of Blencathra and Sharpe Edge. We reached the fast stream that tumbles down from Scales tarn, from there we had to climb another steep but short section up to the tarn, crossing the ice-cold stream up near the top
Blencathra
Reaching Scales tarn was a welcome relief as we could finally sit down and rest our, I think I needed the rest and some food to eat before I collapsed in a heap. Scales Tarn is a small tarn left from the ice-age and sits quietly in a hollow overlooked by Blencathra and Sharpe Edge. The water looks very dark from above and almost round in shape, it seemed like a very favorable place for the local Ravens too who tumbled in the sky above the tarn.
Scales Tarn
We avoided Sharp Edge due the fact that it can be dangerous when the rocks are wet, so it is a place I can look forward to crossing on another occasion. Instead we climbed the hill on the left side of the tarn that leads directly up to the summit of Blencathra, there was more snow on the ground as we got further up this path and sudden drop in temperature.
Sharp Edge
The views from the summit, a large flat area, were fantastic. Looking south we could see Thirlmere glinting in the sunshine, on the left side of Thirlmere, Helvellyn towered above the water and had a very good covering of snow. Skiddaw was just to our right and surprisingly didn’t look to have much of a covering of snow, even though it stands higher than Blencathra.
Thirlmere
Derwent water and fells such as Cat Bells, Maiden Moor, Dale Head, Robinson and Causey Pike were all visible in the west, all under heavy cloud and mist. The colours of the fells changing constantly as the Sun struggled though the cloud cover, producing varying strains of light as if a dimmer-switch was in use.
Derwent Water
The walk down Blease Fell was quite an unattractive affair, it was just a long grassy slope with a stony zigzag path and due to the steep decline it was very tiring on our legs. Reaching the base of Blencathra we found a level dirt road that led us through a stile and onto a woodland track that led us to Keswick after a few miles, where a pint of beer was waiting to be drunk by a very tired man! Keswick was, as always, a welcoming sight and with Daffodils flowering and Chaffinches singing there was a very Spring feeling in the air.
Blencathra was now behind us and rain was now falling while we walked through the town, on the fells snow was falling and so we certainly had the best of the weather while we were walking.
That pint of beer was wonderful; somehow beer always tastes incredible after a long walk on the fells.
Derwent Water
Dewent Water
I walked with a local Rambling group on this occasion, not something I intend to do again but more of that in my next blog.
The day was dry but overcast; getting clearer by the hour until eventually the day was warm and sunny. There were patches of fresh snow in places high on the fell, nothing that could be considered dangerous though.
Our walk started with a slow ascent of Scales, a narrow path of mostly dry ground but occasional mud patches made wearing gaiters a very good idea. As I had not done any fell walking for six months I found the going extremely difficult, in fact I was absolutely shattered in no time at all.
We did reach a flatter part of the path after the first mile or so, from where we got our first view of Blencathra and Sharpe Edge. We reached the fast stream that tumbles down from Scales tarn, from there we had to climb another steep but short section up to the tarn, crossing the ice-cold stream up near the top
Reaching Scales tarn was a welcome relief as we could finally sit down and rest our, I think I needed the rest and some food to eat before I collapsed in a heap. Scales Tarn is a small tarn left from the ice-age and sits quietly in a hollow overlooked by Blencathra and Sharpe Edge. The water looks very dark from above and almost round in shape, it seemed like a very favorable place for the local Ravens too who tumbled in the sky above the tarn.
We avoided Sharp Edge due the fact that it can be dangerous when the rocks are wet, so it is a place I can look forward to crossing on another occasion. Instead we climbed the hill on the left side of the tarn that leads directly up to the summit of Blencathra, there was more snow on the ground as we got further up this path and sudden drop in temperature.
The views from the summit, a large flat area, were fantastic. Looking south we could see Thirlmere glinting in the sunshine, on the left side of Thirlmere, Helvellyn towered above the water and had a very good covering of snow. Skiddaw was just to our right and surprisingly didn’t look to have much of a covering of snow, even though it stands higher than Blencathra.
Derwent water and fells such as Cat Bells, Maiden Moor, Dale Head, Robinson and Causey Pike were all visible in the west, all under heavy cloud and mist. The colours of the fells changing constantly as the Sun struggled though the cloud cover, producing varying strains of light as if a dimmer-switch was in use.
The walk down Blease Fell was quite an unattractive affair, it was just a long grassy slope with a stony zigzag path and due to the steep decline it was very tiring on our legs. Reaching the base of Blencathra we found a level dirt road that led us through a stile and onto a woodland track that led us to Keswick after a few miles, where a pint of beer was waiting to be drunk by a very tired man! Keswick was, as always, a welcoming sight and with Daffodils flowering and Chaffinches singing there was a very Spring feeling in the air.
Blencathra was now behind us and rain was now falling while we walked through the town, on the fells snow was falling and so we certainly had the best of the weather while we were walking.
That pint of beer was wonderful; somehow beer always tastes incredible after a long walk on the fells.
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