WARTON CRAG - A Butterfly day...17th May 2010...

It was a very nice day with lots of activity. I started off from the small quarry car park on the right hand side, just after going up the side of the George Washington Pub. Here I climbed up the rough area and eventually onto the main terraces which run high up along the back of the large quarry below. Going further down to get good views of Jenny Browns point, then retracking back and up onto the higher level before taking a sort of circular walk, eventually bringing me down amongst mature woodland and back....

Straight away it was very pleasing to see so many Early Purple Orchids, probably thousands if the count was known. But beside these there where all the regular stuff for the time of year eg: Lords & Ladies, Bugle, etc; but also a very impressive show of young fresh Birdsfoot Trefoil lining and edging the main sloping terraces. In a small floret of primula, I guess this one thought it should have been a "Birds Eye".

Also on these early slopes I saw two Pearl Bordered Fritallaries in superb condition (see photo) and besides these I also had throughout my walk other butterflies eg: Green Hairstreak (perhaps about four pairs) all chasing after one another as though they where fighting or mating, but now and again they would settle and feed on the bramble which lies to the back of the footpath which is fenced off from the large quarry down below. At this same point I had about ten Small Heaths, also there where Common Blues, Speckled Woods, Small Whites, Orange Tips- males.


There seems to be far more Garden Warblers, than Blackcaps, with maybe at least six singing birds, yet only a couple of singing Blackcaps. Also about three Chiffchaffs and numerous Willow Warblers, and one Lesser Whitethroat....

The views from up here are excellent or should I say superb, I was suprised to see that they are already cutting their fields for early silage (see photo)....

Added: from 2000hrs - 2200hrs. Me and Sandra had walk around Leighton Moss causeway to the Public Hide and then on the back to the Lower Hide. At the Lower Hide we had just missed seeing a Otter which was seen to swim in front of the hide and go to the rear of the mere... As usual the place was swarming with lots of flies, and could be unpleasant walking through them at times. There was again no roding Woodcock to be seen or heard which was a little dissapointing. We heard about 15 different Sedge Warblers singing, throughout our walk which was very nice. Alson we saw, Great Crested Grebe, Greylag Geese, Mute Swans, Coots, Moorhens, Pochard, Shoveler (4). Lots of Black Headed Gulls sitting tight on nest on small islets in front of Public Hide.

Conishead Priory, Ulverston & Kadampa Buddhist Temple - Fri May 14th 2010

Today was something rather different.

I was a volunteer to be one of the escorts at my Grandchilds school trip and we visited the Conishead Priory, including the Kadampa Buddhist Temple built within the Priory grounds at Ulverston.

It was so beautiful, in fact it was stunning from the moment you entered the grounds you could see the bright golden rooflines, and roof artefacts all in gold materials to the outsides of the temple.

We took off our shoes at the entrance, and went in, and this was to be even more stunning with Massive Buddhist statues in front of you, and other beautiful significant artwork in the ceiling and also around the upper ceiling/wall edges. Make sure you Click here to check out the Buddhist temple website and see pictures of the statues etc etc... by clicking on the links to the right hand side of the website.....

There was also a beautiful forest walk within long mature woodland, which eventually lead us down to the shingle beach which overlooked Chapel Island in Morecambe Bay (William Wordsworth describing Chapel Island "As I advanced, all that I saw or felt, was gentleness and peace")...

Dalton Crags & Hutton Roof 13th May 2010

A lovely morning.....
It was so noticeable that there had been a increase in the Garden Warbler population with at least six singing birds (mainly in the Dalton Crags area), but the odd couple in the open areas near the rotting wood piles. I only heard one Blackcap calling (near Quarry Car Park). Lots of Willow Warblers with maybe up to ten singing birds. One Chiffchaff calling. Only one Tree Pipit calling and displaying at the regular place on entering the open area with rotting wood piles. (Click over photo once, then click over again for full enlargement)...

Other birds recorded: Goldfinch (a couple near quarry Car Park), a couple of Buzzards, one high up soaring, and another at rest on a tree in Lancelot Clark Storth. Also Overhead Linnets and Redpoll. One Swallow going through heading NW.

Flowers: Early Purple Orchids (one singular in Dalton Crags) and a small group near the Trig with at least 30 flowering heads. Lots of primrose and Cowslips (mainly in bottom half of open area with rotting wood piles. Tormental, Barren Strawberry, Dandelion, Bugle, Common Dog Violet. Back in Quarry picnic area there was a Purplish Vetch type flower,

Butterflies: 5 Speckled Wood in ride at top of Dalton Crags, 2 Large White, 2 Peacock in Car Park Quarry. Moths: A Speckled Yellow (near rotting wood piles - open area)

Insects: A social wasp with vivid orange towards its back end..

On way down from the Trig point, it was nice to bump into a lovely couple who were also Rossendalians hailing from the lovely place "Whitworth". They have a caravan up here at Capernwray and where doing one of their regular walks today, along with their little black dog. It was obvious that they too loved this place and had spent quite sometime here over the recent years.

Grasmere - Easedale Tarn - Grasmere 12th May 2010

A walk of Easy to Moderate terrain of about 6 miles and it took about 4 hours...

We started by going up the Easedale Road, which was accessed from nearby the Northbound No.555 bus stop.

Shortly after heading up this road and past the Quaker Meeting House on the left, and shortly after this we should have turned left or gone straight on to Easedale Tarn. But no! just after crossing the "Goody Bridge" we turned right. And ended up after about 30 minutes at the Hamlet of "Helmside", with the mighty "Helm Crag" to our left, overshadowing the adjoining "Gibson Knott". Just before reaching the hamlet there was a Whitethroat calling at a "hundred to the dozen". Also there was a Nuthatch calling from nearby....

While we were debating whether to turn back or could we find a shorter route between the Helm Crag, a very spritely young fellow was heading towards us, and we got chatting. He was called Gerry and came from Coppull, Nr. Wigan, in his earlier days he had been a Coal Miner. I could not believe he was 71 years old and had been climbing all the fells and mountains throughout the Lakes and elsewhere in the UK since the age of 40. He just was fit and he had just decended down from Helm Crag only minutes earlier, and yesterday he had completed Helvellyn (which I believe he had done several times before that). Anyway he advised us to return to "Goody Bridge" and then take the straightforward route to Easedale. He said the climb over Helm Crag, would be very hardy going from this side. We took his advice and walk on with him to Goody Bridge where we bid him farewell..

Soon we came upon "Easedale Beck" which was a beautiful little place with Slate slab stones making bridges across the beck, the area was surrounded with mature trees and there where lots of Wood Anemone carpetting the woodland floor.

A little further on and we stopped for lunch at the New Bridge which was recently built to cross over the Easedale Beck, the bridge would also be suitable for farm vehicles etc..

Soon we headed North West up the main footpath which had now become self explanatory, with lots of paving stones having been placed in sections making a footpath to save erosion etc. Before long on the right hand side was a superb waterfall, which I would guess that in spate would be a remarkable sight. The water was crystal clear as it always is around here.. This area does have a extroadinary name of "Sour Milk Ghyll". It was not long before we reached the Tarn, but by now the wind had got up strong, which was to die down again within several minutes and also the mist started to move in with rain coming from the Rydal Fell area, but again this soon died out and it became clear again...

This area was pretty wild and the only wildlife we saw was a few Meadow Pipits..

Soon we made our retreat and did the circular by crossing over the stepping stones at the base of the Tarn and coming down the other side of the vale past Cockly Crag, Stenners Crag to Stythewaite Steps where we crossed the beck and followed the footpath skirting the base of Helm Crag back to Grasmere....

CLICK OVER PHOTOS ONCE AND THEN AGAIN TO ENLARGE TO FULL SIZE.

Hale and White Moss and later Trowbarrow Quarry - 10th May 2010

Had a visit to Hale Moss and White Moss.

There where plenty of bird activity with: Several Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, and a pair of Garden Warblers at White Moss and also Blackcap.

Lots of Primrose and Cowslips, Bluebells, Wood Anemone, Wood Sorrell, Herb Robert starting to show here and there, Bugle, some Orchid leaves showing - I think they are going to be Marsh Orchids, but I need to wait and see. It was absolutely great to see the Herb Paris - a nice colony of perhaps 100 plus...



Had a quick visit to a third of the Trowbarrow area, there was a few early purples showing plus Common Dog Violet, primula etc etc etc.

Silverdale - Orchids... Thr 6th May 2010 (POLLING DAY)

I really enjoyed searching for orchids..... there was a large group of the rare Green Winged Orchid (probably above 100 flowering heads).

And also a couple of large groups of the Early Purple Orchid (with probably above 50 flowering heads each group. Here are some photos - please click over photo once and then click again, to get the full enlargement photo.....

Dalton Crags & Hutton Roof - 5th May 2010

Starting off from the Car Park at Dalton side, there was a pair of Garden Warblers singing away, also not far away was a Blackcap in full song. On the way down at this spot, also a Chiffchaff was calling.

Just as you start to climb up the Dalton Crags at the beginning of the limestone, I noticed to the left hand side a lone "Early Purple Orchid" in full flower and stopped to take a photo or two (See Photo- click once, then again for full enlargement).

On way up as though heading towards the Trig Point, there were lots of Primroses and Cowslips. Willow Warblers could be heard throughout with a possible 6 pairs at least calling.

Crossing the area where the rotting woodpiles are, there were now at least three pairs of Tree Pipits, and soon I heard a Cuckoo and looking up it was there in front in a tall tree, near the boundary wall where the gate is before you enter the trig point area. It was calling for up to 5 minutes, whilst also being mobbed by the occasional Meadow Pipit. After 5 minutes it had enough and moved over to the trig point areas...

I also had this small flower which was on the limestone south of the Trig, I am not too sure but do think it maybe a Rue Leaved Saxifrage....

Also had a Speckled Wood Butterfly in Dalton Crags and also earlier had startled a Roe Deer which went bounding off over ploverlands...

Windermere - Troutbeck - Ambleside - Tues May 4th 2010

(Click over photos once, then again for full image size)......Probably about six and a half mile, of easy to moderate terrain. Opposite Booths at Windermere and up the side of the Windermere Hotel to reach Orrest Head, a fabulous viewpoint to take in Windermere, almost the full ten miles or so.... and turn around to look over the fells of Kentmere and High Street......

On the way there was some great mature woodlands which will have hosted Red Squirrels. Just before the hamlet of Far Orrest I witnessed a Common Redstart, sallying after flies..

It was a great suprise, because at the farm buildings at Far Orrest and on the side of the footpath, there was a small open tent with a refreshment table which included fresh buttered scones, bottled waters etc and a notepad was left for comments etc and honesty box.. we couldnt resist a scone and put the seventy pence in the box before carrying on our way.. How great for such a welcome sight and for the trust shown (see photo).......

Then on past the rocky outcrop of Allen Knott and down, across and eventually down towards the beck of Troutbeck, where here we crossed over two wooden bridges, and then steadily climbed to the village of Troutbeck, a lovely little place with some very old buildings which still had timber lintels, in fact in some instances, I am sure they could still have been the original lintels from the when the buildings where first built, and that would be guessed at perhaps around the mid 17th century, with one particular building which looked even older....

I always wondered what Troutbeck would look like, I remember from a child the song "Dye ken John Peel".....and that it was said he came from or lived at, and also I camped at Troutbeck as a child with the Boy Scouts, but to be honest with you cant remember a thing about them days.

A very beautiful village, set within one of the most beautiful of valleys, which heads off to the great "Kirkstone Pass" and over towards Ullswater.

We turned left up by the side of the village post office, the lane called Robin Lane, and after a couple of hundred yards or so, came upon a seat for the weiry souls who passed by, and we took advantage of resting and snacking...this was a special place with the most magnificient view (see photo), again looking down towards Troutbeck. Directly in front of the bench was a sort of little memorial stone devoted to the recognition of the Troutbeck sheepdogs (see photo). And closeby was a grand array of local wild flower species which had been introduced eg: Forget Me Nots and Fritillaries etc... we continued up Robin Lane and it was so obvious by the garlic smell, that you where bordered by many Ransoms on either side of the stoney lane...

Continuing up dale and down vale crossing through fields and farmhouses, we eventually entered some mature woodland called "Kelsick Scar" and maintained by the National Trust, just further along and we made a slight deviation to "Jenkin Crag" another well known viewpoint where you can look down towards Waterhead and the Lake Windermere. It was great to hear a Cuckoo calling away from somewhere high up on Kelsick Scar, also noticed looking down on us, yet quite camouflaged from beind some shrub was a Roe Deer which quickly bounded off when it realised we were watching it....

Ten minutes on and we were coming down at Waterhead, Ambleside....

Grasmere - LOUGHRIGG SUMMIT - Ambleside

Yesterday we set off from Grasmere, quick call to get a couple of slabs of the World famous gingerbread from Nelson's Gingerbread Shop (The Shop which used to be the old school where William Wordsworth worked for sometime), and then visit the Wordsworth Graves, which has now become almost a ritual whenever we are in Grasmere. And on leaving the Churchyard (St. Oswald's), crossing over the road and off up Red Bank Road, going through Red Bank Wood before starting our hardous ascent up to the Loughrigg Summit.

From up there it was probably one of the most beautiful views I have ever witnessed looking towards Grasmere. Overlooking the Mere, and Dove Cottage on the far banking, also excellent views of, Elterwater, Loughrigg Tarn, Estwaite Water, and the great Lake Windermere. It was so peaceful up here with just odd couples or parties passing through every now and again. I even managed to get inspired to do a little poetry whilst up here (see below)....


A lonesome Crow came by, and it seemed strange to see birds actually flying below us. The Crow saw us eating our sandwiches and decided to play the patience game by sitting on a nearby rock, just waiting for the moment we decided to go and hoping all the time that we left it some goodies... occasionally it would become a little impatient and leave its sentry to do a lap of honour before returning to its outpost once again. "Who says patience doesn't pay off" well we left that crow some butty crust and a couple of sausage rolls. Looking back as we left, it was there immediately on our vacation and could be seen with its bill full to the brim carrying the sausage rolls to a more descreet location....

It was a fairly clear day with 95% blue sky, with just the occasional clouds moving by, and I was rather intrigued by the great shadows it was leaving over "Silver How", you could if you wished make the shadows into well know shapes, I thought I recognised a Grey Squirrel at one stage with its large bushy tail. There where shapes of all sorts. It ran through my mind that the shadows where spirits moving through.....

Several Wheatear where present on these mountains, some actually calling with their rasping territorial song.... these where heard and seen on our descent which eventually lead us down to Brow Head Farm, and later crossing over the River Rothay and making our way to the 555 south bus stop in Ambleside.

Loughrigg

I felt I'd climbed a thousand steps,
And would have done a thousand more.
For here, I could have touched the sky,
Or stepped upon a floating cloud.
For heaven I'm sure that this could be,
I felt so peaceful, calm and free.....

The haunting calls of distant geese,
Echo throughout the Vale,
Whilst passing clouds weave in and out,
Makes moving shadows on Silver How,
Like Spirits passing by.....

Thrang Moss and White Moss, Nr. Hale

From Mid morning checked out the areas of Thrang Moss and White Moss. Thrang Moss which had rich carpetted woodland floor with vast numbers (thousands) of Wood Anemone. The majority of these had not opened up because of the dull weather today, although some had by the end of my walk. Also lots of Bugle about and a single early specimen of Toothwort. There where at least two calling Blackcaps, a odd Chiffchaff and a couple of Willow Warblers.

A walk by the side of dykes up to White Moss, mainly with areas of young silver birch, enlosed with large deer fence. A area they are trying to establish for High Brown Fritillary and Dingy Skipper Butterflies. The boundary on the west side has some large very ancient decideous trees, along some of the route there was good quantities of Wood Sorrell carpeting the floors.. Soon there was the dynamic alarming high pitched shreeky repetitive call of the Nuthatch, as one came in to view quite close and then even closer until it was almost over my head, high in the tree canopy..


A group of Fallow Deer hinds where in a closeby woodland glade.

("Click over photos twice for full enlargement")

The Bronte Sisters & Cowan Bridge

On way to dropping my daughter off at work, I noticed the plaque shown above at Cowan Bridge (Nr. Kirby Lonsdale)...

The School was the full building as shown in the photo (now made into 3 separate houses).

I have just found this information on the web from the "Haworth Village Brontes".

"Patrick found the strain of bringing up a family difficult and in 1824 decided to send Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte and Emily to the recently opened Clergy Daughters' School at Cowan Bridge. In June 1825 Charlotte and her sisters were finally taken away from the school for good. However Maria and Elizabeth died of consumption soon after returning to Haworth. The poor conditions while at the school were largely to blame.

The experience of Cowan Bridge and the loss of her sisters had an affect on Charlotte. Her novel "Jane Eyre" (1846) the school "Lowood" is said to be based on her experience at Cowan Bridge....

The Beautiful - Over Kellett

This was the beautiful "Over Kellet" this morning. I pass through it quite regular and have been promising myself over the last day or two, to take a photo of the village green whilst still in fresh bloom....(Please click over photo twice, to get full enlargement)....