Lake District 2005

Grasmere was found to be one of the more beautiful of the lakes. Although no doubt tranquil in more peaceful times, the days visit was found to be choking with visitors - probably a combination of weekend visitors and attendees of the Flower show. Its worthy to mention that this village contains 'Dove Cottage', home to Willam Wordsworth for a number of years where he wrote many romantic poems - its not hard to see how he found the village enchanting - alledgedly 'the loveliest spot man hath ever found'. The Wordsworth Museum is present in a converted barn nearby.

A walk around the lake was mesmerising - i'm guessing this being the reason for Cheuk bumping into a number of bemused visitors!

Although 'merely' a reservoir, my visit to Haweswater late in the day was one of my favourites. The stunning photographs only just does the scenery justice - it really was beautiful.

Beneath lie the flooded village of Mardale and dairy farms. Created by the Manchester Corporation to supply Manchester in the 1930s.

Additionally of interest was the cheeky nature of a Song thrush that was keen to pose for food - if only all subjects were so keen!

The area of Arnside and Silverdale was the focus of my visit due to the presence of Arnside Knott - the most southernly location of the Scotch Argus in the UK - also present are the High Brown Fritillary and the Northern Brown Argus, and a pleasant surprise - the Grayling. All these species being captured on camera. The panorama shows a view from Arnside Knott across Morecambe Bay.

The campsite was set at Gibralter Farm in Silverdale, not far from the small nature reserve of Jack Scout - see photos 2 and 3 - containing the Giant's seat (photo 4).

It was felt that the visit wouldn't be complete without a visit through the Wrynose and Hardknott passes that cut through the national park. Unfortunately the weather was against me with light showers and mist the order of the day. One point worth noting is that the incline symbols on the maps were true - 33% inclines and declines on narrow twisting roads was something i'd never experienced before - unfortunately there are no photographs of these areas - i was trying to keep bodily functions in check! Despite this, the scenery was breathtaking, shame i wasn't braver and the weather was harsh.

Its not hard to see from photos 1 and 2 why the Langdale Pikes have been popular with painters and climbers for many a year. A recommended spot was Blae Tarn (photo 3) - a mountain lake with fantastic views of the Langdale Pikes - although i arrived in the midst of showers, a pleasant surprise was the presence of many Common Spotted Orchids. Following the road takes you via the Wrynose Pass and Hardknott Pass to the Hardknott Roman Fort (Mediobogdum in Roman! Occupied from AD120-197) and eventually to the level terrain of Eskdale Green.

After harrassing women on the way into Windermere, Cheuk calmed down to enjoy the scenery at Lake Windermere. This appeared to be the focal point for many visitors judging by the bustling nature of the village. The shoreline offered respite from the crowds and a chance to feed the ducks and swans - a pleasant surprise was the presence of a friendly Whooper Swan - surely they should've migrated by now!

Cheuk found Cafe Sutherlands - a referral to days and nights of debauchery in Manchester Halls of Residence. Obviously good times remembered! No, i mean that!

Other than that i found Windermere a bit too touristy and noisy for my liking - there are better Lakes.

Arrival late in the day at the widest lake called for rest, cappuchino and a cake! The northern edge contains the boat landing area for Keswick and the small nature reserve of Friars Crag deemed to be one of the most beautiful areas around this lake.

There were a number of Greylag and Canada Geese present in the lake - the first time i've ever seen these geese in the wild.

Dating from neolithic/early bronze age (~2000 BC) and consisting of a circle of 38 stones and 10 central stones, the scenic backdrop to this stone circle is truly outstanding. The stones were constructed from the volacanic rock from Borrowdale.

Although only visited briefly, the stunning scenery of this lake is one of the reasons i wish to return. The stream, Aira Beck flows into Ullswater. Upstream lies the spectacular 70 foot waterfall, Aira Force.

A second visit offered a prolonged stay and the chance to shoot some panoramic views of this scenic lake.

The views down the waterfall and across the landscape to Ullswater are beautiful. The walk from the carpark to Aira Froce was busy, but full of nature including butterflies, dragonflies and plants. Particularly noteworthy was the presence of Common cow-wheat along the paths lining the stream.

Coniston Water is overlooked by the imposing 'Old Man of Coniston'. The village itself arose through the thriving slate quarrying and copper mining communities.

A fly through visit revealed a lake with beautiful views of mountain ranges. A small group of Goosander or Red-breasted merganser was spotted on the water.

Situated along the edge of Bassenthwaite Lake is Dodds Wood, the home of the Osprey viewing centre. It offered an excellent opportunity to set up the telescope and see these beautiful raptors. Although a high magnification is required to visualise with any clarity. A feeding station just below the view point alowed close views of Red squirrels , Coal tits, Great tits and Chaffinchs .

A walk around the surrounding tracks of Dodds wood gave stunning views across the lake. Agiven the sunny conditions a multitude of insects were observed including of note, the Red wasp, leaf-cutter bee Megachile willughbiella, Horntail and the Larch ladybird.

Rydal Water was the subject of a quick stop on a journey back from Grasmere. After a quick jog down to the waters edge, a more leisurely stroll was taken on the way back to take note of the flora and fauna. There were relatively few interesting photograph opportunitise, although there was a small cluster of Bog asphodel and a Comma butterfly posed nicely with its wings shut and displaying the distinctive white marking of its name. The river running to Rydal Water provided the best oppportunity for a scenic photograph.

Gait Barrows is a 121 hectare nature reserve that was established in 1977. It sits within the Arnside and Silverdale AONB. It covers an intricate mosaic of limestone pavements that provide a habitat for many rare plants and animals including Dark red helleborine, Stinking hellebore, Grass of Parnassus, Bird'-eye primrose, Angular solomons seal and High brown fritillary.

After going through the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes, i'd had enough of mountain roads so headed towards Derwent Water via Crummock Water and the Honister Pass. The photograph of the Honister Pass shows similar roads to those experienced on the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes, but really doesn't do justice!

A second visit to the Honister Pass, resulted in a stop at the Slate Mine. A short treck up Fleetwith directly behind the Slate Mine to site (1), revealed a small hollow, relatively sheltered from the wind. However, the first time i tried the weather was very blustery with intermittent showers, no Mountain ringlets were observeed, although an Emperor moth caterpillar was found on Heather. A second journey was more productive, after two couples with the same ideas helpfully showed me the Mountain ringlet they had spotted and allowed me to take some images. Setted in beautiful scenery, the sightings of this alpine species made the journey worthwhile.

Travelling up to visit Ullswater, i decided to take a different route, although getting trapped behind two coaches was frustrating, it did allow the inatke of the spectacular scenery of the Kirkstone Pass. Other than the Kirkstone Pass Inn where there is a little car park to rest, there is little evidence of human dwellings.

William Wordsworth was influenced by the scenery in the Lake District and wrote in the poem, the Kirkstone Pass:

Most potent when mists veil the sky,
Mists that distort and magnify;
While the coarse rushes, to the sweeping breeze,
Sigh forth their ancient melodies!

Thirlmere is a reservoir that has a pleasant walk through the rushes and woods around the shore. It was an excellent place for dragonflies, with the noteworthy Gold-ringed dragonfly being observed. After driving back from Thirlmere, it was observed wedged into the space between the car headlights and the metalwork, a huge horsefly, Tabanus sudecticus, a bit worse for wear after the journey back to the camp site, but a marvellous find.

The limestone pavements were formed over 300 million years ago and shaped by glacial ice 12,000 years ago. Rain and ground water has gradually eroded and dissolved the limestone to form broad flat blocks (clints), deep fissures (grikes), shallow runnels and pan-like solution cups. the grikes contain a community of plants depending on the depth, with Dark red helleborine and Common spotted orchid at the top, ferns in the middle such as Maidenhair spleenwort, Rigid buckler fern, Limestone fern and Common polypody and mosses and liverworts at the very bottom. The limestone pavement is covered with dwarf woodland for much of the part with dwarf Ash and Yew. Other trees include Rowan and Juniper. Dragonflies seen included the Brown hawker and Common darter.

Gait Barrows provided a moment of concern as i arrived late in the day and wandered across a limestone pavement chasing a High brown fritillary only to find that i could find the track again. It then started raining. After two hours stumbling around not knowing which way i was going i stumbled out of the nature reserve onto a road. Not knowing which way i was going, eventually a house was found and i was directed back to where the car was parked!

Warton Crag nature reserve is a rocky limestone outcrop near Silverdale. It has a disued quarry near the car park is used for nesting by Peregrines. It is well-servde by numerous butterfly species including High Brown Fritillary, Northern Brown Argus, Common Blue and Meadow Brown. When visited in July there was a wealth of hoverfly species visiting the Red Valerian including Eristalis intricarius.