" Rannerdale Bluebells 2014 " at EveryTrail
 

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10 days on from our last visit and we have the prospect of a better display of flowers at Rannerdale. 

The sun is shining as we have lunch and we set off up the valley to see the bluebells in all their glory

just as the cloud starts to roll in . . . some days you just can't win !

Cinderdale car park looking across to Low Fell.

Both parking areas have a reasonable number of cars in them . . . such is the popularity of the wild flower display.

Our companions today . . . Dee and John and Harry's older half-sister, Amber.

That's Dylan just peeping around the back of John's legs.

Hause Point . . . zooming in over Rannerdale Farm.

I had been rather hoping for some sunshine

but the greyness of the distant fells and the raised hoods on the jackets tell their own story . . . there's rain in the air.

However there's plenty of bluebells on the ground and that is what we had come to see.

For some reason all the flowers are enclosed within the field walls, there's none on this side.

Walking along the track looking back at Rannerdale Farm and the slopes of Mellbreak opposite.

There's a real carpet of colour . . . much sooner than last year and more like 2012.

The flowers cover the fell side and not a fern in sight . . . wonderful.

John is watching a stray sheep but it doesn't seem to be eating the flowers.

Take a picture quickly . . . John has a shadow . . . the sun is out !

The gorse is starting to flower as well and this adds a lovely contrasting yellow to the swaths of purple.

The top of Grasmoor is lost in the mist . . . but the sheep seems totally unconcerned.

Never write off a fallen branch as being dead.

The fallen limb of the hawthorn tree has a perfectly good display of flowers and leaves.

The full extent of Mellbreak complements the wider picture.

The light fades again as another brief shower passes through.

Close up . . . down by the stream.

This is the better of the two I think.

Dee and John stop for a photo with Amber.

She's fourteen and a half years old now and slowing down a bit . . . today's walk will suit her fine.

I wonder further up the valley beyond the bridge

trying to find the tree that I included in the May time bluebell picture in the current 2014 Calendar.

That's the one.

Looking at the pictures when I got home I note the calendar shot is more zoomed in.

As I walk back down to the bridge the others decided to return on the main path (that's John in the blue jacket)

I took the path on the other side as if heading for the Hause Point car park.

Here is the nice display with the green track cutting through the middle of the bed of purple . . . oh for some sunshine.

From the hawthorn tree I found a path across to the river

and after a slightly slippery crossing I walked on the track you can see across the bottom of the opposite field

The Mountain Ash is starting to blossom but the daffodils we saw ten days ago in that small enclosure are past their best.

Back up to the path to join the others . . . and then a short walk back finds us at the car,

not before the sun had chance to make amends and cast strong rays of sunlight all across the lake.

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Go on Dylan . . . give us a great big kiss !

[ Hold your cursor over the picture to watch the magic embrace ]

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