With the high pressure system moving away there's a change in the air
as the constant sunshine gives way to more changeable weather.
Hopefully if it does take a turn for the worse it might include a
bit of welcome rain for the garden and the fields.
This was the picture I showed on the last web page .
. . just add some moisture to the air and . . .
The same shot a few nights later as that low evening
light is refracted into a rainbow.
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High over the High
Stile Ridge . . . |
. . . rising from its 'pot of
gold'. |
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The change in the weather meant a change in the light
. . . so we move from red and yellows to more blue/greens for a while.
A female chaffinch
with its less flamboyant colouring, on our garden bird table.
One of many starlings that are
visiting the table at present.
Looking closely at the photo it seems we may have visiting
woodworm as well !
Seen through the lounge window, our resident mouse
in the flower bed.
Each time I weed the bed I discover their little tunnels
through the soil, but they seem to cope with the disturbance each year.
A fast dash takes him to a gap between the stones.
Another of the family members appeared at the foot of
the bird table very soon after,
taking advantage of the food knocked down by the birds
from the table above.
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Also on on the ground
this time because he's too large for the table
is a visiting male pheasant
He seems to have a feather astray
but has not made any obvious effort
to comb it back into place.
He's always rather skittish
if he sees movement in the lounge window,
but I've been standing still watching the mouse
so he doesn't notice me this time.
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Zooming in with
the bigger lens . . . |
. . . I think I've been rumbled
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The other thing that was being noticed was the overnight
tray of hedgehog food so I've put a screen around it to hide it from
the dogs !
By the way it is " Hedgehog
Awareness Week" next week (3rd to 9th May 2020). Can you do
your bit ?
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Local dogs walks continue to all the usual places so
I search for some different photos, this time with my phone camera.
An empty beer garden fronts the Kirkstile . . . the
inside isn't any more populated either at present.
Following a web site request I submit the
following in the way of research . . .
The Kirkstile Inn was originally a working farm
and its origins are in the 1600s. As an Inn, it used to be known
as The Hare and Hounds. The Inn always had a close association
with the Melbreak Hunt and was always very popular with the
farmers. The Kirkstile Inn is now very much patronised by climbers,
walkers and tourists. It used to have its own brewery, but this
transferred location in 2009 when the owners took over an existing
brewery site in Hawkshead.
Information drawn from the Mellbreak
Communities web site
For a while in the 19th Century the Kirkstile was called the
Hare and Hounds, but the name Kirkstile takes it back to its
eighteenth century name, and reflects the ancient name of Kirkstall,
recorded for the cottage in 1550. Kirkstall means what it says;
the place where the minister's and visitors horses would be
accommodated during church events.
Information drawn from the Derwent
Fells History Society web site and thanks to Derek Denman
for the 1863 map.
Click
here or on the photo below for their historic walk around
Loweswater.
Click here or on the
map for a larger version. |
Unusually, there are a few cows in the small riverside
field below the pub.
Someone has been doing some heavy gardening there recently
. . . but then that can be done easily out here without breaking socially-distancing
rules.
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The view from Church
Bridge with the low water levels in the river. |
As I walk up the lane I notice that the wall has been recently
repaired.
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That part of the wall was continually being damaged, often by the
movement of the hawthorn tree on windy days.
Sadly the tree has suffered a possibly terminal prune in preference
to curving the wall around it to give it more space. Not the most
green thing to do !
The walk was extended to include Crummock Water.
The view from the gate not the best due to the weather but better
than it was an hour or so ago when a shower blew through.
The lake level is possibly even lower than the other day when I was
down by the weir.
Dougal enjoying retrieving a stick . . . or should that be a log.
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Back home in the paddock next day . . .
The trees that I was given for safe keeping
are sprouting well this year.
the first is a rowan , the second a silver birch.
The second tree and its other silver birch partner featured
in
the Cumbria Life Wedding Magazine recently
as they were originally used as part of the decoration of
friends
Marc and Alice's wedding at New
House Barn last year.
The trees have accepted the lesser publicity of this web
site
in return for a more sedentary lifestyle.
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The small stream
still flows despite the drought . . . |
. . . nevertheless the water
weed still needs a little thinning ! |
The black specks are water boatmen in profusion, the
rope holds a net to protect the tadpoles below.
The net seems to be working, either that or the ducks
are social-distancing from the tadpoles too !
What was mud during the wet winter and a quagmire when
we removed the turf, has turned to baked earth in recent weeks.
The wild flower seed I scattered has been frozen, drowned
and now parched . . . we will see how well it has coped in due course.
My seed supplier answered my email by saying "you're
suffering like most others, the flowers may be a little late this year".
Surprisingly last years primulas and pansies which I
planted out instead of composting, have come up with colour after all.
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Another busy day.
I've started filling a second log shed
with cut logs for the fire,
but the dogs still need a walk
and just as I do it starts to rain !
I wait for a break in the clouds
(which never comes)
so I get dressed like it was winter
and head out for a local stroll.
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I feel like I've been dealt a hand of trumps !
As soon as I left the door the rain stopped and by the
time I was heading back the sun came out.
Everything, or more or less everything give or take
a few obvious problems, is all right with the world.
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Hi Roger and Ann
Hope you are both keeping well. We
were meant to be staying at Thornthwaite again this week,
had hoped to make a dent in the final 11 of our second round
of Wainwright’s. Found on YouTube last night some videos
of the Lakes and watched a couple which was lovely, will do
the same this evening.
A very dear friend of mine called Ann,
sent me some photos of where she walked on Sunday and I thought
you might like to see those, makes a change from my arable
ones! She is happy if you wanted to use any of them. She
lives in Hinwick in Bedfordshire and her walk took her by
apple orchards for Saxby’s Cider in Hinwick and also
through a bluebell wood.
This old mill in East Bridgeford, now
a private house, is on the highest land just out of our village.
The rape hasn't got to the ‘perfume’
stage yet which can get very overpowering. So
very different to where you are, as I’ve said before
we are missing the Lakes and do appreciate all your photos.
Love to you both, Hilary &
David.
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Hi Roger & Ann, (and Dylan &
Dougal),
Further to my picture of my wife on Low Fell I would now like
to add an addendum after your ‘Mosser Road’ walk.
Although the memory isn't what it was, the path down off Low
Fell from that southern view point that day in ’82,
(or was it ’83?), took us towards the ‘matterhorn’
although I don’t remember it. However, what does come
to mind (after the traverse of Low Fell from Thackthwaite),
is that lo-oong road walk back to the church and inn. Again,
but this time after a long rest with some refreshments, the
long road walk back towards Thackthwaite where we left the
car.
Question. How old are the buildings
and when were they converted to the Kirkstile Inn? Maybe you
could give us a bit of history on your walks.
One day we'll be back to visit are old haunts, even though
some of them are now out of reach for my wife.
I'll leave you some photo’s from
our garden as we seem to spend more time in it during this
rather sad time. Apologies for the first one, but I’ve
never seen a Robin try to hover, and it was taken very quickly.
John, (W. Berks).
Hope I did you proud on the Kirkstile research . . .
RmH
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Dear Roger and Ann,
After the rain today I wandered up Reston Scar and
up and over Black Crag before descending back to Kentmere
- well after 7. It was glorious as the sun went down,
but thought you might like 'Scarpering up the Scar!'
(attached).
I think the flowers are white celandine seen on 'Rickety'
Lane, Ings (near Staverley) yesterday.
Yours Peter
www.tubularfells.com - "A Map
Made to Inspire
Thanks Peter, make sure you check out the final
link below . . . RmH
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Dear Roger and Ann,
So grateful to you for continuing
to update the website with such lovely springtime images and
details of your walks, the garden, etc. A true balm to the
souls of all us Lakelovers.
I wanted especially to thank you for
including the excellent cartoon the other day (dog and owner
looking out of the window). I have passed it on to many of
my friends who are doggy people and without fail they have
loved it. The cartoonist got it so completely right –
wonderful.
I hope you and all your family keep
well and we can only trust that in good time visits to the
Lakes will again become possible again.
With very good wishes, Rosalie, Dalgety Bay, Fife in
Scotland.
Thanks for that Rosalie. I'll have to collect a
choice of cartoons ready for next time . . . RmH
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