Today we visited Kirkby Stephen and walked the 1¼ miles of railway track-bed between Stenkrith and Hartley which contains the  Podgill & Merrygill viaducts nice walk along a basically level grade withe information boards and poetry carved in to stones along the route.

View from Podgill Viaduct

Merrygill Viaduct

 Dropping down from the old railway line we walked cross country to the River Eden and back to the car park

Sunshine three the beech trees

 

Looking up to the Millennium Bridge at Stenkrith

Looking down from the Millennium Bridge at Stenkrith

Looking down from the Millennium Bridge at Stenkrith
I love the swirls caused by the water

We drove to the Black Swan at Ravenstonedale for lunch, which I can recommend, then we visited Pendragon Castle

its only a Hawthorn but I liked the shape

Asher hunting for moles at Pendragon Castle

 So there had to be some Fungi

Langdales

So today we took a trip to the Langdales parking at Blea Tarn so lets start with some photos around the Tarn

Looking Back to Blea Tarn

Having walked through the woods around the Tarn we worked our way up to the top of a bluff and had a great view of the top of Great Langdale Valley 

Upper end of Great Langdale with Bow Fell just left of centre

Crinkle Crags especial for a friend

My friend Steve is a Fun Guy so here are some shots to honour that

After lunch in the Three Shires Inn in Little Langadale we stopped in Ambleside for a wander where I saw this amazing shop sign

Coniston

Ok on route to meet and old friend we stopped in Coniston

Steam yacht Gondola was first launched in 1859.

An odd looking sail boat

Just imagine Bluebird coming at you at 300mph!!

Gondola again

Not many words today.

Lake District October 2012

Another trip to the Lakes I'll share a few photos and comments.
Sorry to all you birders out there I have no photos of the 5000 or so Pink Footed Geese we saw on Monday too far away for my compact camera and I didn't have my scope with me so no 'DidgiScoping'.
We did however go to Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston {OK I know its not in the Lake District} and had an amble around

Black Swan at Brockholes note the white trailing edge of his wing

Meadow Lake at Brockholes

Tuesday we went to Bowness and caught the ferry to Lakeside then on the Lakeside to Haverthwaite Railway having lunch at Haverthwaite Station

View from the observation car 

Loco changing ends 

View down the tracks as we return to Lakeside

On the return journey we got off the train at Newby Bridge Holt and walked through the woods to Lakeside. In the woods we found some great fungi shame I didn't know if they were edible or not!

Looking up Windermere mist rolling of the hill tops

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Wednesday 21, Thursday 22 Friday 23

Sorry I didn’t find the time to post the last few days but here goes.

Wednesday

We decided to go to Haweswater to see if we could get a glimpse of the Golden Eagle. Unfortunately the road was closed as they seem to be laying a water main so we parked in the little village of Burnbank the remnant of a  work camp built by Manchester Corporation to house workers building the Haweswater Dam. From there we walked along the northern bank of the lake. No sign of the Golden Eagle or the Raven I had seen in the area last time I was here. We did how ever get a good look at a Red Squirrel in some of the pine trees.

Thursday

Chris wanted to get some training in for the Sportife he is entering  Buttermere. On route we realised that there was little wind and as we drove up Rydal Water we saw the hills reflected in the water. Seeing a car park I stopped and we walked through the woods up  to Grasmere where the hills where reflected in the glass like water.

Out in mid lake was a large flock of Swan which when examined closely were revealed to be Whooper Swan, further along the lake we found a pair of Goosander displaying.

WE had lunch in a small cafe in Keswick the made an abortive attempt to spot the Osprey that have recently arrived at Basenthwaite Lake so returned to Kendal via Buttermere and Honister Pass, stopping for an ice cream on route.

Back in Kendal we met up with our friend Julie for dinner and then went to a local bar for a jazz club where a band from Lancaster called Key Change with a wonderful vocalist called Amy.

Friday we went for a walk along part of the Lancaster to Kendal Canal then had lunch at the Eagle & Child in Stavely

Tuesday 20-03-12

A wet start to the day but it soon cleared up as we took Sam back to college. Then drove back to Leighton Moss for a spot of bird watching. had a passable day seeing amongst other more common birds, Bull Finch, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit,Tree Creeper and Goldeneye. We then drove to Sandside for lunch at the sip in and then to a deer park for an aborted attempt to see the herd of Roe Deer. Nice walk only one lone buck seen.

Lakes



Meerkats

Spending a week in Cumbria with my friend Steve and his family spent the day walking on the shore at Silverdale and some woodland farther in land. We saw amongst other things a pair of Mergansers & Nuthatch We Then visited Oasis Wild Life Centre where Sam is on a work placement from college saw some wonderful animals including a wonderful Snow Leopard  

Snow Leopard



Chameleon

How big are those cats paws?

Spray painting the Chameleon

Chatting to Meekats. Simples.

making friends with Walter

Walter

Thanks to Steve H for some of the photos