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"  The Rannerdale Bluebell Walk 2017 "

Date & start time:     Monday 8th May 2017, 3.30 pm

Location of Start :    Cinderdale car park, Crummock Water, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited :         Rannerdale Valley to see the bluebells.

Walk details :             1.5 mls, 400 feet of ascent, 1 hour 25 mins.

Highest point :          On the top of the outcrop above the bluebells. 715 ft - 220m.

Walked with :             Dee and John, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Dylan.

Weather :                    Sunshine and blue skies.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number PU 100034184.

 

It's one of the Lake District classic walks . . . a visit to the Bluebells at Rannerdale.

It may not be the biggest, brightest or easiest to reachdisplay for visitors

but the nature of the setting, in an upland valley virtually devoid of trees, makes it an impressive sight at this time in May each year.

Ann and I make our first visit specifically to see them

and we are accompanied by Dee and John.  When I look back they were with us on our visit in 2014 when Dylan was a mere pup.

There are plenty of cars here and in the other Cinderdale car park,

despite it being a Monday afternoon in a non-school holiday week.

We start on the track towards the valley, crossing the Cinderdale Beck which has remarkably little water flowing in it.

No struggling to cross it today.

For a change, we leave the path and head up to the higher ground

to start with a look down on the blooms from above.

John, Dee and myself as Ann and Dylan join forces to take a picture.

Bright colours . . . from the blue of the sky to the green of the new spring growth on the tree.

From our vantage point up high the full extent of the valley display can be appreciated.

Zooming in on the entry path that has brought people up from the Hause car park.

Herdwick amongst the blooms . . .
the rocky outcrop in the valley below . . .
. . . and the blue outlined paths.

The sunny weather has really encouraged the gorse out into bloom too.

Head and shoulders of a photographer sticks out above them.

That's me . . .

Another sheep in the bluebell area . . .
. . . but they don't seem to eat the plants, only the grass.

The top of the rise and we cross the wall and walk out to look around.

Whiteless Pike is looking good . . . its dappled sides introducing more shades of green.

Treading carefully along the small paths and sheep tracks . . . I get a view back of the others.

The bluebells on the back of the rise are probably the most extensive

and at this time they seem the most colourful too . . . I wonder whether this is due to the cooler easterly winds we've been having ?

The bluebells spread right across the next field . . . well worth a visit if you have time.

I cut down by Rannerdale Beck . . .
. . . and enjoy the sounds of the small cascades.

A classic "Loweswater Calendar view" of the valley from above

but this view would probably benefit from morning sun behind me rather than looking into the late afternoon light.

Meanwhile Ann, John and Dee had taken a more direct route down through the display.

The old weather beaten tree trunks add contrast nicely.

A mass of blooms.

I was just walking down from the gate and had to gave way to passing traffic.

Three Herdwick ewes were walking up and were inquisitive at seeing Harry.

" Surprise . . . it's not a sheep after all . . . I think we'll back-track girls "

Talking of tracks, there was something different with this one . . .
. . . around the back was a gentleman who recognised us !

A big hello to Keith Broadfield from Kent who is up in the lakes camping again this year.

It seems he's been an avid viewer of the site over the years and has been wondering if he would see us this week.

Well he has and it was very nice to meet him too . . . nice to put a face to an email correspondent from a few years back.

We leave Keith to continue his photography and start on our way back.

The flowers above the path are good but the ones below the path at this point seem a little delayed this year.

A lovely tall poplar (?) tree.
No problems with the blooms below the path now.

Holding their own against the encroaching bracken fronds.

A last look back before we turn the corner to the gate.

A last look across to Rannerdale Knotts too.

If this cold sunny weather holds then the display will be good for a week or two more.

The mass of blue that carpets the slope under Rannerdale is always a bit later than this side.

A new notice for photographers . . .
. . . as well as the classic one for walkers.

Just follow the path back to Cinderdale and then we'll head home and to make a nice supper.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Panasonic Lumix TZ60, or my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . an ear to the ground as to the best time to see the flowers.

Go to Top . . . © RmH . . . Email me here

Previous walk - 4th May 2017 - Staveley and Retson Scar

A previous time up here - 9th May 2014 - Rannerdale Bluebells 2014

Next walk - 5th to 9th May 2017 - Crummock, Bikes and Bath