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" Holme Woods Bluebells "

Date & start time:    Sunday 28th April, 2019.   3.50 pm start.

Location of Start :   By the red phone box, Loweswater, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited :         Maggie's Bridge Watergate, Holme Woods, The Bothy and back.

Walk details :             2.4 miles, negligible feet of ascent, 1 hour 20 mins.

Highest point :          In the wood below Holme Force.

Walked with :             Ann and our dogs, Dylan and Dougal.

Weather :                    Overcast and slightly hazy long distance.

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Our own Holme Woods here in Loweswater have a reputation for fine bluebells at this time of year,

so in need of a walk for all concerned and not wanting to drive too far this Sunday we headed over to Maggie's Bridge

for a walk to Holme Woods and The Bothy . . . and to see how Spring is progressing in this neck of the woods.

First we follow the gravel drive across the meadows towards Watergate Farm.

Ahead of us the impressive Carling Knott (home to the "Loweswater Pheasant") which towers over the valley.

Plenty of sheep about as we are in the middle of lambing.

Most of the flock will be down here at low level where the grass is better and the farmer can easily attend to them.

Swaledale mother and lamb.

Mother and twins . . . I imagine the third lamb belongs elsewhere, but he's come over to see his friends.
Now that's an odd combination . . . Mum and a Greylag Goose ?
Back to normal, a mother and confident lamb.

We reach the edge of Holme Woods and see The Bothy across the lake.
Horse Chestnut with delicate candelabra flowers . . .
. . . and in the woodland . . . the Bluebells.

These are forest based (as opposed to Rannerdale) but there is still bracken competing for light.

Fortunately this year, the bluebells have become well established before the bracken even started to show above the ground.
The view through the trees . . . but what's that in the background ?
A Roe Deer wanders into view . . . but it has seen us too.

We occasionally see deer in the woods but then only briefly . . . this one was off before a third photo was able to be taken.

A bank of blue in the centre of the wood . . . with a bird box on the tree opposite.

Fallen branches have gathered a good covering of moss this deep into the woods.

We pass on a rough, cross-country route to the waterfalls . . . instead we head down once again following Holme Beck towards the lake.
Dylan leads the way alongside the stream.
New growth on a spruce sapling by the stream.

On the larger tree by the bridge I have chance for a similar shot without bending down.

Spring growth has yet to develop the mature green of the older leaves.

The woodland floor seen across a fallen trunk.

The contrast of the vertical sapling catches the eye.

A good spread of colour as we approach the lakeside path.

Ann takes a break to allow the dogs to play in and around the water.

Dougal . . . inquisitive about the camera.

He's still not sure what I'm trying to do.

. . . but then playing in the beck is more exciting.
A late daffodil holding its own against the passage of time . . .
. . . a "bridge" between early and late Spring.

On the walk back via the bothy we pass another lovely display . . . but this has more white in it.

A lovely, delicate spread of Greater Stitchwort

. . . rising above the winter foliage on the woodland floor.
The new and the old !
Mellbreak through the trees.

Surprisingly no-one staying in the bothy this weekend.

- - - o o o - - -

From the woods we re-trace our steps

back alongside Loweswater

towards Watergate farm.

 

 

We pass through the same meadows on our return

and meet some of the same characters that we saw on the way out.

 

- - - o o o - - -

 

" Playtime on the farm."

The gang meet up and race around through the gateway ahead of us.

Mum's never far away to supervise . . . and they move away across the field as we approach the end of our walk.

It's lovely to see them running and bouncing around at this age . . . sadly it won't last for long.

- - - 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.

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Previous walk - 27th April - Little Mell Fell with Jo

A previous time up here - 7th July 2017 - Holme Wood with Richard and Christine

Next walk - 29th April - Bowscale Tarn with Jo

[ Many thanks to Helmut for help in correcting my identification of the white greater-stitchwort woodland flower]