Hiley Website

Garden and greenhouse are calling, but only the action of chopping logs

or being in the greenhouse with the door shut are warm activities outdoors.

The wind has changed to north easterly and the temperature has noticeably dropped since last week.

A replenishment of the log pile from a local tree that lost a branch.

Moving the sawn branches warms me up, splitting them later will do the same.

Indoors the plants that I managed to buy last week have been potted on.

I can personally wrap up when outside, but I haven't fleece or cloches ready to protect these outside yet . . . they will have to wait.



Lettuce, leeks, cabbage and parsley . . .	. . . with spinach plants and the first tomatoes now in pots.

We discovered one 'Corona' problem in the valley at the start of the week . . . but it was a litter problem not a viral one.

This bottle has travelled all the way from Mexico but was recently and deliberately cast aside in a field close to the lake.

A less contagious example of Corona travelling all round the world in a short space of time.

Well, the closure of more of the local parking spots (as above) may help ease the litter problem if nothing else !

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The following day we headed out for our daily "local exercise".

Looking back after shutting the gate, at the start of our walk on a footpath across the fields.

It has been a generally overcast day . . . but with the occasional patch of bright sunshine as seen in this photo of Rannerdale Knotts.

An old tennis ball adds enjoyment to Dougal's walk and, if nothing else, gives him extra exercise on his walk.

The dry weather has made this walk enjoyable once again

as the very muddy gateway has dried sufficiently so that we can walk through without slipping and sliding.

A recent change of ownership of local fields

has resulted in several new gates being installed where old ones had rotted away.

We join the top road and walk the tarmac for while, passing the point on the road

where our local Vicarage and the fells of Haystacks and Great Gable all line up in one photo.



The hawthorn in the hedge is starting to turn spring green . . .	. . . and a bare hazel trig has grown intricate catkins.

Another hint of sunshine warms this picture of our Village Hall

The two story section was the old village school building (closed 1947). The single story extension is the meeting room which was added later.

The Millennium bronze plaque set on the wall mimics the view from the front of the village hall.

The field is home to several local horses.

I wonder if they appreciate the view as we do.

Just down the road is a small quarry, now totally overgrown and recently re-fenced.

Before those trees grew in the hollow the space was home to an earlier version of Loweswater's Village Hall, an ex-World War 1 wooden hut.

It was mounted off the ground on stone blocks some of which, upon closer inspection, could still be seen in the undergrowth.



Planted in the Quarry field is a memorial copper beech . . .	. . . and an unusual fence post with paint roller attached ?

The answer to that one becomes clear when you realise that the owner of the field is a keen paraglider.

When a small wind sock is attached to the roller handle it swings around to show him the wind direction prior to landing !

The Loweswater Vicarage . . . it is set down below the level of this field so it can't see the church unless you are upstairs.

Surprisingly that is the one wall that doesn't have upstairs windows . . . so the Vicar doesn't have to see his/her place of work from home !

The Quarry field is also home to the new tree plantation.

It is a mixed selection of beech, birch, holly and native trees through to Scots Pines and fruit trees.

Looking down on Rose Cottage and our house by the phone box.

The more widely spaced trees with the brown post lower down are the fruit varieties.

Damson, apple, pear and other varieties amongst the selection.

Nearly home.

Our grandchildren used this field for tobogganing back in 2010 . . . they would have to slalom now rather than enjoy a straight downhill run !

	- - - o o o - - - Back home to Oak Cottage . . . almost. This was its pre-war days when it was known as Smithy Cottage The picture came from a photo book but I can't find the reference now. Similarly this picture from the same era with either the blacksmith or maybe a horse brought along for him to shoe.

Fast forward to the 1950's or early 60's, this is a certain Mr Alfred Wainwright's drawing of the cottage.

We found it in his book "Memoirs of a Fellwanderer" (page 76).

An Alamy stock photo of the cottage and Oak tree from about the same time.

During the late 60's the house became virtually derelict and was in danger of being demolished,

just as the smithy buildings had been after the war. That was sited on the gravel area where the red phone box is now.

Smithy Cottage was renovated by the owner, two before us, and this view today is has been unchanged for probably fifty years or more.

The improvements that we have made, including an upstairs bedroom, and lobby are out of sight behind the cars.

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At the end of the walk the sun managed to shine once again and added cheer to what was quite a cold day in the breeze.

And finally a little light humour to carry you through the next few days. The government says avoid travel at this time, and to try and make arrangements to carry out your job from home if at all possible The cartoon was sent me by John Grayson Received with thanks and a small chuckle.

You Write:

What gorgeous weather you had. I am realising all the more how much nature and fresh air means to me, now that it is being limited, so seeing your fine views really do give us a boost. They change each day as spring emerges

Thanks for sharing - Debbie Appleton.

Glorious thank you. Many happy memories of walks round Crummock and Buttermere.

Keep posting - Judith Griffiths

You asked after our walks . . . this was on mine this morning with Meg.

We may live in a city, but our local bit is very green. We're very lucky - Catherine Whatmough

You are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of England, we generally visit the lakes at least twice a year and I send a picture from Castle Crag a few years back. keep walking from your home, I bet that you will hardly see anybody as it’s out of bounds to us all for the foreseeable future. Keep posting photos.

Thank You - Janet Jenkins.

Nothing different here from what you all year every year.
Nice to see Covid-19 hasn't made any difference to your lives unlike the rest of us.
Utterly despicable the pair of you! Wilf Clark.

(As I mentioned on FB, the differences at home is that the dishwasher is full of coffee cups rather than guests dinner plates, the garden is tidier and the greenhouse has had a new coat of paint. Self isolation is hard work even for us.) RmH

I just wanted to echo the other comments on your site – I visit you most days from work, and now from home; it does mean so much to see your photos of a landscape that means so much even if we can’t visit again for some time. During such difficult times, it lightens the day and brings a smile. Even if your photos are of the same landscape, the weather is different, or there is different wildlife around, or the flowers are blooming. Please keep posting as best you can.

Stay safe, and best regards - Chris Knowles.

Thanks Roger for your photos. After a pretty rubbish winter I was looking forward to Spring and getting out on some longer walks but our health and that of others must now come first. Your photos have offered some cheer and when this emergency is over we'll appreciate walking the fells even more. My dog walks have not varied very much, but I'll try to post a few photos. Keep healthy !

Best wishes - David Claxton

We were meant to be coming up to Thornthwaite today, Saturday, but of course won’t be. We did manage to come up to Ambleside at February half term, with our daughter, her husband and our three grandchildren. We didn’t arrive until Monday as Storm Dennis was at its worse that weekend. We managed to climb the children’s first two Wainwright’s in strong wind and rain! Hoping we will be able to come up later in the year, but as we are both in the ‘Over 70’s vulnerable’ group, we really want a vaccine! Keep safe

Love from Hilary and David

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