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In these unusual times we are all asked to adapt our ways.

Social distancing has led to queues at supermarkets but the older fraternity are not supposed to go shopping at all so as to avoid "the bug".

We are allowed to go out for exercise from home and shopping, so on that second count it is time to think outside the box,

or should we say, outside the shopping bag.

But what of our garden friends . . . fortunately we have a good supply of bird food for the bird table to supplement their natural food.

Our efforts are rewarded by visits here from starlings, plus the many other small birds such as robins, sparrows and blue tits.

We had a visit from a sleek and lively stoat.      Can you see him ?

Sorry to disappoint . . . by the time I went back in for the camera he had gone . . . so I can't see him now either !

In the dark last evening there was a big scrabble and noise outside the house . . . again when we went outside there was nothing.

However the morning light revealed the work of a local badger who had been foraging for worms on the roadside verge by the house.

For the first time ever we've had a close garden encounter with these lovely animals too.

Again the camera was indoors as I was outside working, when possibly the same badger coolly walked across the garden and out under the gate !

If he/she visits on a regular basis perhaps I might be able to photograph him for the site.

A delightful forager for food, and the first time we've seen him this year, is our local hedgehog.

The reason he is recorded on camera was that when he was spotted he froze quite still, long enough to grab the camera.

By the time Ann came out from the other room he'd gone . . . but she did catch sight of him later after I had put extra food down on the ground.

Here he's eating the fallen nuts and seeds from the bird table . . . the hedgehog food we have seems to add some dried mealworms to that combination.

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What about human attempts to forage for food . . . you may well ask ?

The fridge is getting emptier and to avoid meeting too many people in recent days

we've ordered milk and eggs and a few other items from our local Lorton Shop.  However they don't do a full supermarket range.

As all the pubs and restaurants are shut locally it means their suppliers have lots of food but no-one to supply.

Caterite 'Cash and Carry' have quickly updated their website service and offer retail shopping-on-line, "click and collect" from Embleton.

If you live locally then you can sign up and buy food using this service.   Click on the photo or follow the link here

After carefully selecting our requirements, avoiding huge boxes of tomatoes or dozen trays of tins, we managed a very good selection of food for two.

Time to drive over to Embleton, just a few miles further for us than Cockermouth, to pick up our supplies.

These are the low hills flanking the A66 near Lambfoot and Embleton . . . it is shown as Seathwaite How on the map.

Watch Hill (a Wainwright outlier) and Setmurthy Common are the next low hills hidden on the northern side of these.

We arrive at Caterite at the appointed time . . .

Photo courtesy of the Caterite website

and are directed to reverse into the loading bay normally used by their delivery vans.

The boot is opened, the groceries and frozen food are put in for us, the door shut and we are on our way.

That's what you call service with social-distancing !

By supporting them at this time we are able to take the pressure off the supermarkets, keep these guys in a job

and maintain their food supply chain, so that they will remain in service and ready to re-supply the catering trade when tourism re-starts.

That sounds like a win-win system all round.

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Our return route took us on a short circular route through Dubwath.

Skiddaw and Ullock Pike from the same spot as we return to the A66.

Across the way is the Bassenthwaite Lake Station and the Orient Express tucked in the trees.

The plan is to re-lay some track and bring the train forward adjacent to the house . . . but plans are obviously on hold this month.

From the road we can see the roof structure has been added to the station buildings since our last visit,

but work there has stopped until the Covid-19 epidemic problem is resolved.

Over to the very quiet Pheasant Inn . . . and we turn right for home.

The Caterite warehouse and the Embleton hills as we return to Loweswater on the back road.

May we join everyone in praise of the NHS . . . and that includes the NW Air Ambulance flying overhead

as they work through the current health crisis.

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