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" Sunrise to Sunset and a walk to Crummock "

Date & start time:      24th - 25th April 2020.   

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

Places visited :          The Garden, Harry's Pools then Crummock Water next day.

Walk details :              2.2 mls, negligible feet of ascent, an hour or so.

Highest point :           "Lazing on a summer afternoon" . . . in April.

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

Weather :                      Sunshine and blue skies . . . not always as warm as it looks.

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

 

April 24th was a glorious day from start to finish . . . and I saw most of it !

The bright sunshine and the dawn chorus woke me early and I let the dogs out into the garden at 7am,

catching a few early pictures at the start of the day.

There was still not a cloud in the sky at half eight-ish when I climbed of bed a second time to start the day properly.

Early morning, looking up the valley with that clear and fresh view of new day.

The scene westward, towards the phone box includes the church and the Kirkstile.

The view over the paddock.

For us this week the early sun is rising over Gasgale and it is shining directly across the valley, casting long shadows over the paddock.

During the morning I spend time in the garden with camera, an axe, a chainsaw and finally a spade.

My bluebells are growing well and nearly into full bloom.
Just a few are of a pink variety.

After chopping logs I clear my way through the old log pile and the big cross-cut of timber is once again accessible.

I've cleared those two wooden beams from a flower bed and suddenly my vague plans from last year come to fruition . . .

A touch of chainsaw magic and a few minutes of spade work and I've managed to plant two new trees,

part of the on-going, ever changing Loweswatercam Sculpture Park. 

Thanks to Trevor and Gill of Borrowdale who gave me the cross-cut wood an embarrassingly long 51 weeks ago.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Last time I posted pictures here on the site I included this one.

 

The question I asked at that time was 

" What would you make with this ? "

 

Before you move on, have one last think . . .

 

- - - o o o - - -

My choice was to cut each length, into to three times their width
. . . till I had a large pile of cut blocks.
   
A quick tidy up with a Surform blade to take off the sharp edges . . .
. . . stack them up and I create a "Loweswatercam Garden Jenga" Game.

 

Received last night (26th April) before publication:

I've got it. You're making a giant Jenga set for the garden to use up all that spare time when you're not digging, planting, watering ,sowing, mowing, weeding, walking, sleeping, eating, photographing, emailing, etc, etc , etc.

Richard Elder  ( N.E. Lincs )

Congratulations Richard . . . you were spot on second time ;o)

I'll not publish the first suggestion so people will never know it took two goes . . .   RmH

 

 

- - - o o o - - -

 

 

Also later in the afternoon the dogs and I

had a walk up to Harry's Pool where, in the sunshine,

it was warm enough for a swim.

 

 

It doesn't look much of a pool but

the deepest part of the water is at the narrower end

where it is over six foot deep.

With a slight current you can even

slowly swim against the flow.

 

 

- - - o o o - - -

What could be better than a wild swim in April ?

Perhaps a wild swim in April . . . with warmer water and a really soft, warm towel afterwards !

Nearly half eight in the evening the sun was setting and produced a glorious rich yellow glow over the valley.

With dawn in the valley before seven and dusk at half past eight, both photographs span the same day.

- - - o o o - - -

But the night is yet young and we have one more surprise and delight . . . .

Each evening I put out bird and hedgehog food . . .
. . . and just before midnight we were rewarded with a visit.

Tonight, as on recent nights, there were two hedgehogs in the garden.

One quickly moved for the protection of the hedge and the other rolled up and pretended he couldn't be seen !

- - - o o o - - -

But what about some walk photos ?

 

Well next day it was sunny again (it's getting a habit)

and after lunch, Ann and I did a two mile circuit of the valley

including a visit to the lake.

 

These were just seven of the new flowers

on the roadside verges as we walked to Scale Hill Bridge.

- - - o o o - - -

"Jack o' the hedge" or Hedge Garlic
   
   
   
not forgetting the humble Dandelion

We crossed the bridge, through the closed car park and take the riverside path towards the lake.

The woodland bluebells, always slightly sparse in this part of the wood, are nevertheless making an appearance.

Dougal wants to play with the stick . . .
I throw it away but it always comes back like a boomerang.

Low water in the River Cocker.

A fallen tree reminds me of a mathematical story I was told at school . . .

 

There was once an Indian chief who had three wives.

For the first he had purchased a hippopotamus hide on which she could sleep, but for his second an third he could only afford ordinary hides.  As time went on his first wife bore him triplets, his second twins and his third a single child.

He stopped enlarging his family then as at that point everything was in balance . . . because  . . .

" the squaw on the hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws on the other two hides. "

A quick pause for applause . . . !

 

Low water in the river is logically matched with low water in the lake.

- - - o o o - - -

The weirs are not overflowing today

and haven't been for a while

but the water is still escaping over the fish ladder.

 

 

The basic river flow is maintained

by the two sluices at the base of the main gantries.

They are set to allow a minimum amount of water

through into the river at all times.

 

The rest either escapes over the top of the weir

or is drawn out by a pipeline from the Pump House

for the local drinking water supply.

 

- - - o o o - - -

This area is normally a foot or more underwater.
Across the shingle bank to the Boathouse and Grasmoor.

Ann stops briefly as we approach the turn between the bridge and the Pump House.

With the high pressure system moving away slightly we're getting more southerly winds

which is introducing more of a long distance haze.

The heat has gone out of the sun and we head for home up through the 'stone' field.

Dougal is once again in and out of the river and was thankfully a reasonable distance away for this photo.

The site of the old 'plank' bridge as one valley resident called it.

The old bridge supports are 100 yards or so downstream from the Kirkstile, close to where Beckhouse Farm used to stand.

The origins are unclear, it may have had something to do with local mining, but after it collapsed a few planks remained or were replaced

hence the colloquial name for the location.

Nearly home . . . so time for a colloquial "cup of char" before we settle in to make supper and light the fire.

- - - o o o - - -

Also time to get back and answer a few emails from you all . . .

Hi Roger and Ann


I’m enjoying the photos of your local walks.

This recent beautiful weather has allowed us the opportunity

to take almost daily walks in and around Cononley,

just south of Skipton

and watch spring unfold around us.

 

A few photos of our walks are attached,

namely - Lothersdale Beck,

the miners dam at Cononley lead mines

and ducklings on the Leeds Liverpool canal.


Regards  Charlie.

 

- - - o o o - - -

- - - o o o - - -

Dear Roger and Ann


Loved your hedgehog houses, we’ve not seen any evidence of hedgehogs in our garden for some time, except for this one.

Today, our route took us just over the boundary into the next Parish and this public footpath carpeted in dandelions. I just had my phone with me.

Thought you might be interested to see this field, one of about 3 or 4 very nearby, that still show signs of ‘ridge and furrow’ cultivation.

It really showed up yesterday morning. A public footpath crosses this field and you can just see the stile to the right of the old barn.

I know we are very lucky to have the countryside on our doorstep at this time, even if it isn't as magnificent as the Lakes, which we miss very much.

Love to you both

Hilary and David.

- - - 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 . . . suggestions for the easiest website for checking wild flowers please ?

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Previous walk - 20th April 2020 - Mosser Road and Back

A previous time up here - 9th April 2018 - A Misty Crummock Morning

Next walk - 29th April 2020 - Rain Stopped Play