A walk today with Loes and a friend I've known for years, Diana.
She moved over from Sheffield to Cockermouth after numerous
Lakes holidays.
Today she joined myself and Loes on a walk to visit St Bega's
Church on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake.
With the advantage of two cars we made this a linear walk,
starting down there on the right hand side of the map.
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Mt fellow walkers today, Diana and Loes.
Our objective to see the church (which I've never
visited)
and explore the far side of the Lake.
We met at Ooze Bridge
at the northern end of the walk and leaving one car
there,
headed off to explore more of the
Bassenthwaite Lake Nature Reserve.
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On the way there, Loes and I were a little early
so we diverted via Setmurthy and passed the Lakes Distillery,
stopping along the way for this picture of the
cloud band on Skiddaw and Ullock Pike.

A quick walk from the meeting place, down to
the shore of the lake . . . our walk will start all the way
over there.

After visiting the Church we walked the lakeside
right to left, often behind the trees that we see on the opposite
shore.
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There will now be a short intermission as we
drive around the lake . . .

The Mirehouse tearooms near the start of the
walk are closed in January
. . . but it is too early in the day to stop
anyway, even for me !

We head across the road and enter the grounds
of Mirehouse.
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Technically we should have started
by following the footpath signposted
on the left hand side of the Lodge.
No Matter . . .
a few yards in, Mirehouse informed us
of the whereabouts of the correct path
so we followed the arrow
as requested.
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Glimpsed through a gap in the hedge, the rather
nice house of Miresyke.

Diana and Loes pose for a photo at one of the
beech arches.

End on view of the garden room on this side
of the main house.

The first view of St Bega's Church across the
fields.
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Please shut
the gate . . . |
. . . alternatively
let the mechanism do it for you ! |
I love old technology but this stile of substantial
gate closing mechanism was new to me.

We're following the 'Allerdale Ramble' path
which passes close by the church.

The church is dedicated to the 7th Century female
Irish Princess, Bega
who fled Ireland rather than enter a forced
marriage with a Viking Prince.

She made landfall at St Bees on the west coast
built her home here "where the snow did not fall in January",
according to legend.
The present church is dated to about 950 AD
with later additions in the 12th and 14th centuries
but it may have been constructed over an earlier
building, thought to be Roman or certainly using second hand
Roman stone.
Maybe that was her Monastic Cell ?

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It has been enlarged from the original with an extension
to form a southern chancel. This gave the opportunity
for several fine arched on the internal side wall
so that parishioners could see through to the main
knave and alter.

An old drawing shows the church in the 19th Century
and shows the landed gentry and estate workers.
More information can be found here
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The church has a dramatic location on the flat
meadows below Ullock Pike.

Interestingly the cross isn't seen on that old
drawing, unless the ladies in the foreground were hiding it.
?
The base looks old enough but the granite cross
must be of a more recent era.
Time to continue our walk.

Ullock Pike and Dodd as we retrace our steps
to regain the main path.
We head off to the left and rejoin the local
road for a short while.
There's no specific photo of how well the landscape
has repaired itself after the new Thirlmere water pipeline was
laid across these fields
but this might give you a good idea of how nature
can recover.
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The second half of the walk takes on totally
different characteristics as we make our way down to the lake
shore . . .

After passing Bowness Farm we take the pathway
to Bowness Bay.
This area is very low lying and has classic
reed, willow and marsh vegetation.

Bowness Bay is indented deep into the side of
the lake, its exact boundary hidden by the reed covered ground.

The pathway alongside Broadness Farm has been
elevated on a walkway, otherwise it would have been unusable.

Onto terra-firma once more as we walk out onto
the headland.

Barnacle Geese float on the water as we look
back at the bay.

Looking down the length of Bassenthwaite Lake,
with the elevated conical summit of Catbells in the distance.

Diana assumes control of the camera shutter
for this picture of Loes and I.

The view forward as we make our way around the
headland.

Round the other side we enter Scarness Bay.

Zooming in on the silhouetted winter trees on
the next headland of Scar Ness.
The reason for such a long spit of land is unclear
as there should not be any currents in the lake to form it,
neither is there a significant river adjacent
to deposit silt . . . presumably it might be a glacially formed
moraine bank ?

Tucked at the back of the bay is the Scarness
Chalet Park.
Ann and I stayed on the site in the last century
when it was a caravan site !

A memorial chair to a Scout Leader who loved
and visited the area on a regular basis (sorry no name).
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More boardwalk as we cross through
Moss Wood. |
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That would make this building Scarness Farm.

We leave the formal paths, tracks and roads
and head off following the 'Allerdale Ramble' across open fields.

Even this month when the Lakes have had 50%
less rain than the average, the fields were still a bit muddy.
After a wet summer perhaps wellies might be
better !

More boardwalk as we cross Pooley Beck and head
into the lakeshore woodland.
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Bracket Fungus . . . |
. . . growing out of the fallen tree. |

I can imagine this area being more difficult
after bad weather . . . no dog gate either.
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After more of the same,
the ground starts to rise . . . |
. . . and we approach the road and
the footbridge to Armathwaite Hall. |

A view of Loes and Armathwaite Hall, where she
celebrated her marriage to her late husband Les over 25 years
ago.

The B5291 road past the hall has been sunk into
the landscape so that it doesn't spoil the view from the hall.
Occasionally just the top of a high sided vehicle
could be seen, moving as if by magic alongside the fence line.
Cars and the lower part of any high vehicle
and their driver were totally out of sight.

The path we took moved closer to the shoreline
once again
and we enjoyed views across to Dubwath and the
Sailing Club as twilight began to fall.

Down the lake the colours are becoming muted
as the sun sets.

The grand house at Herdwick
Croft
The old farm has also been redeveloped into
another chalet park for visitors.

Nearly done, as we cross the Ooze Bridge over
the River Derwent outflow from Bass Lake.
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Back at the second car it felt like tea time
. . . where local shall we go . . . somewhere local ?
Bass Lake Station will be ideal and it's dog
friendly.

Diana hasn't been before, so while the tea is
being prepared she has a quick look around.

A two minute relax in the Saloon Car.
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Exploring the front of
the train . . . |
. . . and climbing onto the footplate. |

Tea's ready, the cake selected and waiting on
our selected table . . .
This time we chose an indoor table in the old
Waiting Room, where there are a fine collection of frames jigsaws
on the wall.
Time to put the camera away . . . Cheers !