Benthall Edge Woods

A few days before I took this photograph the cricked back I'd had for months had suddenly and unexpectedly shuffled everything back into place like a row of dominoes and I felt like bounding up these steps in celebration.  Needless to say I didn't make it to a bound but walked sedately up through Benthall Edge Woods.  Many paths converge here and it is a popular woodland walk so the steps both protect the woodland environment and the walker from sliding on muddy slopes

I have been told there are 469 steps in total but didn't count them.

Despite plenty of signposts (none of which were the one we were looking for) we managed to miss part of the purpose of the walk which took in the remains of the industrial revolution, an old quarry and lime kilns

Somehow ending up out of the woods amongst baby bovines

Coming down through the woods and dropping onto the route of the Shropshire Way on the way back

where we eventually saw one lime kiln just off the Severn Way footpath but there was some construction work going on so sadly we couldn't approach, however the late summer woodland greenery more than made up for the disappointment.  This part of the Severn Way long distance footpath runs along an old disused railway line

which no doubt would be marked on this information board of the area that was being drilled into place by the side of the car park on our return.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week sojourning at B here

Sea Wall Lighthouses

A lovely day for a stroll on the Hodbarrow sea wall yesterday. Photo looking out to sea on the Duddon Estuary. Not on this picture, but to the north east of it. a shape was exciting a number of peoples attention, looking at first like a large ship but seen through binoculars it appeared to be a gas rig. There are large fields in the Morecambe Bay area so Centrica may be prospecting up here now.
But the title of this post is lighthouses so here is the first one, restored in recent times. The tilt is the lighthouses not mine, although I have taken a few unintentionally tilting objects in my time. The banking was built up to prevent further movement. I presume the lighthouse will be the same age as the sea wall (1905).
Walking up to the top of the sea wall to Hodbarrow Point and then turning to go along the old sea wall which is on the other side of the lagoon
and here is the old lighthouse. Not made of metal but
a sturdy brick build. This was constructed by the haematite mining company in 1866 to protect shipping in the estuary.

ABC Wednesday - Rusland

R is for the Rusland Valley
which lies folded between the lakes of Windermere and Coniston Water in the southern Lake District. The road in is lined down one side with over 50 beeches. We are blessed they are still there. The National Park Authority wanted to clear fell them all in the name of 'safety', but a local campaign sprang up to combat this vandalism and had the trees surveyed. Result, all perfectly sound apart from half a dozen. For the history of the trees see here
In the end the campaign was successful and only a few were chopped down (including the largest one) and new beeches were planted to replace them. A story with a happy ending.

The next destination is a small nature reserve which is designated an SSSI.
A raised bog, woodland, open low fell and lakes in between Rusland Hall and Hay Bridge
The Hay Bridge Nature Reserve has been established for about 30 years. In the past it did not have boardwalks as it has taken time for the ground to revert to its natural condition. Before the boardwalks water could be up to your fetlocks after long spells of wet weather and it is still
reet clarty in places, translation if you are not from the north of england, quite muddy in parts.
There is firm ground by the streams that run through the wood. It is a peaceful, magical place and the only sounds that can be heard are birds. There are red deer, badgers, brown hare, weasels and stoats.

Q How do you tell the difference between a stoat and a weasel?
A. One is weasely distinguished and the other is stoately different.

How did that 7 year old child get in here?
In spring and summer there are lots of flowers, but even at this time of very late autumn, there are still some in the streams. In summer there will be huge numbers of dragonflies and damselflies at this place.
There are also a few large sheltered ponds surrounded by trees, wonderful for of all types of wildlife, and beautiful when the water lilies are in flower. For an overview of the species at Hay Bridge Nature Reserve see here
But not all is wetness. If you walk on to the little mound only 125 ft above sea level where sits the Tissie Fooks memorial, and where you too can sit and contemplate, (the hills pointed out cannot be seen on this hazy day)

the surrounding woods and pasture are all in view.
Leaving the reserve behind us and walking on, the sheep at High Longmire stand to have their picture taken, the farm is hidden behind the trees. The valley has scatterings of farms and

Kirkthwaite Cottage

cottages,

some with immaculate lawns
and some with a river running by at the bottom.
Here I end my tour at Rusland church. Our car was parked outside and the heavens opened as we walked then ran down the road, but I could not resist this photo of the light in the church door. Unfortunately as you can see the photo gods were not smiling on me as, unknown to me, I did not manage to keep the rain off the lens.

Run Rapidly over to se a Range of Rs at ABC Wednesday

Black Combe Walk

After a week of rain Sunday arrived with clear blue skies. We toddled out to take a walk to the top of Black Combe. The bracken is now all golden brown
and Moorgill Beck bubbled and gurgled in the lower reaches. A couple of raptors glided in the sky while nervous stonechats called 'tscak tscak'.
There were lots of wax-caps at our feet. I think these yellow ones are the Golden Wax-cap
and this is the Slimy Wax-cap. These particular fungi are an indicator of ancient grasslands and like moss and short grass. The sheep have been on these uplands for many centuries keeping the grass nice and short.
The trig point on the top had been newly painted a brilliant white. The Remembrance Day crosses had been placed at the bottom and a couple of poppies on the top in memory of those who no longer walk the Lakeland hills.

The breeze on the top was chilly but the sea below was still and the views were clear. The mountain ranges to the north, the Isle of Man and the Calf of Man to the west and Blackpool tower to the south. Looking towards the tower with binoculars The Man Who Knows said he could see the Big Dipper as well. Perhaps he could.

Path down from Black Combe foreground; In the sea - Barrow and end of Walney Island, top, with Hodbarrow Lagoon, lower left.

Returning on the lane down towards Whicham church here on this November day was a Foxglove. The hedge and all around was bare but this was budding and flowering. The Autumn days have been warm, almost spring like, so perhaps this mysterious flower had been enticed into life by the temperature.
Further along the lane the hedge's tops had been cut but a few branches were budding and also appearing, new leaves.

So perhaps the end of Thomas Hood's poem 'No' is not quite true for this month.

"...No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds
November"

Bethecar Moor

Setting off this morning from the east side of Coniston Water and walking up through Dodgson Wood, arrived at Low Parkamoor to head south

onto Bethecar Moor. The day was warm and sunny, but the views were hazy.

We watched the ferry boat chugging up the lake heading to the landing stage near Brantwood (John Ruskin's house, now a museum). There were very few yachts out on the lake, possibly because there was hardly any breeze.
By the time we reached High Light Haw in the early afternoon the views were clearing. It was a wonderfully still day as we continued the walk along the top of the moor, through the dying russet coloured bracken, and trying to avoiding the rich green moss that warned of bog beneath.

Reaching the end of the moor we started our descent towards Allen Tarn
and down to the village which may make an appearance in ABC Wednesday this coming week.
Down by the roadside we took a slight diversion to look at the River Crake. Here it is as it exits Allen Tarn at the start of its journey to the sea.

Dow Crag (left) and Coniston Old Man (right)

We returned over the fields to continue our route

along the rough track back to our start. The Coniston Range dominates the lake and surrounding areas. This is the most southerly of the mountain ranges of the Lake District.

Kirkby Moor

Started off in the afternoon at the Kirkby railway station, up the lane and through fields of long grass, and over all the variety of stiles imaginable. Eventually gained height and on to Kirby Moor, turning to look back over the Duddon Estuary dominated by Black Combe. The bracken is at its height but the tracks are easy to follow. As we headed further uphill towards the stream we were accompanied by the 'tsak tsak' call of the Stonechats. Beautiful birds with a delicate colouring.

Head up the valley and over the hill keeping to a narrow track which widens and comes out onto the the old slate road. (This is where horse drawn wagons carried slate from the quarries down to Ulverston to be loaded onto boats).
A pleasant lane full of wildflowers and grasses. Looking towards Ulverston on the above photograph, you can just make out the white of Hoad monument, to the left, with its scaffolding on as it undergoes a makeover. Further down the lane, and towards Rathvale where, after a patch of woodland we are once more on open moorland with delightful views. The day which was warm and sunny started to threaten rain as we made our way down a steep sided valley but it turned out to be only a shower. By now we were on our way to Beckside and back to Kirkby so were not bothered about getting wet.

Looking towards Coniston and the fells, here are the clouds gathering.

Whernside

A sunny breezy day as we set off from the Ribblehead Viaduct to walk up to the top of Whernside to enjoy the views. The last time we were here, some years ago, staying at Horton-in Ribblesdale for the week, it rained every day but one. The day to Whernside was one of those rainy days so no views from the top. No different today either as the wind increased and the mist rolled in. On the plus side no need for weatherproofs and no mud as the ground is quite dry after a spell of good weather.
Stopped for a drink of water on the top, sheltering, on the west side of the wall, out of the wind but mist all around us. See the opening to the right of the trig point? I believe this was part of a the millennium project . The dry stone wall had fallen into disrepair, so it was completed rebuilt and two easy access openings put in so you can shelter on whichever side the wind is not blowing.
Coming down out to deep mist to slight mist, all the hills had little caps of cloud on them and this view was the best it was going to get.
Back to Ribblehead as the train trundles over the top, and the mist still hangs on the top of Whernside. Will it be third time lucky next time?