Martindale

It looked foul over the Western Lakes and bright over the High Street Fells so it was really a no-brainer as to which direction I headed. I hadn't been down Martindale for over a year and as its usually very quiet, I headed that way.

Ullswater

There aren't many places to stop on the eastern side of Ullswater which is a shame but I managed to pull in just north of Howtown and take a shot looking across the Lake of a couple of yachts. It was really the sun on the foreground grasses which caught my eye though.

Martindale

The weather closed in a bit as I drove up the pass to the New Martindale Church of St Peter. I had hoped to park there but it was full so headed down to the Old Church in the valley itself. I only just managed to get parked up, it looks like every man and his dog had the same idea as me. The breaks in the cloud became less and less but I managed to get some pretty decent shots before the cloud ciover finally won the day.

Martindale

A party of walkers set off up Beda Fell and it just reminder me of the TV comedy The Great Outdoors. At the heart of the show is Bob, the vain, deluded, tragic-comic organiser of the rambling group. Over the course of the series Bob battled to keep his place from newcomer Christine, who was determined to jump into his boots and steal his best friend Tom. Every rambling Club I have seen on the fells has a Bob, with his whistle and map case around his neck.

Old Yew Tree, St Martin's Church

In St Martins Church yard (above) stands this yew tree which is estimated to be about 1300 years old.

Martindale

I always think it's a shame that these three barns or homesteads have been allowed to fall into such a state of ruin but they do make for good photography subjects.

Martindale

Winter Crag Farm

Winter Crag Farm (above) situated below Beda Fell. When the light is like this it makes a perfect little scene especially in autumn when the bracken has changed.

Graveyard Martindale

St Martin's Church, Martindale

The old Church of St Martin, Martindale, has existed since at least 1220. It is probable that the present building was erected at the end of the 16th Century. There have been successive restorations to the present building, the last major restoration being in 1882 when the roof was replaced. Violent storms destroyed the roof on the day that the new Church of St Peter was consecrated.
Objects of interest inside the Church include the reading desk of 1634, the font which was almost certainly a Roman alter, and the Church bell which is some 500 years old.

 St Martin's Church, Martindale

St Martin's Church, Martindale

St Martin's Church, Martindale

Old grave, St Matrin's

A grave underneath the 1300 year old Yew Tree in the Old Church's graveyard.

Slopes of Steel Knotts

Looking across the Dale with , also known locally as Pikawassa. In 'A Dictionary of Lake District Place Names', Diana Whaley suggests that the name means 'the summit (Pike) of (a) Wat's hill (Wassa). Sounds reasonable to me.

Head of Martindale

Looking down the Dale with the High Street Fells on the left and the big wet lump of The Nab slightly to the right. Also at the head of the Dale is the Martindale deer forest which is out of bounds except for stalkers in the stalking season!

A report from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found that Martindale deer may be the only pure blooded Red Deer left in England as many herds become cross bred with genes from the Sika Deer.

Fungi, Martindale.