Lowther Castle and Gardens.

The transformation of Lowther Castle over the past few years has been nothing short of amazing. The roof and all the interior structure of the original building were removed in 1957 to protect the rest of the estate from a £25 million death duty bill. The gardens were then used to house a large chicken farm and the remaining gardens and castle ruin were left to run wild and decay for decades.

Work on renovating the Castle started in 1999 with help from various Trusts and Development Funds and is still ongoing today. When I was there over the weekend, they were building a wooden children's adventure play area in the shape of a castle and I notices some of the paths were being extended out of the current enclosed gardens and into Lowther Park itself. Also a lot of work has been done directly in front of the Castle and the whole area is looking tidy and ready for planting.

I like this place so much so that I decided to buy a season ticket, it was only the price of four entrance fees so I should recoup that in no time at all. I'm looking forward to the summer months when the meadows are full of poppies and other wild flowers. The display of daffodils must have been fabulous this year. Most of the yellow variety were on the wane but there were thousand upon thousand of white ones still in full bloom.

I was fortunate enough to spot three herons as well on my visit. My only fear is that the noise from the children's playground may scare them off as the heronry is in that vicinity. All in all I spend a good four hours there, just wandering around with my camera. To make things a bit more interesting I used my 70-300 zoom lens for most photos, I think I just used my normal lens for the exterior shot of the Castle plus a couple of wide angled shots I took up at the Patte D'oi, which used to house a fountain and is the highest spot in the gardens.

A call in the cafe for a coffee before starting and then for a cold drink when I'd finished added up to a day well spent. Thank you for all the effort and hard work you have put in Lowther Castle.

1243ft

It may be only 1243ft high but this walk is a sheer delight if you have a couple of hours spare. Plus the view from the top is even better. You can either park in Keswick and go up through the woods to Castlerigg or, if you are feeling lazy, you can park up at Castlerigg and then it's a mere stroll. You can also park at Great Wood car park down Borrowdale where you have the choice of another two paths. Either a gentle stroll through the woods or a very steep and stepped climb which more or less makes a bee line for the top,

Once up there the views over Derwentwater to the North Western Fells are stunning as is the view south to the Scafell group of hills. Looking from the top, Great Gable appears to be the highest of the Lakeland Fells and not Scafell Pike. This is possibly because its summit stands in isolation and is quite pointed.

You can then either continue your walk to Ashness Bridge and come back via Derwentwater shore or if to are feeling more energetic, you can carry on up to the higher Bleaberry Fell. I was feeling lazy that day and just parked myself on the top of Walla Crag and took in the fabulous views before strolling back down.

These are photos of my little stroll, hope you enjoy them.

Walla Crag from Castlerigg

Skiddaw

Blencathra

Keswick and Skiddaw from the top

Derwentwater

Skiddaw from the summit

Blencathra from the summit

North Western Fells

A summit cairn

Blencathra

Blue skies...nothing but blue skies.

For me, half eight was an early start! I'm not the sort who gets up at unearthly hours for a sunrise, give me a couple of hours extra sleep and a nice cup of coffee and then I'm fit for most things.

I hadn't been down the Dudden Valley for a few years due to it's remoteness so with blue skies above, I set off with a spring in my step. The journey to the South Lakes took me via Ullswater which these days is quite a busy road due to the A591 closure for flood damage. The lake was so calm and the light hazy as I pulled in to the Glencoyne car park. For the time of day it was very busy, mainly due to overnight stayers and fishermen making an early start to their day. After having a chat with one of the fishermen (who had come up from Lancashire) and taking a few photos, I carried on my way over the Kirkstone Pass and down to Ambleside.

As the weather was so good I decided to head down Langdale and then go over Wrynose Pass to Cockley Beck where the Dudden Valley starts (or finishes if you approach from the South) but I suppose it is the head of the valley whichever way you approach. Many stops were made down Langdale to take photographs which is an absolute dream with the Pikes, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags circling the valley head.

Next on the agenda was Blea Tarn nestling below Pike O Blisco which turned out to be a rather special place to be. I had the tarn all to myself and the reflections were unbelievable. I was there for maybe half an hour making the most of it but as I was leaving, the first ripples were beginning to appear and the reflections were rapidly disappearing.

Then it was up and over Wrynose Pass, along Wrynose Bottom to Cockley Back and my intended destination, the Dudden Valley. The only problem I have with going there is that I don't really know where I can park up and go for a short walk apart from Birks Bridge which is what I did. Maybe an internet search for a walking book for this area would be the best thing to do before I go again. The ground around Birks Bridge was very wet and boggy so I was limited in the photos I could take, in fact I didn't take any of the bridge itself.

Time was getting on and and lunch was calling. If anyone is in that area, the local bakers at Broughton is highly recommended. However a wrong turning took me towards Millon which is a bit of a shock to the system after the beauty of the Lakes. Anyway I reversed my route and finally made it to Broughton.

The return journey took me up the side of Coniston Water where I had my last break at Brown How. I had intended to call for a pint in The Drunken Duck at Barnsgate but there was no free seating outside so I just carried on. I did stop off at Clappersgate though as there was a heron in the Brathay. I played cat and mouse with it before getting a reasonable photo and then completed my journey by coming back over the Kirkstone Pass. The fishermen I had chatted to earlier in the day were still sat by the side of Ullswater; I had to admire their patience. It had been a long but very enjoyable day out.

Ullswater

Glencoyne Bay

Reflections, Ullswater

Ullswater

Great Langdale

Langdale Pikes

Crinkle Crags and Bowfell

Langdale Pikes

Blea Tarn

Blea Tarn

Blea Tarn

Blea Tarn

River Dudden

River Dudden

River Dudden

Dudden Valley

Coniston Water

Coniston Water

River Brathay, Clappersgate

Malham

On what seemed like the first nice day for weeks on end, I decided to make the most of it by taking a trip out to Malham.  Parking on the road going up to the Tarn, I walked along the well worn path to the Cove which was surprisingly pretty quiet considering the weather. Maybe only half a dozen people were on top that day but there was one young woman more or less sat right on the edge of the Cove. You can just about make her out in one of the photos. The top is a photographers delight with its limestone pavement and glorious view down Malhamdale and I wasted no time in getting my camera out.

I then followed the Pennine Way path which leads away from the Cove and up the dry Watlowes Valley. The valley narrows as you progress and the only way out is up a fairly steep stepped path. The Pennine Way path then continue up to Malham Tarn but I cut off to the right across a sometimes wet and boggy Cote Moor. The moor really is a wild and open place which I wouldn't fancy walking across in low cloud as there are so many tracks created over the years. Knowing roughly which direction the Cove was, I picked out the lowest of the paths and, after a detour to another limestone pavement, I was back in more familiar territory.

My path eventually came down round the back of the Cove and there was just time for a sit down to take in the glorious view before joining the path I'd set off on. A very enjoyable walk was finished off perfectly with a pint at The Lister's Arms where I joined the other walkers and visitor who were sitting out on the green enjoying the late evening sun.

Malham Cove

Malham Cove

Malham Beck from the Cove

Limestone Pavement Malham Cove

Limestone Pavement Malham Cove

Malham Cove

Malham Cove

Malham Cove

Limestone Pavement Malham Cove

Limestone Pavement Malham Cove

Limestone Pavement Malham Cove

Limestone Pavement Malham Cove

Watlowes Dry Valley

Watlowes Dry Valley

Watlowes Dry Valley

Cote Moor

Hardraw Force

“We found the rock, which had before appeared like a wall, extending itself over our heads like the ceiling of a huge cave, from the summit of which the water shot directly over our heads into a basin, and among the fragments wrinkled over with masses of ice as white as snow, or rather, as Dorothy said, like congealed froth. The water fell at least ten yards from us and we stood directly behind it." (Letter from William and Dorothy Wordsworth to Coleridge, December 1799) 

 

From the high lonely fells you’ve carved your course
And now in a single sudden chute you fall:
Loud, fierce, a mighty thunderous force,
Spending your pent power, your strength, your all
In this dark hollow where I stand, confronted
By an immense cavernous echoing wall
Scooped out around you, in sedimented
Layers of limestone, sandstone, shale.
No seedling could settle long enough here
To take root; no climber find a stay
In the serrated sides which drop sheer
To the beck as it tumbles down the valley.
But I can walk behind you, see you batter
The rocks in the pool below; or watch the way,
In perpetual motion, you smash and shatter
Your own reflection with dancing froth and spray.