Proving a point on Bowscale, Bannerdale and Souther Fell

Sudden change of plan today. We were due to take the car for some minor bodywork (that's another story!) but the body parts folk rand to say the courtesy car hadn't been returned. So that's buggered this weeks plans up! Other jobs needed doing today, not least plucking and cleaning the goose I am planning to cook tomorrow night, but this morning looked too good to miss, especially with a crap forecast for the rest of the week, so we set off with just the intention of doing a short walk.

The Boys came to greet me as I fed the birds this morning

We set off from Mungrisedale with only half a plan of where we were going

This area is still showing many scars from Storm Desmond last December

The bridge has managed to stay precariously wedged so far

We are heading up the side of The Tongue

Family Portrait

When we reach the top we decide not to bother with the summit of Bowscale Fell - after all as I keep on saying, it is only the highest point and in that particular case not a particularly inspiring point either

We made our way around the top of Bannerdale Crags, once again without visiting the actual summit. That's Great Calva and Skiddaw on the left

Heading down the Glenderamacking we stop at the sheepfold for a bite to eat. 

Once we reached Mousethwaite bridge ( or more accurately plank as the bridge is still missing following Desmond) we decide to head up and over Souther Fell

Heading down from Souther (you guessed it, we didn't visit the summit) towards Mungrisedale

Nearly back to the village

 We have walked about 7 miles without visiting a single summit and without seeing a single person either. To us, that is the epitome of a good day on the fells!

Just to round the walk off nicely, we spotted this little chap on the verge as we drove into our own little village.

Garden Visitors

I think this little chap wanted to share our lunch today!

Click on the video below to watch his antics...........

Acrobatic Visitor

Squirrel visits have been very rare in gardens across Cumbria for most of the last two years. Thankfully this is not a reflection on numbers - they have been doing really well. but a reflection on the huge amount of wild food that has been available to them. They haven't needed to raid gardens. This afternoon we had a visit from an inquisitive youngster. One of this years kittens.

Apologies for the quality of the pictures, but there wasn't time to clean the window and I was on the phone at the same time as taking the pictures!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

A short walk is needed today as Breeze has a Doctors appointment first thing. I fancy a trip down to Borrowdale before the Herdwick Hoggs go back out onto the fell and too many tourists appear. I'm not sure how many times I will have walked here, but it will be a big number! All our family holidays were at Rosthwaite and the first walk we used to do each holiday was Castle crag.

Today we parked in Rosthwaite village and walked past Yew Tree Farm to New Bridge, seen here up ahead

Looking back across Rosthwaite on our way up

The Zigzags come into view

Nearly there

Derwentwater from the summit. We weren't the only ones up here today

Lunch with a view

We decided to follow the Allerdale Ramble round High Doat, the small fell seen in the foreground here

Looking back at Castle Crag, the little fell in the middle with trees on

Nearly back to Rosthwaite and we cross the bridge by the youth hostel. I can remember Alison and I used to come down here to play in the river

That's the spot!

Gillercombe House, the white one on the right. That's where it all started - and it's still run by the same lady today as it was all those years ago.

5.75 miles, a red squirrel and our first cuckoo of the year. Not bad for a short outing.

Wildlife in October and November

A real low point in the last couple of months, we have had two red Squirrel fatalities at this end of the village. One was definitely roadkill - someone had even taken the trouble to throw the carcase into a neighbours garden. The other may have been roadkill, but could equally have been an unfortunate tree fall. Squirrels are incredibly agile little things, but they do miss their footing and just very occasionally it can have tragic consequences. The squirrel in question was found in our neighbours garden, alive but very obviously not well. It subsequently died of it's injuries whilst in care.
On a brighter note, we had a new visitor to the garden twice in September. No pictures as it was dark (and I didn't have my camera anyway!), a Barn owl hunted along the fence, probably looking for mice and voles which undoubtedly feed on the overspill from the bird feeders at night. The October highlight would be the male Bullfinch, who has visited us on a number of occasions. Lets hope he stays around - although experience would say he probably won't!

Not On Our Patch

It's out 6th Wedding anniversary today. Full of happy memories, and now one unhappy memory. Sitting having an afternoon cuppa, watching 'The View', we were gobsmacked to see a Grey Squirrel hoping towards the garden. (Picture courtesy of Penrith Red Squirrels Group )

As volunteers with Penrith Red Squirrels, Grey control in this area is partly our responsibilty, so to find one on our own doorstep is really frustrating. This is the second siting in the village in the last month. Attempts to catch the culprit on the first occasion were in vain, so at least it has returned to give us another opportunity.
If any of you think this is harsh - then think again.
This information is lifted from the Penrith Red Squirrels Website:

The facts
There are only about 20,000 red squirrels left in England, mostly in Cumbria and Northumberland.

There are over 3 MILLION greys!

The decline of reds is directly attributable to grey squirrels which were introduced from America in 1876 and whose population has exploded.

The bigger grey out competes red squirrels for food but more critically a large number carry the highly infectious Squirrelpox Virus (SQPV) to which they seem immune but is fatal to reds.

SQPV is similar to myxomatosis in rabbits (although not linked) and is identified in the initial stages by poor coordination and lethargy. By the second week lesions around the mouth, nose, eyes and genitals quickly followed by a pitiful death. (see the photo ).

They're Not Blueys, They're Mine!

We love Blue Tits. I think they must be one of the most recognised birds in the UK. I can remember them feeding from the coconuts Mum hung outside the sitting room window at home, We do the same here outside the sun room and are always really pleased to see them hanging upside down on the shells. In an effort to provide them with more varied feeding opportunities, we hang monkey nuts around the branch of the tree for them (and the Great Tits and Coal Tits) to peck at.

There was a loud drumming coming from the tree. It sounded like one of the many Woodpeckers we get

But no, it was a Nut Hatch, very determined to get hold of Blueys nuts.

Pecking with all his might to prise the little brown jewels from their shell

It looks as though someone else has suddenly found them too......
Looks like the Blueys are going to have to stick to the feeders in future

Red Alert

Today has turned out to be a damp affair, the sort of day when you really appreciate the wildlife in the garden. Especially when they are as entertaining as this youngster.
'Hey, Look what I found!'
'Now I'm just going to run off an bury this in the lawn'
'Oh no, they've spotted me in the front as well'
'Perhaps if I bury it in this nicely dug bed they won't notice'