Heyjude

Circumnavigating Grasmere Lake

Whilst in the Lake District last month – time flies – we did a couple of lakeside walks. One, around the pretty picture postcard village of Grasmere is about 3 miles long which is long enough for me, especially as on this day, rain threatened. The lake is one of the smallest and a full circuit should not take long unless, like me, you stop to take dozens of photographs. The start and end of the walk is on the road, but it is fairly level once you reach the lake shore and there is a lovely lakeside beach at the southern end.

After wandering around the lovely village for half an hour or so, we headed off along Red Bank at the west of the village (near the church) and up hill where stunning homes nestle amongst the woodland filled with vibrant pinks and mauves of rhododendrons.

Where fayries wander

Selma and Siri's Lakeland cousins perhaps? — Selma and Siri’s Lakeland cousins perhaps?

and bright yellow Welsh poppies huddle alongside the hedgerows. In fact I am reminded of Wales here. Though it feels lighter somehow.

Red Bank

Beautiful Woodland

Pretty cottage

The Garden House

One, the wooden Garden House, appealed to me, but I dare say the price is high as well as the terraced garden, but oh, what a view.

The road continued meandering around bends, with no sight of a lake.

Then, a glimpse, through the trees and not long after we found the rough track leading down to the shoreline.

Careful with those loose stones

A neat track to the shore

The views once we reached the shore were amazing. Lush green fells rearing up all the way around the lake, the village now shrouded in cloud and to the south, just a glimpse of the beach we were heading to.

And neat wooden boardwalks to help us safely over the streams that feed into the lake.

Boadwalk

A family of shovellers

Lakeside Path

The path follows the shoreline until you reach the southern end, where you head up slightly into woodland, before coming out onto the beach. This must be a lovely place for a picnic in the summer months. It was, however, a little drizzly today.

But with beautiful reflections in the mirror-like surface

We found more people at this end of the lake (and discovered later that there is a car-park not too far away), some sitting admiring the view, others walking their dogs, and other fit people climbing up the fell behind us.

Now we had to decide which way to go. There was no obvious sign, so we headed over the wooden bridge and into the woodland. Only to get lost. Later we realised that we should have simply followed the path alongside the river as that led to the road and car-park. It was awfully wet though.

Into the wood

Finally, after doubling back on ourselves a couple of times, we found a way out of the wood and onto the very busy A591 road which leads to Windermere. Fortunately we only had a few metres to walk before hitting the pavement which took us back into Grasmere. Can you spot that lovely house overlooking the lake?

A last view of the lake at the northern end.

If you enjoy a walk, short or long, then you may enjoy visiting Jo’s Monday Walk where you are in for a treat.

One Day One World Project: 23:00 – Midnight

It’s been an odd week as we have been away in Kent for part of it, staying in a lovely farmhouse in the Weald of Kent where I could have taken photos of a pretty pink dawn sky or a valley full of mist – but neither at the right time for this week’s post.

The area we stayed in was completely dark at night – no street lights, no security lights – just the moon and stars. And nothing really to take a photo of outside (as you couldn’t see anything) so… what to post?

What struck me before the midnight hour on a couple of nights was the noise of sheep in the fields next-door to the farmhouse. Their bleating was so loud I wondered what was causing the distress. A fox? A badger? Talking to our hostess she explained that it could have been either, or the fact that they’d moved fields, or just been shorn, or lost a lamb or… well you get the idea, sheep are apparently very nervous creatures and the slightest change to their routine upsets them and they become very, very vocal!

I can’t say they kept me awake for long though. And I hope you like the photos of the sheep in daylight! A black rectangle would not have been very interesting 🙂

Sheep at the end of the garden

Lisa of the blog NorthWest Frame of Mind has decided to run a different project over the next 24 weeks. To try to show what is happening in different parts of the world (if you all join in) at a particular time of day. If you would like to participate you have until next Saturday midnight to post a photo or write about what is happening in your part of the world. This week is between 23:00 – 24:00. I hope you’ll join in! See links for more details.

Containers

Immediately I read the word ‘container‘ I think of plants – in pots. As someone who only has a container ‘garden‘ I am always on the lookout for ways in which to grow such plants and the type of containers used. A glasshouse, is of course, a container too since its job is to contain plants that otherwise would not survive outdoors.

Old Terracotta Pots are my favourite

and in some gardens you find ornate urns which would suit the style of my home, but sadly they are too big

Plastic pots and seed trays are invaluable to the gardener

and sometimes people use the most unusual containers

or what about this lion-guarded bowl of thyme in the Herb Garden at Sissinghurst Castle Garden?

Do you have any preference?

One Day One World Project: 22:00 – 23:00

Festival Fireworks Finale

During June and July Ludlow holds an Arts Festival and a Fringe Festival with loads of music, poetry, plays, comedy acts and Shakespeare culminating on the final Saturday (6th July) with a concert in the castle grounds and fireworks.

At 22:30 pm I was up on the top floor of our house with camera and gorillapod, windows flung wide open, listening to the final act which was David Essex. Given that the other stars of the show were Showaddywaddy and Les McKeown’s Bay City Rollers you may understand why I wasn’t at the actual concert. Anyway I didn’t record the songs ‘Gonna Make U A Star’, ‘Stardust’, ‘Oh What A Circus’ (which is the only one that I quite like), and ‘Silver Dream Machine’.

No, I was waiting for the fireworks finale. And at 22:50 the show began:

22:00 – 23:00

Lisa of the blog NorthWest Frame of Mind has decided to run a different project over the next 24 weeks. To try to show what is happening in different parts of the world (if you all join in) at a particular time of day. If you would like to participate you have until next Saturday midnight to post a photo or write about what is happening in your part of the world. This week is between 22:00 – 23:00. I hope you’ll join in! See links for more details.

Historic Dumfries and Galloway

Historic sites are scattered through the glorious region of Dumfries and Galloway. Being the border county with England there is a history of battles. Till the 12th century, when it came under the Normans, the eastern Solway had alternated between English and Scottish rule.

We passed several interesting looking properties on the way to somewhere else, though nearly always during the evening when the grounds were closed. Fortunately some were quite small and close to the road so we were able to take photographs.

Threave Castle

Located in one of the more interesting locations, this castle is built on an island in the middle of the River Dee and you have to take a small boat across. A lovely circular walk from the entrance takes you through Kelton Mains farm to a small wood leading to the river. A number of bird hides can be found along the route, including one to view an osprey nest.

This massive tower house was built in the late 14th century by Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway. It became the stronghold of the Black Douglases and still today, round its base you can see the artillery fortification, an innovative defence years ahead of its time, built before 1455 when James II besieged the castle. (Threave Castle)

In the middle of the Dee

Threave Castle

Boats across to the castle

Osprey feeding

Cardoness Castle

A fine example of a six storey Scottish tower-house castle, Cardoness Castle was built in the later 15th century as the fortified residence of the McCullochs. Its battlements command excellent views over Fleet Bay.

MacLellan’s Castle

MacLellan’s Castle was named after Sir Thomas MacLellan of Bombie (d. 1597). Sir Thomas was provost of Kirkcudbright and a powerful man in local politics. Following the Protestant Reformation in 1560, he acquired the site and buildings of the convent of Greyfriars, established in the town by James II in 1449, and set about building himself a new residence in its place. By 1582, MacLellan’s Castle was sufficiently complete for him to move in. Five years later, he and his second wife, Grissel, entertained their sovereign, James VI, in this spacious house.

The remains of this late 16th century house shows how architecture changed from the heavily defended tower house to a new, more domestic scale.

Dundrennan Abbey

Dundrennan Abbey was founded in 1142 by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, with the help of King David I of Scotland. The white-robed Cistercian monks came from Rievaulx Abbey, in North Yorkshire. After establishing the abbey at Dundrennan, monks went forth to found two more Cistercian abbeys in Galloway – Glenluce, near Stranraer, around 1190, and Sweetheart, in the village of New Abbey, south of Dumfries, in 1273.

The abbey‘s most famous visitor was Mary Queen of Scots. On 15 May 1568, she was welcomed at the gates following her escape from Lochleven Castle, near Kinross, and her defeat at Langside, beside Glasgow. Mary was making for England and the comparative safety, so she thought, of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England. On the following morning she boarded a boat bound for the Cumberland coast. She never returned to her native land.

Sweetheart Abbey

Sweetheart Abbey was founded in 1273 by Lady Dervorgilla of Galloway in memory of her husband John Balliol. In 1268, Lord John Balliol died. His grieving widow, Lady Dervorgilla of Galloway, had his heart embalmed and placed in an ivory casket. She carried it with her everywhere. When she too died in 1289, she was laid to rest in front of the abbey church’s high altar, clutching her husband’s heart to her bosom.

The graceful ruin nestles between the grey bulk of Criffel and the shimmering waters of the Solway Firth, whilst its blood-red sandstone walls contrast with the lush green grass at their feet.

Carsluith Castle

Carsluith Castle is a lightly-defended tower house. It is typical of the many L-planned tower houses built by the landed gentry throughout Scotland after the Protestant Reformation of 1560. This eye-catching tower is on the road between Newton Stuart and Dumfries. And next to it is the Markbury Smokehouse.