Between the Lakes

 

Just to the north of Keswick, beyond the dual carriageway of the A66, lies a remnant of the old coach road from Penrith to Cockermouth. This is where we begin our journey, exploring the area between Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite Lake. It's a bit damp today, and Skiddaw is wearing the clouds like a feather boa, but it's not raining. If you're wondering what that expanse of brown is, in the middle distance, it's an osier plantation. But we'll come to that later... unfortunately.

The old coach road crosses Pow Beck, one of many becks that feed Bassenthwaite Lake, along with the river Derwent, which flows in from Derwent Water. Next to this, there used to be a very good campsite, so Ishbel tells me (she, being a repository of all knowledge on Cumbrian campsites). Sadly, it has now been abandoned, and is overgrown with seeding dock. A lonely apple tree sits in the centre, and on a pile of wood chippings, what look to be Common Funnel mushrooms have found the perfect home.

Heading up a little lane, the sheep grazed fields to our left provide perfect conditions for rabblts, whilst the long, tussocky grass to our right is the preferred feeding grounds for pheasants. I have recently acquired a six volume set of Cassells Natural History, published in 1881, and it has this to say on the feeding habits of the common pheasant:

[the pheasant] seeks its food, which consists of grain, seeds, green shoots, and insects, among hedge-bottoms and thickets with long grass and tolerably dense undergrowth; it also affects damp ground and osier beds.

Note the words 'damp ground' and 'osier beds'. The footpath leads us into both. They don't shy away from saying what they mean up here in Cumbria. If your house nestles on the edge of a bog, you call it Bog House (and for those of you who's first language is not English, this is also a euphamism for the lavatory). We emerged from the osier bed with sea boots and a two-toned dog.

Crossing a field, we managed to dislodge about half of the accumulated mud, and emerged onto the old Penrith to Cockermouth railway line. A magnificent Birch Polypore was growing at the base of a silver birch, and nearby, in a discarded plastic bucket, a small amount of rainwater had proved sufficient for some Winter Midges to breed. These are Chironomids, or non-biting midges.

In other news, for those of you who are local, CADS are putting on the hilariously funny

'The Farndale Avenue Townswomen Guild Drama Society's production of A Christmas Carol'

I can say this because I'm not in it, merely making sure you can see it by operating the lights. This Saturday (10th) 2pm and Sunday (11^th) 7pm. Buy your tickets here.

The reason that I have recently acquired a six volume set of Cassells Natural History, published in 1881, is because I have opened up an antiquarian book department in my online shop. A geographical theme this week, but the Cassells will be up for sale later – if I can bear to part with it. Pop in and take a look: Steve's Vintage Collectables – Beautiful Books.

And talking of books...

Beetles and Butterflies; spiders and scorpions; woodlice and worms. How do you tell them all apart? To say nothing of crane flies, dragonflies, bee flies and yet more butterflies. Are they all flies? If not, why call them so? If you're fascinated but confused by the beautiful world of the very small, then this is the book for you. 82 pages of information on all aspects of the world of minibeasts, with over 100 photographs and illustrations, this book will help you track down and identify any arthropod, in its adult or juvenile state, anywhere in the world. See all of my books at author.to/SteveDaniels

All the best,

Steve

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Steve Daniels Cumbria

The Ice Fields of Kilnhill

 

Another cold January morning up here in The Lake District, but Bassenthwaite, surrounded by snow capped peaks, looks marvellous. An eldritch feel to the shoreline, with mosses threatening to engulf the young saplings, Hairy Curtain Crust Fungus, Stereum hirsutum, colonising the sawn wood, and a pair of Mallards, Anas platyrhynchos, out on the lake. The lake itself, is beginning to freeze, with ice extending about a metre from the bank. The temperature is hovering around the 0^oC mark, but the morning sun is providing a little warmth.

Going east, into the farmlands, gives us an opportunity to see a bit of the local bird life. Common friends like Wood Pigeons, Columba palumbus, and Carrion Crows, Corvus corone, are our constant companions, whilst a Mistle Thrush, Turdus viscivorus, observes our progress from an overhead wire. Higher still, a Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo, quarters the sky. Meanwhile, back on the ground, the flooded fields have become ice rinks and Jack the Navigator Hound goes through his routine for Dancing On Ice, which is somewhat worrying as he's only got little legs and I'm not sure how thick the ice is. Luckily, it's thick enough to support the weight of a Jack Russell!

Into a flooded woodland now, somewhat reminiscent of the Florida Everglades, but without the heat. A lovely bank of snowdrops greet our arrival. There are five different UK species, plus subspecies and hybrids. There is an excellent guide to identifying them here. Up in the trees, outcroppings of an Ascomycete fungus, probably Witch's Broom of the Taphrina genus, adorn the branches. This is the same genus that causes some leaves and catkins to curl and are part of the wonderful world of fungi, without which, nature as we know it would not be nature. Incidentally, there is a fantastic book by Merlin Sheldrake called Entangled Life, which I'm reading at the moment, which is a real eye opener.

And now we emerge out onto the road into the village of Kilnhill, with the snowy fells behind us. Back in the summer, you may remember that we counted 43 different plants and 22 different insects in a stretch of hedgerow like this (see Fell Walking For Wimps 1 - Slate Fell). Nothing in flower today and no insects but it's a good time to look for last year's bird nests and if you look inside, you can see this year's Spring growth taking advantage of the nutrient rich nest floor and the shelter that the nest provides. Nothing is wasted in nature, even this crevice between the branches provides a cosy nook for this Garden Snail, Cornu aspersum.

Back to the car now for a reviving cup of hot soup which our Intrepid Local Guide has been lugging around in her backpack all morning for some reason best know to herself. Personally, I'd have left it in the car.

News From The Old Cornmill

Minibeasts are a bit thin on the ground in the UK during the winter months, so I was delighted beyond reason when this Ground Spider (Gnaphosidae family) turned up in my bathroom this morning.

And finally... some important news: there is far too much going on to fit into one little blog post, so now you can join me throughout the week at the Old Cornmill by subscribing to updates from my brand new web site: Steve's Nature Plus

See you there,

Steve

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