Great Asby Scar

Finally an opportunity to get out inbetween the Christmas preparations and rubbish weather...a brief walk out onto Great Asby Scar to take a few reference photos for my current limestone project. Not the weather for careful picture composition or for fern identification! 

A break in the murk....

The Scar....

Gryke.

Bedding planes.

Maidenhair Spleenwort and Hart's-tongue ferns.

Maidenhair Spleenwort and gryke.

An unidentified fern...

Raggedy Hart's-tongue.

I should have removed the piece of grass! 

More textures.

Cladonia cups.

 

Wedholme light

As things get busy in the Christmas run up, a quick walk round Wedholme Flow - beautiful light...

A coating of ice...

Icy textures.

Reed Buntings.

Reflections and below...

 

Raven Crag

We  were too late to get a carparking spot to go up Clough Head, so it was Plan B: Raven Crag. With snow on the tops it was a shame we hadn't planned anything bigger, but a nice walk nonetheless. We went straight up the eroding path (direct route) and then up the steps to the top - returning via the meandering timber road. The closed road across the dam was fringed with some super mosses, lichens and ferns.

Thirlmere.

Dunmail Raise in the distance.

Towards Blencathra from the summit.

'Cathra's winter coat.

A very 'Lakeland view' - with Skiddaw in the background.

Looking across to Castle Rock.

A friendly Robin.

..and some of the lower plants of the dam wall....

Peltigera membranacea - there were substantial areas of this spectacular lichen.

Rhizocarpon geographicum lichen blotches,  Common Polypody and lichen sp (on Pine).

Maidenhair Spleenwort, lichen sp, Hart's-tongue fern and Wall-rue.

Lakeland Baubles

Last year I began, far to late in the year to sell for Christmas, to play around with some ceramic Christmas baubles. They give a lovely surface to paint on and given they are a Christmas product I actually enjoy doing them. Yes, I would love to do a whole series of different fells, like I have for my mini paintings, but I am scaling back what Christmas events I do, so they are generic Lakeland Fells. Then again ..never say never! 

The specific baubles ..one day!

Helm Crag, Gibson Knott, Calf Crag and Steel Fell

Another good forecast, so with rain and warmth approaching for the weekend, it was another opportunity to make the most of the frozen ground conditions. A good horseshoe - cold with an increasing wind later in the day. Cracking views.

On the way up Helm crag -  the good path gets you up there quickly.

Looking across to Easedale Tarn.

Rocky being distracted by  the cars on Dunmail Raise.

A frosty Grasmere.

Helm Crag - the Lion and the Lamb.

The ridge towards Gibson Knott and Calf Crag.

Icy underfoot!

From Calf Crag towards Windermere.

Calf Crag.

Looking across to Helvellyn.

Thirlmere.

..and Steel Fell - it was a lot blowier than it looks! 

Bearded Reedlings

 Just a few more pictures of Bearded Reedlings at Leighton Moss...

One of my favourites ...'You can't see me!'

And look at those legs!