Selside and Branstree

When much of the UK is sweltering, it's a real treat to be able to have perfect conditions on the fell tops. Rocky did really well as we did Selside and  Branstree, he's not getting any younger, - both above Haweswater. We arrived at about 9:15 to find parking to be relatively easy at Mardale Head - it soon filled up after that! Walking back down the road for a mile we soon came to the signed Corpse Road that takes you from the village of Mardale (under the reservoir) over to Swindale Head and then on, although the exact route isn't known, to Shap. Before you drop down at all, the path to Selside peels off to the right and takes the broad ridge across upland grassland to the summit and on to Branstree. A very pleasant walk, especially as it was so dry underfoot. After Branstree we dropped down to Gatesgarth Pass and back down to the carpark, leaving Harter Fell and beyond for another day. 

Some of the walls beginning to emerge from Haweswater.

On the way up the Corpse Road, looking up towards Harter Fell.

The path to Selside is on the horizon.

Selside top.

Rocky still likes to be first! Not quite the top of Branstree, but a better cairn than the one on the summit! 

And back down...

And home!

Branched Bur Reed in Fused Glass

When I was a child, we lived in Somerset by the river Tone. We were lucky to have the river at the bottom of the garden (not so lucky when it rained heavily!) and I enjoyed summer days rowing a very small boat up and down. The fringing vegetation included Branched Bur Reed and it has always been a favourite of mine and not something I often see in Cumbria. So, when we parked up to go to Saligo Bay on Islay and there was a clump in the roadside ditch there were plenty of photos taken. Immediately after Islay I had a fused glass session booked, so there was my inspiration....it is a trial piece for a larger piece. The larger piece will also include a Beautiful Demoiselle - a type of Damselfly made including lovely reflective dichroic glass. In the meantime here is the trial piece: 

The trial piece and inspiration.

Detail.

In situ...

Bog Orchids and Keeled Skimmers

A glorious late afternoon trip to the Northern Cumbrian Fells and an annual pilgrimage to find the Bog Orchid. The bog was still damp and we found two flowering spikes. There were plenty of Keeled Skimmers buzzing around and  the Great Sundew looked in good health. 

A nice and tall Bog Orchid.

Less tall....

Great Sundew....

Keeled Skimmer.

Irish Field Sketches

 It was such nice weather last week that I was able to get a few ten minute sketches done ...

From Killard Point.

Giant's Causeway.

Giant's Causeway.

White Park Bay.

Toberpatrick.

Toberpatrick.

Cushendun.

Thyme Broomrapes

 On our way back from Magilligan Point we stopped to admire the Thyme Broomrapes on a roadside cutting; spectacular, even though they were over!

Our final day - Magilligan Point

On our final day, which was expected to be another 25 degree C scorcher, we once again headed for the Northern Irish coast. Yes it was cooler, but there are limits; 17 degrees C with a cool wind wasn't called for! The sun did eventually break through the fog, but the cliffs of Binevenagh never revealed themselves! Magilligan point was cool, in both senses of the word! From my point of view it was really good to see such a wide variety of shells on the tide line and accumulating at the back of the beach. We didn't explore the dunes on the point as we didn't have time and the MOD's red flags were flying. The geomorphology of this area is fascinating too as the low lying area that goes from the spit to the base of Binevenagh (the old sea cliff) is a raised beach plain with a series (150+) ridges, with peat deposits between them. I visited the cliffs earlier in the year, looking for the rare Arctic-Alpine plant species they are home too (click here). 

Definitely cool...

Black Guillemots under the pier.

The Ferry coming back from Greencastle, Co Donegal.

The tideline...

Compass Jellyfish.

Finally Donegal came into view...

Plenty of Sandwich Terns in the channel.

And at the back of the beach....a spectacular soil profile, representing a dune slack from basal sand, through peat, marl, fossil soil and capped by further sand. Click here for more information.

Scratting....

After Tom's graduation ceremony, so he's officially Dr Tom....we had a scrat round on the beach below Portstewart old golf course....

Plenty of shell pieces and shells around the base of the boulders.

A selection of shells. It was nice to find a Key-hole Limpet too - not shown. . 

Some nice reflections.

A dropping tide...

A variety of seaweeds.

Daisy Anemone, Cereus pedunculatus. Not a great photo as the water was moving!

Beadlet Anemones - and below.

A browner Beadlet Anemone.