Lizard point - Kynance Cove - Gadgwith - Lizard point.

A dry day, which was a bonus - given what the forecast looked like yesterday! We parked up on the end of the Lizard and then: around to Kynance cove; across Lizard Downs; down to Cadgwith and back along the coast to Lizard point. Quite cool and breezy and the path was distinctly muddy. Cracking views though and fantastic geology (too many serpentine pebbles were brought back - again!) as well as signs of spring. The squill is nearly out!

Shame the lizard decided to sun itself on a discarded poo bag! 

Coverack to Lowland Point - a coastal walk.

After leaving home at 3am we had a good run down to the southwest, arriving on the Lizard just after midday. We emptied the car and then straight out onto the coastal footpath. We started at Coverack and simply followed the path - which was, it had to be said, a tad muddy! -plenty of water running off the land. The highlights were: the abandoned fields - with remnant daffodils and full of primroses; a young adder sunning itself; an Iceland gull; glorious waves in the sun and Roskilly's gooseberry ice cream! The geology in the beach is complicated and will deserve another look, so today's photographs are of pretty pebbles!

Bottom left is a dolphin skull.......

Mussel fossils.............

A quick walk down to the Pennine lower coal measures exposures near us. Some good examples which we think are possibly Carbonicola.

The site ......

Fossils in situ............

Fossil details ..........

Tom's graphic representation of the mussels from the bottom left photograph above. 

Celandine ball

The celandines are just coming into flower in our hedgerows in north Cumbria. I hadn't anticipated doing a felt ball today but here it is. The lesson to learn is to have some pre-prepared balls - coated in a 'general green felt' that are ready to embellish - which I had, so this little project was completed in an afternoon and I could get straight into the fun bit! Now to find a good bank of celandines to photograph the ball in...and pre-prepare some more!

Fossil plant finds from the middle coal measures - North Cumbria

A good day exploring the local beck with some tremendous finds.

Seat earth containing Stigmaria rootlets.

Neuropteris gigantea leaves - a seed fern.

Calamites suckowi stem fragments - a horsetail.

More Calamites suckowi.

Alethopteris ...another seed fern. 

Port Charlotte, Islay - cards.

The small prints have now been hand-coloured and made into cards. I'm now thinking of doing a series of all the Islay lighthouses....

Clear waters in the Liza at Char Dub.

When walking around Ennerdale Water I couldn't resist the temptation, in the sunshine, to play with the speed setting and try and get some photos of the lovely clear water.

Round Ennerdale Water walk.

A glorious spring-like day - so different from last weekend when snow showers were piling down Crummock Water and the spray from waves was freezing on the vegetation! Today we settled for a walk around Ennerdale. Good to see pearl mussels in the river Ehen at the northwestern end of the lake. Superb views and it was warm in the sunshine!

Glorious views........

Merganser, Herdwick and hoof fungus .......

Looking across Ennerdale to the haematite mines and bits of slag - with high iron content found on the path,

Coltsfoot in the sun! 

In search of coltsfoot.

This time last year the snow was melting rapidly and flooded the field below us. With this in mind it was time for a walk up to Headend quarry, where there is usually a good display, of coltsfoot. 'Hope springs eternal' was the phrase that came to mind as there are currently very few signs of spring....and only a few buds of coltsfoot!

The first buds of the year............

This time last year ......

Rocky looking across the Solway; Skiddaw, head in the clouds, looking wintery.

Port Charlotte, Islay....

I've been waiting a while to print this ...and I was so pleased with it - the front at Port Charlotte is very black and white, so here's the print. I'm looking forward to hand colouring it when it has dried and am happy with the wave in the foreground. 

The photo..

The design ...in reverse.....

The lino cut ..........

The print ............

More prints .........

Port Charlotte Lighthouse, Islay

I'm pleased with this little linocut - it's the right size to use up offcuts of paper and will make a new card. Now to wait for it to dry, so I can hand colour.

Parton - a quick nip out......

With the nights beginning to draw out, and the clocks go forward next weekend (Yeh!), Steve nipped down to Parton after work...    Rocky was delighted to be down there again and Steve relieved to find a marble! 

The prized marble! ....not that we are competative! 

The beginnings of the sunset ...and nice clouds.

Buttermere oil painting

Following the walk around Buttermere ....here's the oil painting (60cm x 60cm). I enjoyed the crags of Haystacks - challenging though when you realise most of the painting is crag! I'll take a better photo tomorrow, when it's a better light,  as it should make a nice new card.

Icicles and spray - Crummock Water.

The ice was superb today. Slippery underfoot, but the waterfall off Mellbreak was great. Also, because if the wind the waves were being whipped up and rolling down the lake - where they met the shore they spray froze instantly!

Round Crummock Water walk

With a similar forecast to yesterday the tops were out of question, so we went back to Buttermere and this time walked around Crummock Water. There were very few people out and the ground was pleasantly frozen - it would have been distinctly boggy otherwise. Superb views and nice to see a wheater - maybe spring isn't too far off!

Looking down Crummock Water as we drove down to Buttermere.

Gorgeous belted-Galloway cattle.

Cold but glorious.

Looking up Crummock Water towards Buttermere.

Looking back up Crummock Water from the southern end.