Binsey oil painting

An oil (30cm x45cm) - the view from our nearest fell, Binsey, overlooking Bassenthwaite.

Buttermere - monthly visits and an oil.

We've said that we will walk around Buttermere every month this year and compare photographs through time over the year. In the meantime here's a 20cm x 50cm oil painting of the top end of the lake looking at Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks ....and a couple of photos from the year so far! I must admit I've found a photograph, by someone else, of  this view, in the snow and reflected in the lake - I am tempted to try to paint it!

The oil.

January....

February...

March ....

April.....

Whiteless Pike and Rannerdale bluebells.

A steep little climb up above Rannerdale to complete Rocky's 126th Wainwright - Whiteless Pike(660m). Fantastic views though across the whole of the Lake District....including Great Gable, the Scafells, Starling Dodd, Causey Pike, Pillar and even across to Blencathra and the Langdales.

Whiteless Pike. 

Clockwise from the top left: Rannerdale bluebells, Grasmore; Causey Pike and Rocky on Whiteless Pike summit.

A spectacular panorama across Buttermere and Crummock Water.

Looking down on the bluebells.

Rannerdale Bluebells

Once again the bluebells at Rannerdale on the side of Crummock Water put on splendid display!

Finglandrigg NNR

The weather was unpredictable with thunderstorms and hail showers rolling around the Solway today, so we decided on a short walk around Finglandrigg. Great to find some marsh fritillary caterpillars! Lots of gorse in flower and just a very pleasant walk.

Lady fern unfurls...

Turkey tail textures.

Gorse scent - coconut!

Lousewort and milkwort

The marsh fritillary field.

Marsh fritillary caterpillar.

Return of the Elephants

I've slacked off making handmade cards recently - just because of the time they take and to be honest there is minimal profit - but who can resist a few elephants!...

Above are the new version of the old cards....

Across the Solway

A quick painting this morning; deadlines for the summer shows are looking!

Great Gable from the back of Haystacks

It's a good job paintings of Great Gable seem to sell - otherwise we'd have a house full! My favourite mountain to look at but love Haystacks for the walk.

Lino printing course

A lovely morning spent with ladies - teaching lino cutting design and cutting skills. All are fired up now for next week and are keen to bring new designs....

Leeches and newts!

Following yesterday's excursion Click here to find fossils, we returned to Aughertree fell. A couple more species of fossil but we were able to confirm the palmate newt and saw some cracking male great-crested newts. Then we found what we think is a horse leech - awaiting confirmation...now confirmed!

Male and female palmate newts.

Horse leech...about 10cm when stretched out.

View over Uldale to Binsey.

Aughertree fossils

Following a previous visit to Aughertree fell Click here we returned today in slightly better weather! We found a total of 15 species ...and interestingly a definite flake of flint. Once again the five yard limestone yielded good, albeit small, specimens. We also recorded both great-crested, palmate newt and common toad.

The site .........

The exposure of the five yard limestone.

Fossils falling out of the rock/soil exposure where the sheep rub.

Fossils; crinoids, shells, corals and bryozoa -  and flint (bottom left-ish)

Palmate newts 

Great-crested newt.

Buttermere on a Bank Holiday

So we live in the Northern Lakes and know what bank holidays are like, but an early start, so we were in Buttermere for 8:45am meant we could park for free and there were few people around ...we walked round the lake and were back at the car for 11ish. Getting out of Buttermere was busy and I'd hate to see what it was like in the early afternoon. Still a lovely walk - just get there early if you are going this weekend!

Pied flycatchers - the bottom photo has male and female.

Red-breasted mergansers

Mandarin duck - no idea what it was doing there! 

A friendly nesting robin at Gatesgarth farm...while we enjoyed our ice cream! 

Gosforth Norse Cross and Cork Oak

A quick stop in at this lovely church, which opened in 1899,to see the Norse Cross that celebrates the victory of Christ over the Heathen Gods - quite spectacular. There is also a cork oak tree - the furthest north in Europe for this species. There was a church service going on at the time - otherwise I'd have gone into the church ...time for another visit.

Gosforth Church.

The cork oak ....so reminiscent of our trips to Extremadura in Spain.

The cross...

Detail on the church wall......

Wasdale circular walk

So today was Good Friday and the Lakes were heaving - we saw a whole five people and a dog on this lovely horseshoe, with cracking views across the Scafells and Great Gable! We parked at Greendale and took the track up to Middle Fell, then down and across to Seatallan before crossing Nether Wasdale to Tod Hole, Cat Bields, Buckstone and then onto the craggy top of Buckbarrow before descending to the road and a short road walk back to Greendale. That was another three Wainwrights for Rocky taking his total to 125. A great walk about 9 miles.

Moth trapping North Cumbria

Last night was the first trap of the year - not spectacular by any means, but good numbers of moths.

A good number of moths ...

Red chestnut and Hebrew Characters....

More Hebrew Characters! 

The score...

A beautiful streamer....