Great Sca Fell, Knott and Meal Fell

Another hot day, so we decided to stay local and go up Great Sca Fell, then onto Knott before descending onto Meal Fell, then back up onto Great Sca Fell. We parked up at Green Head as we knew there would be plenty of space and followed the track up Charleton Gill - which is a lovely easy way to get into the fells. It was, as I said, hot - rather too hot - but being peaty underfoot it was a treat to walk in the dry and there was still some standing water, so Rocky could cool down. 

From Little Sca Fell with Longlands and Lowthwaite Fell in the centre and the flanks of  Brae Fell on the right. 

Looking across to Skiddaw.

Happy dog! 

Looking down onto Meal Fell. 

Lunch spot on Meal Fell.

Wheatear.

From the track down Charleton Gill, back up towards Great Sca Fell. 

Looking back down Charleton Gill towards Aughertree Fell. 

Back on the fell....

A warm walk  - hard work. But good to be out and although Lank Rigg, Crag Fell and Grike aren't the most spectacular of fells, it was good... a nice walk. Rocky was very happy! Lank Rigg was a slog, but the walk over Whoap and then onto Crag Fell yielded fabulous views. The Bog Asphodel on the way up onto Grike made the day ...

From the flanks of Lank Rigg...looking west.

The tarn Rocky fell in at Lank Rigg.

From Lank Rigg looking onto Whoap Fell.

Happy Rocky...

Looking up Ennerdale from Crag Fell...and below.

Pillar and Steeple.

Spectacular Bog Ashodel.......

Descending from Grike....

Solway Sabellaria

Low tide and a potentially nice morning, so off down to the Sabellaria reef in the Solway. Sabellaria or the Honey-comb Worm forms a unique landscape that is home to a wide range of marine life. 

Looking across to Criffel in Scotland. 

A dropping tide....

Sabellaria reef with Bread-crumb sponges.

Clear and warm water....

More Saballaria and Bread-crumb Sponges.

Close up of the honey-comb structures of the reef. 

Dahlia Anemone; decorating itself with shell fragments - for camouflage. 

Not a great picture, but the Dahlia Anemone had its tentacles out - the wind was blowing at this stage and the sun wasn't out. 

Spider-crab sp. 

Sea Scorpion; Corkwing Wrasse and a lovely Great Pipe-fish. 

Time to depart. 

Swineside water

A run out up to Swineside - along the ever deteoriating track! With a new project in mind, and knowing full well that I don't use my camera to its maximum potential, I had a play around with the water....and have bought a manual as I do like a physical book rather than hunting through instructions on a phone! 

The scenery wasn't too shabby either....

Looking up the Caldew.

Bog Asphodel and Bell Heather.

Bog Asphodel.

Watery experiments

While Tom and Natalie were here, Tom kindly let me have a go with his underwater camera - an Olympus OM-tough TG7. Things have moved on a long way since we last put a camera below the surface! No more sealing O rings...loading film. Sadly, I was using it in Caldbeck pond and the river by the carpark - not that they aren't a lovely place - just not the Maldives! Good enough though to get a feel of the capapbilites and ease of use .... and yes, it's on my Wish List! 

Caldbeck Pond....under and over ...

In the river ....

Caddis case....and Mayfly nymph.

..and general pics ...and below....

Roots...

More Damsels and Dragons

As dense drizzle descends this morning, it seems more than a couple of days ago that we were down on Wedholme - a return trip to photograph dragonflies. Despite it only being a week since our previous visit the colours are changing as the bog 'purples-up'. 

Across to Skiddaw...purpling-up.

Common Blue Damselfly. 

Female Black Darter.

Female Emerald Damselfly.

Male Emerald Damselfly.

Small Skipper. 

Zoomed in to the most colourful patch of bog ...and there was no way of getting closer....

Autmnal colours ....