Hawes Bridge, Kendal, Cumbria, Summer
COVID-19 is in da house.
2 years and 3 months after the initial UK-wide Lockdown announcement, my poor Lisabet has contracted the virus.
She’s being quarantined in the bedroom, door shut, windows open, and donning a mask whenever I need to go in to deliver brews or food.
She’s coping well but the coughing does not sound nice.
As I’m transitioning between jobs at the moment, I actually have a bit of free time before I start at my new position. Thankfully this means I’m able to be useful in the house and help look after her.
Today, Lisabet insisted I make use of this week’s mini-heatwave and head out for a nice waltz in nature. So I did. A good 7-mile circular jaunt from Kendal town centre to a local favourite and back, Hawes Bridge.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm ƒ/2.8–ƒ/3.8 and a Laowa 9mm ƒ/2.8 prime. Images made 90% in-camera using Øyvind Nordhagen’s OWH Daylight Fujifilm recipe, gently finished off in Affinity Photo.
A grey heron (Ardea cinerea) standing in the middle of the River Kent, waiting for lunch. I love when they adopt this more “hunched” stance; sort of makes them look like a grumpy old man in the rain.
Looking back at the heavily overgrown path I was following all the way to Scroggs Wood.
Beyond Scroggs Wood the trail heads through the open fields alongside the River Kent. It’s at this point that pollen from all the grass really starts to wreak havoc with my sinuses.
Like a beautiful bonsai tree, but bigger.
The clear way to the falls at Hawes Bridge.
Above Hawes Bridge falls lots of teeny falls trickle into the river from the fields above.
The gorge around Hawes Bridge is proper lush with flowers and vegetation. And insects. And pollen.
Hawes Bridge falls, looking a lot tamer and smaller with the lack of rain in recent months.
Thousands of years of erosion because of this waterfall have carved overhangs above the river. Be careful near the edge.
Bumble bees happily lapping up the pollen on all the flowers in the gorge. My sinuses and eyeballs were not has happy with all the pollen.
The gorge is lush and verdant, framed nicely underneath Hawes Bridge.
On goes the ultra-wide lens to really feature some of the shapes in the limestone carved by the waterfall.
Through the bridge I zoomed in deeper into the gorge, looking almost jungle-esque.
I hopped on top of Hawes Bridge for some compositions looking down into the deep dark gorge.
The other side of the gorge towards the falls. You can see how the waterfall has carved shelves and ledges.
Spider webs? No. These are probably from ermine moth caterpillars, created as a form of protection. Creepy-looking, eh?
Back out of the gorge, I elected to follow the footpath along the A591 all the way back into Kendal. I knew this route would be windier and keep the bugs away. And help cool me down.
This beautiful cottage at Prizet sits just alongside the A591.
As I near Kendal, this scene reminds me that—in Cumbria—you’re never far away from the countryside.
The ruins of Kendal Castle sitting above Lound Road.