Pandemic Peregrinations: Unnamed Woods, Kendal, Cumbria, Spring
After a week where the spring rain finally arrived, it was good to get out and enjoy a warmer day, with a clear atmosphere, and gorgeous light.
After a week where the spring rain finally arrived, it was good to get out and enjoy a warmer day, with a clear atmosphere, and gorgeous light.
For the day’s Government Permitted Outdoor Exercise we returned to the woods around Bird’s Park Reservoir. The last time we visited, 2–3 weeks ago, we mentally bookmarked the woods for a return visit because we could see there would be lots of bluebells. After a week of passing showers, the great weather has returned, and as hoped the woods were full of bluebells.
The rain has also cleared the atmosphere of haze, so after popping out of the woods onto Paddy’s Lane, the views back to Kendal and the Lakeland fells beyond were beautifully clear.
All photos shot with my Fujifilm X-T2 in Provia mode using a Fujinon XC 16–50mm f/3.5–5.6 OIS lens. Edited in Capture One using a customised Provia 100f film emulation.
In other news
As of 9am on 2nd May, 182,260 people in the UK have tested positive for COVID-19 from the Coronavirus. As of 5pm on 1st May, of those tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, 28,131 have sadly died, a death rate of 15.43%.
May all those suffering find peace.
It feels so good to see leaves on the trees again.
As mentioned before, pictures here is Lisabet’s photo philosophy in practice: get close.
Spotted these beauties growing in someone’s rockery. Google reckons they’re Osteospermum, or “African Daisies”.
People working on their allotments, no doubt maintaining social distancing rules.
The fields above Kendal are showing lovely displays of dandelions at the moment.
Bluebells everywhere! Bonus points: soft dappled light dancing around the woods.
Beautiful bluebells, gorgeous light, and gnarly trees. Can’t really go wrong.
This is actually a rare image, because my lovely Lisabet actually requested to be photographed! So here she is, looking beautiful as always next to my favourite in these woods.
Popping out of the woods and looking back to the slopes above Kendal and the Lakeland fells beyond.
Following the drystone wall back up to Paddy’s Lane.
These are the sort of expansive views you get from Paddy’s Lane: Kendal nesting in its valley and the craggy profile of the Lake District fells beyond.
When I find a wall of some kind that flows with the rolling landscape, I take a picture.
Benson Knott (319 m/1047 ft), catching the late afternoon light.
Looking back down Paddy’s Lane with the Kentmere and Longsleddale fells in the distance.
I had to crop the photo in pretty tight, but still happy I managed to snap this busy little bumblebee.
Heading back into Kendal, a lamb enjoys the shade under a tree.
The ruins of Kendal Castle above Netherfield Cricket Club. Not a bad spot for a game of cricket, eh?
Lovely light striking the trees around the River Kent.
Despite the rain, the River Kent is still looking really dry.
Pandemic Peregrinations: Bird's Park Reservoir, Cumbria, Spring
The weather’s really been glorious in the last week or so. Thankfully, it’s made our daily One Government Sanctioned Outdoor Exercise Session Per Day a lot more pleasant.
The weather’s really been glorious in the last week or so. Thankfully, it’s made our daily One Government Sanctioned Outdoor Exercise Session Per Day a lot more pleasant.
About a week ago we ventured from our front door up towards Fisher Tarn, once dammed for use as a reservoir in the 19th century to support Kendal’s growing population and importance as a textile centre. During that walk, as part of consulting our map, we learned there was another nearby reservoir and vowed to visit on a future wandering.
Today was that day, and the reservoir in question is called Bird’s Park Reservoir.
This reservoir proved more difficult to access. In fact, we never actually saw the body of water, despite almost being upon it. The route to its dam was padlocked (no idea why), so we took the track to its northern tip. However, it seems that Bird’s Park Reservoir has long been abandoned, even though it’s still owned by United Utilities. Most access gates around the reservoir were rusting and padlocked, and the area was very much being reclaimed by nature.
Nevertheless, despite not actually being able to see the reservoir, we enjoyed a wonderful walk. The woods around the reservoir housed some beautiful trees, and in a month’s time will probably be full of bluebells. Above the reservoir is Paddy’s Lane, which we’ve hiked along before and offers enchanting views towards Kendal, its valley, and the Lakeland fells beyond.
In other news—as of the time of writing—78,991 have tested positive for COVID-19 from the Coronavirus in the UK, and 9,875 have died from it. May all those suffering find peace.
Miller Bridge in Kendal. The River Kent is extremely dry at the moment.
Stramongate Bridge and its weir. I’m ready for more leaves on the trees.
The views quickly open up once you pop out of East Kendal from Sandylands. The Lakeland fells start to become apparent too.
This is the pedestrian tunnel that crosses underneath the railway line. My lovely Lisabet here, demonstrating how low it is (she’s around 5ft 3in and had to hunch over).
High Jenkincrag Farm with Ashstead Fell (469 m/1,538 ft) in the distance. I liked the framing of this composition.
Looking back up at the farms along Paddy Lane from lower down on the Old Sedbergh Road. Love the criss-crossing of all the drystone walls.
I’m a sucker for a meandering drystone wall, especially if they’re undulating over the folds of the landscape.