Wednesday 9 June 2021

And Then the Sun Came Out

A little later than usual, courtesy of a mainly overcast May, but the lanes and pathways are overflowing with Cow Parsley, Clover and Buttercups and, for the time being at least, it looks like the sunny weather is here to stay. And, better still, it coincided with my week off work. I had a lovely week and it was just what I needed, especially after feeling under the weather beforehand. Time spent relaxing at home, as well as days out, making the most of the warm weather. I really feel as though I've been away on holiday.








Our first day out included a walk up Blea Rigg from Grasmere. A few weeks back you might remember Lily and I walked up to Easedale Tarn then on up to Tarn Crag. This walk followed the same path to begin with but ascended the opposite side of the tarn to the fell beyond. It was a beautiful, hot day and Lily had fun cooling off in the tarn on our way back to the village, where, of course, we treated ourselves to another ice cream. I also treated myself to some new biscuit cutters from the Herdy shop. Because who wouldn't want a biscuit in the shape of a sheep. 🐑 





The following day we enjoyed a slightly later start and went for a walk through the woods. The light is beautiful in there now, when the sunlight filters thorough the leaves, and there is still a strong smell of Wild Garlic in the air even though the flowers are just beginning to fade. In the evening we went to the the beach and enjoyed a chippy tea. 



Mid-week, we set off early again to find ourselves a deserted spot by the lake for some paddle boarding. Even as the morning went on, it remained fairly quiet, which was a pleasant surprise after everything I had read about the Lakes being inundated with visitors. Perhaps it was, but just not where we were. And now that the water has had the chance to 'warm up' a little, we enjoyed a quick swim, something we have missed doing regularly during the last year. I think we will be swimming at the lake for much of the summer now, though I'm not yet brave enough try it at any other time of year.




Once again, we are participating in 30 Days Wild. Every June we are encouraged to participate in random acts of wildness throughout the month. This year we have planted wildflower seeds in the garden instead of vegetables, and it's wonderful to see how quickly they have grown. I can't wait to see them all in flower. One of the suggestions in the challenge is to visit a local nature reserve, which was where we spent a lovely morning watching the dragonflies and damselflies by the pond. Disappointingly, we didn't find any lizards on this occasion but I was more than happy not to encounter any adders, which have apparently been spotted there recently. 






Our last day out of the week was a walk up to Glenridding Dodd, then on up to Sheffield Pike. Two small fells on the western shores of Ullswater. These can be climbed from Glenridding itself but we took a lesser known route up through the trees which opened up to reveal some beautiful views of the lake below. 

This week has seen us return to work and school and I'm beginning to get my voice back - at last. Much to my relief but not necessarily everyone else's :) In the garden the strawberries are beginning to ripen and in the lanes the elderflower are almost ready for gathering. Summer is on it's way and I can't wait. 

J. X




50 comments:

  1. Your photos are a joy, it is so nice to see the beauty that you live near. Such great places for walking, I am not brave enough for swimming. Indeed, who wouldn't want a sheep shaped biscuit lol!!

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    1. It's a beautiful playground, and we try to enjoy it whenever possible. X

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  2. Looks perfect...and you actually managed to avoid the crowds. Local knowledge must be key. :)
    I am loving all the cow parsley and buttercups that are out at the moment. :)

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    1. I'm not good with crowded places, so I choose very carefully where and when I visit. X

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  3. Thank you Jules (and Lily) for taking me with you on your beautiful walks and helping my imagination by posting p hotographs.

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  4. Good weather can make all the difference, can't it, especially when it coincides with some down time. It sounds like you had a lovely week, you're photos are wonderful, as always.

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    1. Thank you, Jo. A sunny week was just the tonic. Now, just five more weeks until the summer break :)

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  5. This sunshine and hot temperatures are very welcome after the miserable month of May we had. So glad you were feeling well enough to enjoy your week away from work. It all looks so beautiful and your photos are wonderful.

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    1. I relish warm, sunny days. I'm sure it must be down to me having been a summer baby. X

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  6. It was just fantastic weather for half term - that looks a lovely spot for paddle boarding and a swim. Glad your feeling better as well. Roll on the summer holidays now.

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    1. Thank you. Yes, just five more weeks of school. X

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  7. Glad for your sun, and your voice!

    She is wearing shorts. Do you have ticks/mosquitoes there? Here we should cover legs... Wear mosquito repellent... And check for ticks, when home again. -sigh-

    🌴 🌞 🌴

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    1. I'm always glad for sun :)
      Yes, there are ticks here, so I make sure to check carefully after any walks. X

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  8. Fab photos, glad you had a good week.

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  9. How beautiful, everywhere is awash with lovely greenery and the scenery is stunning, I wonder if you are like me when you go out walking, I can't stop taking photos it's as if I want to capture all the beauty and take it home with me. I'm glad you are feeling better and your voice is coming back. I can't believe it's a year since we were picking elderflowers how the time flies.

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    1. The countryside is looking very green all of a sudden. The rainy weather followed by the warm sunshine has seen everything growing rather rapidly. I can't wait for my first taste of elderflower cordial now. X

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  10. You know that saying "a picture is worth a 1000 words", well it's definitely true :) Our country is beautiful and you always capture that in your photos. It would be nice if the good weather was more consistent but maybe the fact these sunny days don't appear often makes it even more special when they do. I'm off to look up the 30 Days Wild challenges. xx

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    1. I think I've found myself making up for when we had to stay home for much of last year :)
      The 30 Days Wild challenge is great, as it encourages me to discover new ways to appreciate and care for the outdoors. Lily loves to be involved as well. X

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  11. After being largely absent from Blogland for a week or so it was lovely to return to see your countryside in sun. Particularly as today we have had low mist all day so that even the planes haven't arrived. Not having found any wild garlic I have ordered bulbs for next season only to find a friend's garden full of it. C'est la vie. I'll have my own next year though too. The Speckled Wood (I hope) was a good sighting. I haven't seen very many in recent years. I hope that this is the start of a wonderful summer for you.

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    1. Thank you, Graham. There is an abundance of wild garlic here. Even the car can be filled with the scent of it when I drive past a wooded area. I hope your bulbs will be successful, as it is so pretty when in flower.
      I hope we get some decent summer weather now, although I can't believe it will be the longest day in little over a week. X

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  12. Sounds like you've had a lovely week! How nice that the sun came out just when you were off from work and you got to enjoy going out on walks and even swim in the lake! I hope the wildflowers you planted in the garden will flower soon and you'll share pictures with us. :) Hope the sun keeps shining so you can enjoy many more days of being out and about during this summer.

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    1. Thank you, Bless, and I hope you're feeling okay still. It has been a wonderful week and I feel like my batteries have been re-charged. I'll be sure to share some photographs of the garden, as I think we will be getting some flowers during this coming week. X

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  13. Glad you had a good week off and were able to dodge the tourists. Your corner of England is so beautiful it’s no wonder they want to visit. I bet the lake was still very cold for swimming. Has it reached double digits yet? B x

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    1. There are always quiet places to visit here, as long as you know where to go.
      The water temperature is around a tropical 13 degrees :)

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  14. You sound rejuvenated - so happy for you! The views over the lake are spectacular!!

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    1. Thank you, Chris. I feel very relaxed after my week off. X

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  15. You chose a good week weather wise - we are in Scotland and the sun has been shining here too. It must be so therapeutic climbing the fells and swimming in the lakes. We have had a mix of gardening (and there is a lot to do here) and a few days out and about and I feel quite recharged.
    There are adders around this area - the village up the road has to have fences around the junior school to protect against adders - luckily I have not seen one yet as I have a terrible snake phobia - I always stamp my feet when going down the garden just in case!!

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    1. I hope you're enjoying your time at the cottage. I expect you'll be spending a lot of time in the garden if the weather is good.
      I've never given much thought to adders until recently, but I'd be quite happy to never see one. X

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  16. How wonderful! That lake looks gorgeous. It sounds magical.

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  17. How lovely - it did my heart good, looking at those photos. xx

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  18. Beautiful photos of a wonderful area, how lovely to live so close - hope it doesn't get too busy

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    1. I don't like crowds, so I tend to avoid the busy parts :)

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  19. Stunning photos, it's lovely to see some blue skies and sunshine after such a damp and grey May.
    Love the sound of sheep biscuit cutters and the 30 days of wildness sounds right up my street! xxx

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    1. Thank you, Vix. I saw the biscuit cutters on Instagram and I knew I just had to have some in my kitchen. X

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  20. I so enjoyed seeing all of your photographs, they are stunning.
    I certainly enjoyed my walk with you :)

    Have a lovely weekend.

    All the best Jan

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  21. Jules, you are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. I always enjoy seeing your photos.

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    1. Thank you, Nil. I like to get out and explore whenever I can. X

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  22. Wonderful pictures, thank you. You are inspiring me to get back out there 🥾🥾

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    1. Thank you Jayne. There are lots of quiet areas to explore. X

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  23. What amazing scenery, absolutely spectacular.. I bet that paddle was cold but it looked wonderful.

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    1. If I get in the lake for a swim, then you can be sure it isn't too chilly :)

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  24. I'm sorry you had to cancel your camping trip but it does look as if you've had some beautiful days out. Beautiful photos, as always, are making me consider another trip to the Lake District. I hope your feeling back up to full strength now. x

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    1. Cancelling our trip was a bit disappointing, but it was the right decision and I'm sure we'll have other opportunities. I am feeling a lot better now, thank you. Xx

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  25. What a lovely week off. So great to get out into wide open spaces and just breathe it all in. You have your fair share of sky there too! X

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    1. I like to spend as much time as possible outdoors. Fortunately, my week off coincided with some beautiful weather. X

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