Googling names on the map back home after an outing doubles the interest.
Last Sunday Gimmer and I walked up Littledale, on the northern edges of the Bowland hills.
Google revealed a twitcher who had visited recently recording this list:
Red Grouse 3
Pheasant 8
Red-legged Partridge 3
Grey Heron 1
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Merlin 1
Common Gull 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2
Wood pigeon 10
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Jay 2
Magpie 5
Jackdaw 33
Rook 23
Carrion Crow 9
Goldcrest 11
Blue Tit 14
Great Tit 12
Coal Tit 17
Skylark 8
Long-tailed Tit 14
Nuthatch 1
Treecreeper 1
Wren 9
Ring Ouzel 1
Blackbird 4
Fieldfare 20
Song Thrush 2
Redwing 97+
Mistle Thrush 9
Robin 13
Dunnock 4
Pied Wagtail 3
Meadow Pipit 4
Chaffinch 42
Greenfinch 1
Goldfinch 10
Siskin 18
Lesser Redpoll 7
Common Crossbill 1
Now, who’s kidding who? I think he must have spent a year up there.
Littledale Hall (1849 - Grade 11 listed), an interesting example of gothic Victorian architecture, evoked images of comfortable genteel farming. It turns out to be:
Strangely the website is silent on the status of this enterprise CLICK HERE as a charity or profit making organisation, nor does it name any of the personnel, or give any hint of fees charged.
At the end of our walk Gimmer was introduced to Geocaching at Baines Cragg close to where we had parked the car. There are varied reactions to Geocaching by newcomers and I wasn’t sure about Gimmer, but I was well pleased when he located the Tupperware box and not me, especially as it was not an easy find - I had given up on it when I heard the triumphant shout - perhaps Gimmer may be motivated to continue, employing more science considering his background.
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| Littledale Hall (and below) |
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| Strange repair to gate merited a mysterious award (see next pic) |
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| For more info go to CLICK HERE |
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| This gate has a de-luxe construction with stainless steel bolts, but let down by... |
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| ...this |
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| Moi - very close to the Geocache at Baines Crag |
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| The view from Baines Crag - our route up Littledale extends behind the clump of trees ----------------------------- This post was achieved under difficult conditions whilst childminding granddaughter Katie (chickenpox - BUT NOT POORLY WITH IT - in fact very active!) |
Hall
I examined and re-examined the pic captioned "Moi." convinced that it was Gimmer rather than you. Confused memories arose: once you were both in the Scouts where the uniforms must have ensured some sort of shared resemblance. Now, it seems, Nature is working towards that end. The Not-So-Odd Couple, perhaps. Or The Gore Tex Twins. Have you ever thought of a joint blog where each of you supplies alternate letters. I'm sure your Mac devices would assist such a coming together.
ReplyDeleteRR -Gor-tex be damned. That is Paramo. Far superior.
ReplyDeleteI originally bought the smock version (no zip) which I found overwhelmingly irritating in donning and doffing, but it had cost so much I couldn’t thoil to buy the zip jacket. Then I had a blur moment. I mean, I entered the shop in Braemar and came out twenty minutes later with the zip jacket and my bank account £200 or so lighter, and no recollection of what had happened in that brief period.
One winter’s day I was following a guy along Swirral Edge (the twin arm of Striding Edge on Hellvellyn). He slipped and went off down the steep snow slope. His Gor-tex jacket appeared to have been designed specifically for frictionless acceleration on snow. That was one of two helicopter rescues I witnessed that day.
The joint blog? I don’t think so.
nor me
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDidn't someone put up a load of award plaques on gates around Silverdale a few years ago?
ReplyDeleteThey then seemed to disappear gradually.
David Shinn - hi, welcome to the blog. Thanks for your reply to my email.
ReplyDeleteI have lived in Arnside for 13 years now and have walked locally on a regular basis but don't remember such plaques. I will ask around.
A lovely old gate, somewhat marred by having the placard affixed to its face.
ReplyDeleteMike M - I don't understand why you have made this comment on this post when I directed you to the World War 2 references in the comments on my later post - "Geocaching - not for the faint hearted". Either you overlooked that post or you were making a deliberate point to avoid the question.
ReplyDeleteNo offense meant, Sir Hugh. I did read your post and comments above, and the stark reasons for Remembrance Day were made yet more clear to me. I have reviewed your comments on TONE DEAF and see no question stated, at least not obviously enough for me. I continues down your blog and found myself fascinated with this award business, the lovely gates and walls and countryside. I'm a carpenter and I've put in many posts with hinges,so of course immediately wanted to repair the deficient specimen pictured. I also checked out the awarding entity's website, which was not very functional. Good to know these treasures are appreciated, but would rather see the placard less visually jarring. A bit like putting a blue ribbon directly on the canvas.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply which clears up my conclusion jumping, and I aplogise for my harsh reaction. some of that stemmed from an unrelated encounter on the same subject and I was feeling a bit sensitive about it all.
I’m interested to hear about your involvement with carpentry. I built two boats a few years ago using wood framework and ply/glasscloth constructions. It was hardly precision work but it gave me a good deal of satisfaction. I may do a post about them with some photos so keep tuned.
I've been carpentering for 35 years..10 year informal apprenticeship Built a few houses during that time, but have mostly worked alone since doing renovations, additions, repairs, etc.One of my more interesting recent projects entailed "marrying" a lumber framed porch to a rustic log cabin. There is a photo of the coupling on my blog (search MIA Born Free). I have not built a boat, but I'm familiar with the fabric/resin technique. I own an instructional book for building Kayaks using this method.....no wooden frame, just cut the ply to pattern, drill edges and stitch with string or wire, then cloth and epoxy. I am a kayaker, I own a couple plastic boats, and I sail on both AMF Sailfish and Sunbird. My email is edsbath@hotmail.com., in case you want to converse w/o going through the blog hoops.
ReplyDeleteAs to the Paramo incident I am reminded of the old saw: Speak to me of outrageously expensive impulse buys and I'll say there goes a salesman... off the leash.
ReplyDeleteThe rest is totally forgotten. In some respects you know more about MikeM than I do.