October 2020: More Showers, Rainbows, and Big Clouds.

The view from Castlebarrow.

The title pretty much sums it up. Photos from lots of different local walks, taken during the second half of October. I was aware that some people were beginning to travel a little further afield for their exercise, but somehow my own radius of activity seemed to shrink to local favourite spots not too far from the village.

Crepuscular rays on the Bay.

Rainbow over The Lots

This is my mate D and his pug. I often meet him when I’m out for a local walk. I think I’ve mentioned before how much bumping into neighbours whilst out and about has helped during the lockdown in all of it guises.

The sun dips towards the sea, from Castle Barrow.

I can’t remember exactly when this happened – let’s assume it was October: I bumped into a chap carrying a fair bit of camera gear in Eaves Wood. He asked if he was going the right way to the Pepper Pot. He was. I saw him again on the top. It turned out he’s working on a book, one in a series, about where to take photos from in the North-West. Based in Lancaster, he’d never been to the Pepper Pot before. Funny how that can happen. Cloud had rolled in and the chances of a decent sunset looked a bit poor. I saw him again, a few weeks later, this time he’d set up his camera and tripod a little further West, in a spot I’d suggested. I hope he got his sunset.

A paper round rainbow. Just prior to a proper drenching.

TBH in Eaves Wood.

Among all the changes which Natural England have been carrying out at Gait Barrows – raising the water level, felling trees, removing fences, putting up new fences in other places etc, they’ve also renovated this old summer house by Hawes Water. Presently, it’s still locked, but eventually it will be an information centre and a vantage point to look out over the lake.

Around this time, TBH started to take a regular weekend walk together around Jenny Brown’s Point. It was interesting to watch the channel from Quicksand Pool change each week and to contrast the weather and the tides each week.

Traveller’s Joy by Jenny Brown’s Point.

From Castlebarrow, heavy showers tracking in from The Bay.

Late sun from Castlebarrow again.

The lights of Grange from The Cove.

Sunrise from our garden.

TBH by the Pepper Pot on Castlebarrow.

Post sunset from Castlebarrow.

The last of the light from The Cove.

Silverdale Moss from the rim of Middlebarrow Quarry. It had just finished raining, or was just about to rain, or probably both.

Autumnal birches with a rainbow behind.

The Shelter Stone Trowbarrow Quarry.

Leighton Moss from Myer’s Allotment.

The Copper Smelting Works Chimney near Jenny Brown’s and more heavy showers.

Jenny Brown’s Cottages.

The Bay from The Cove on a very grey day!

Cows in the rain.

The brown cow at the back here is a bull. I’d walked through the fields on Heald Brow where they were grazing a few times and he’d never batted an eyelid. But on this day he and a few of his harem where stationed in a gateway. I was considering my options and wondering whether to turn back, but when I got within about 50 yards the bull suddenly started to run. At quite a canter. Fortunately, it was away from me and not towards – he was obviously even more of a wuss than me!

A White-lipped Snail – the rain isn’t universally disliked.

Clougha across the Bay.

Little Egret.

The yellow feet are a good distinguishing feature.

Picnic lunch – apple, mushroom soup and a selection of cheeses.

I decided that the best way to make the most of sometimes limited windows at weekends was to head out in the middle of the day and to eat somewhere on my walk. This bench overlooking the Kent Estuary was a particular favourite. Haven’t been there for a while now – must rectify that.

The tide had heaped up fallen leaves in a long sinuous line.

Scot’s Pines on Arnside Knott.

Birches on Arnside Knott.

Whitbarrow from Arnside Knott.

River Kent from Arnside Knott.

A flooded Silverdale Moss from Arnside Knott. Ingleborough in the background

Arnside Tower.

Clouds catching late light.