A Hot Summer's Day Walk In The Rusland Valley

 A gentle walk from Oxen Park,via Rusland Mosses and Haybridge Nature Reserve.

A quiet country lane edged with foxgloves leads away from Oxen Park where we started our walk

 Coniston Old Man just visible in the distance; haytiming in full swing close by.

Several Buzzards flew off, disturbed by our approach along Heald Brow

Looking back at our route, Heald Brow to the right

Don't you just hate it when the footpath you are following has been blocked off?
 

They can't stop us looking over the fence into the plantation at Whitestock Hall though...

  .... where we spotted a herd of deer grazing. 

They heard us approaching though & disappeared amongst the trees.

You might just be able to make one out in the middle of the photo, if you squint hard enough.

We were permitted to wander through the woods on Glass Knott however....

... where the fresh green of new bracken under the shade of the trees, gave us a welcome respite from the hot summer sun.

From Glass Knott, heading towards Rusland Hall I spotted this lovely house.

Some garden escapee Turk's Cap lilies flourishing beside the road, putting on a lovely display of colour.

The bees, however, preferred the foamy, nectar rich clusters of flowers on our native Meadowsweet.

On we walked through wildflower meadows, brimming with feathery grasses, wild orchids and an abundance the purple flowers of Great Burnet. 
The bees and butterflies were working overtime amongst this lot.

 Crossing Rusland Pool via a small footbridge, although the water was so low a bridge wasn't really necessary today!

An collection of skulls makes an unusual window ledge display and an alternatively coloured postbox caught my eye. 

Just prior to entering into Rusland Mosses nature reserve is the beautiful Rusland Hall

 

Crossing over Rusland Pool Bridge we disturbed a heron...

...who perched on a nearby branch, glaring at us for the intrusion!

 

 

Passing through Rusland Moss and Hulleter Moss on wooden walkways, we found ourselves in Hay Bridge Nature Reserve, home to the John Strutt Conservation Foundation.

http://www.haybridgereserve.org.uk/Index.html

 

We spent quite some time watching dragonflies and damselflies flitting about. Particularly fascinating was the aptly named "Beautiful Demoiselle" damselfly.

Stunning isn't it?

A little way from the nature reserve, heading towards Bouth, we came unexpectedly upon Black Beck Tarn which was brimming with water lilies.

Finally, we set off back towards Oxen Park, where we had left the car; taking in a view of the Lakeland Fells along the way.

As we rounded the final bend in the road we were pretty amazed to find an Adder making its way across the road in front of us. I just managed a quick, slightly blurry photo before it slithered back into the grass verge.

Thanks for visiting my photoblog, I hope you enjoyed the walk!

Red Screes

A moderate to strenuous 8 mile hike from Ambleside, returning along the Scandale Valley.

Aptly named; at least for me, on this occasion!

Setting off from Ambleside, the route follows the steep Kirkstone Road for the first part of the walk.

A view of the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, at the foot of Loughrigg Fell.

Wansfell Pike

Some helpful sheep showing us the way to the footpath

This way to the fells....

 Windermere, calm as a millpond in the early morning light

Rydal Water

Heron Pike

Fairfield Horseshoe

http://thesebootsrmade4walkin.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/fairfield-horseshoe.html

Bog Cotton under the bluest of blue summer skies

Can't resist the picturesque Rydal Water

Kirkstone Pass

Suddenly finding ourselves looking down from Snarker Moss, onto the Kirkstone Pass Inn, the highest in Cumbria. The Pass itself going away to the right and "The Struggle" wandering down back to Ambleside.

http://www.kirkstonepassinn.com/

Red Screes

Red Screes summit. Brothers Water with Place Fell behind it.

Hart Crag in the foreground, Frostwick & Ill Bell middleground, Harter Fell & Kentmere Pike in the background

I think I'm correct in saying this is an Emperor Dragonfly, but I'm willing to stand corrected!

Descending now into Scandale Pass, looking back up at Red Screes

Scandale Valley, looking towards Windermere

Sheep fold in the Scandale Valley

Looking back up the Scandale Valley, towards Little Hart Crag

Looking forward to the welcome shade of High Sweden Coppice

High Sweden Bridge, a 17th Century packhorse bridge which spans Scandale Beck

The intriguing folly known as "The Tower of Beauty and Friendship", in the grounds of Eller How, Ambleside

And finally, a most welcome cold beverage at the Golden Rule

http://www.goldenrule-ambleside.co.uk/site.html

Thanks for looking at my photoblog, hope you've enjoyed it!