July

In the last couple of weeks I have visited two places that I have not been to before. Having spent my childhood near the sea I always enjoy going to the coast but I had never been to Drigg just south of Sellafield. It was amazing, long stretches of beautiful beach with sand dune cliffs. We walked through the dunes to the Irt estuary where we were excited to see two egrets. Drigg village has its own railway station with a manned level crossing and the platforms have beautiful mature gardens looked after by the lovely owner of a craft shop and coffee stop at the station. It was one of those special days.

I had always wanted to find Doctor Bridge at Eskdale but none of the walks I had done in the area had included it. I think it was probably the name that fascinated me – why was a bridge called Doctor Bridge? I found a useful little pamphlet with a nice circular walk that included Doctor Bridge starting at La’al Ratty terminus at Dalegarth, always a fun day out. It is a very attractive packhorse bridge that apparently Edward Tyson, a surgeon, had widened in 1734 so that his pony and trap could go across!

In my last blog I referred to the National Trust’s purchase of Brackenthwaite Hows. Following local concerns the National Trust met with residents to discuss their plans. If you are interested Roger Hiley has put an excellent report on their Loweswatercam website.

It is getting to the time of year for one of my favourite hedgerow flowers, meadowsweet: I can post a picture but not its beautiful scent. The foxgloves are also looking very upstanding at the moment, I took this picture along the lane looking towards Melbreak.

Harebells next month!