Pandemic Peregrinations: Scout Scar, Cumbria, Winter
Today, it really felt like spring is on its way.
This week has been extremely wet, Saturday in particular, so it was a veritable relief when Sunday emerged with blue skies and bright sun. We quickly took the opportunity to get outside for a solid wander towards, and around, Scout Scar, clocking up nearly 8-miles of hiking all in all.
Lisabet’s research had identified a slightly different route up Scout Scar than the one we usually took, and it was rather beautiful.
Birds were singing their little lungs out, snowdrops and crocuses were blooming, and we even saw some erect shoots of daffodils. Spring is coming.
We completed the day with a tasty reward from Joey’s Café.
It felt great to get out in a Blue Sky day.
Photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using both my Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens and Laowa 9mm f/2.8 lens. Developed using a variety of RNI’s Kodachrome film profiles.
The Ring o’ Bells pub in Kendal, definitely seen better days. It’s one of the few pubs in Britain that’s built on Consecrated ground.
You can find this sculpture alongside the A6 in Hawesmead Park. Created by Andy Levy, it symbolises racial equality and friendship.
Romney’s pub in Kendal. Said to be haunted by a ghost called Agnes; the rumour goes that she’s the great great aunt of US Senator Mitt Romney.
We had to stop and take photos of this wonderful tree proudly displayed in someone’s front garden. No idea what type it is, looks like some sort of eucalyptus. Any ideas?
We came off the A6 onto the small country lane towards Helsington Laithes. This gorgeous Listed cottage featured a beautiful garden; so pleasantly English and idyllic that I had to stop for a photo.
Beyond Helsington Laithes we crossed the fields near Warriner’s Woods and made our way through Helsington Barrows towards the cliffs of Scout Scar.
A beautifully constructed drystone wall with a small aperture that caught my eye.
Up onto the cliffs of Scout Scar, where I first fell in love with Cumbria. I spotted this wee little tree making a life of its own down the steep cliffs of Scout Scar.
The cliffs of Scout Scar south of Hodgson’s Leap are some of the most dramatic in this landscape. I wanted to emphasise the sheer drop towards the valley floor.
Like a giant has taken a good ol’ bite out of the landscape.
Moving north towards Hodgson’s Leap. I waited for some fellow morning hikers to enter the frame in order to provide perspective of Scout Scar’s cliffs.
I love the way limestone geology can provide some of the most dramatic landscapes.
Near Hodgson’s Leap the cliffs break up more, but are no less precipitous.
Looking back the way we came, once we’d reached Hodgson’s Leap. The day was clear enough to be able to make out the Kent Estuary as it flows out into Morecambe Bay.
A panoramic perspective of our cliff top walk.
A challenge I enjoy doing on Scout Scar is finding interesting compositions involving the fell’s naked ash trees.
Heading back down Brigsteer Road there’s a line of trees I love taking photos of, totally covered in moss and vines.
See? Gorgeous trees.
Lisabet queued up at Joey’s Café to get some tasty treats, so I went wandering around the area looking for compositions with my ultra wide 9mm lens.
Up on Stricklandgate Bridge I saw this elderly gentleman enjoying some time with the local birds and feeding them.
One of Kendal’s largest stores, Beales, fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was already doing poorly in any case; the pandemic was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. At least the open windows showing a depressingly empty department store have been covered up with some creativity.
The Shakespeare Pub, next door to the Master’s House Tea Room. Through the yard is the Shakespeare Centre, a meeting hall. Formerly the Shakespeare Theatre, it was Kendal’s first purpose built theatre in 1829.