Beckmickle Ing, Staveley, Lake District, Spring
It’s taken a little longer, but the bluebells have finally arrived.
After work recently, Lisabet and I hopped into the car and drove just a few miles up the A591 to Staveley, a Lake District village near Kendal. We had been recommended a walk near the village from my boss, due to the woodlands of bluebells in the area.
It did not disappoint.
The trail starts near the junction with the A591, a wooden sign points the way off the road towards the Dales Way. Just a few hundred metres down the path you enter a beautiful country lane, flanked either side by moss-covered drystone walls, with old trees providing shade to a beautiful carpet of bluebells.
Further around the hike, after crossing the footbridge near Cowan Head, you can explore arguably the showstopper of the walk: Beckmickle Ing woods (great name, btw). This wood provided Lisabet and I with one of the greatest displays of bluebells I’ve ever seen, never mind all the additional flowers such as the Wood Anemone (Anemonoides nemorosa) and finally some Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum).
For a quieter, away-from-the-crowds walk (especially in the spring), I can heartily recommend this one.
All photos shot on my Fujifilm X-T2 using a Samyang 35mm f/1.2 lens. The images are 85% SOOC (straight out of camera) using a customised Velvia film simulation, with some minor curve and saturation finishes in Lightroom and Affinity Photo.
The start of the trail, and a crackin’ evening to look forward.
Wonderful scenes across the valley.
Into this beautiful country lane we go, the small patch of bluebells below a signifier of things to come.
Towards the exit of this lane you’re greeted with a shock of purple below the trees. Bluebells everywhere.
Approaching Cowan Head, the light really starts to get golden.
A true spring Lakeland scene: this year’s lambs grazing underneath some crags on a hill.
After following the River Kent upstream and crossing the footbridge at Hagg Foot, we enter Beckmickle Ing woods. Already, the colours are getting considerably more verdant.
You’re always bound to fine at least one oddity in a British woodland.
A jaw-dropping scene, and Velvia did a wonderful job capturing all of colours and tones. One of the finest displays of bluebells I’ve ever seen.
Just stupendous. A veritable carpet or sea of bluebells.
After popping out of Beckmickle Ing woods we followed this minor road back towards the general direction of Staveley.
Another nearby woodland showed that, finally, wild garlic and its delicate white flowers were starting to bloom.
A much older tree, catching some sunset side light.
I loved how intense the sunset glow was on these leaves.
Back on the footpath to Staveley, a fleeting moment of strong golden light illuminates some distant trees and a barn.