2026-june

Monday Buzzard Kestrel Jackdaw Rook Crow Magpie Chaffinch Redstart Blackbird Swallow House Martin Swift Swan Mallard Great Tit Black headed Gull Herring Gull Tuesday Oystercatcher Heron Grey Wagtail Robin Dunnock Wren Goldfinch Reed bunting Song Thrush Canada goose Greylag goose Cormorant Sand piper Sand martin Wednesday Meadow pippit Raven House sparrow Skylark Pied Wagtail Thursday… Read more

We packed up the car, then went over to Ullswater and Aira Force. We walked up one side of the valley and back down the other – the falls were all nicely full of water. There were several bridges across the beck, which gave excellent vantage points. We had our picnic lunch on a convenient… Read more

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain… Forecast for all day… We went up to Keswick Town Museum, which has all the usual dusty things in glass cases. But one very unusual thing was a lithophone, made of tuned pieces of slate – and we were not just permitted but encouraged to play it! Although I should… Read more

Apparently it absolutely hoiked it down last night, but it didn’t bother us! The forecast for the morning was passing showers and brighter in the afternoon. It was actually quite breezy, but no rain, and glorious after lunch. We headed out of town towards Walla Crag – a steady climb through lovely woods and alongside… Read more

The forecast was for thundery showers, so we decided to stay low and in the woods – a full circuit of Derwent Water was spot on! In the end, the showers didn’t really get going until we were nearly back to Keswick, but it made up for lost time with some splendid thunder, and fierce… Read more

We left home soon after 10, and were at Langwathby (near Penrith) at exactly the right time for our pub lunch. We started our walk at the next village along, and followed the Eden River (and the settle-carlisle railway) through beautiful woods. The route ran along the old mining track, so it was straightforward walking… Read more