Boulder with Rainsborrow Crag beyond Natural sculptures, made by the elements and alive to them. Throughout the dale there are frost-riven boulders like this one cleft into four with light piercing through splits in the rock.
East of the river, Rainsborrow Crag rises above adits tunnelled into the fell, above scree slopes. A peregrine calls from high above the crag and a brief shower makes the air cooler.
Scree slopes or spoil from quarrying, it's hard to tell.
East of the river, Rainsborrow Crag rises above adits tunnelled into the fell, above scree slopes. A peregrine calls from high above the crag and a brief shower makes the air cooler.
Scree slopes or spoil from quarrying, it's hard to tell.
This boulder is striking in itself, and in its setting. Was it crafted by man? Ridiculous thought. Nothing can enhance what nature creates and the elements breathe life into it, through season and through time. The light constantly changes, bleaching lichens on its southern face, sheltering those in niches to the north. It sits low on the fellside and my each shift of position gives a fresh perspective of the landscape.
Throughout Kentmere there's a fusion of nature and man's influence in the landscape. And I like to tease out the story. In all these images you can see it- stone gathered to build walls, to make a sheep fold. Here beside the River Kent is a fold of traditional design: circles to gather the flock from the fell, then a smaller enclosure debouching into a pool where shepherds could wash their sheep. Patterns of farming have changed and sheep folds are of the past. The first lambs appear lower in the dale and as we head up the valley we pass the farmer from Brockstones driving out to feed his Rough Fell flock. Judy spies a line of ewes heading up the fellside and I'm reminded of a gathering I watched, as the farmers of the dale brought their flocks down from Kentmere Common. I'd completed a walk, bought eggs from Brow Top Farm where the farmer's wife told me her husband was out at a gathering. So I headed back up the dale to look and listen. Can't resist a gathering.
Throughout Kentmere there's a fusion of nature and man's influence in the landscape. And I like to tease out the story. In all these images you can see it- stone gathered to build walls, to make a sheep fold. Here beside the River Kent is a fold of traditional design: circles to gather the flock from the fell, then a smaller enclosure debouching into a pool where shepherds could wash their sheep. Patterns of farming have changed and sheep folds are of the past. The first lambs appear lower in the dale and as we head up the valley we pass the farmer from Brockstones driving out to feed his Rough Fell flock. Judy spies a line of ewes heading up the fellside and I'm reminded of a gathering I watched, as the farmers of the dale brought their flocks down from Kentmere Common. I'd completed a walk, bought eggs from Brow Top Farm where the farmer's wife told me her husband was out at a gathering. So I headed back up the dale to look and listen. Can't resist a gathering.
This ice-cleft boulder has a topping of heather where sheep cannot reach to graze. I love the deep, rich colours of heather in winter. The rock was patterned with various lichens: a rich and diverse habitat.
We were puzzled to see how low water-levels were in Kentmere Reservoir and could not account for it.
We were puzzled to see how low water-levels were in Kentmere Reservoir and could not account for it.
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