Blea Tarn and the Langdale Pikes 6 July Flora followed water as we came off Lingmoor. Where water had been. The bed of the beck was stone-dry but water had followed its channel and the yellow stars of bog asphodel grew thickly in every boggy hollow. A blaze of bell heather in deep purple adorned the banks of the beck. Ericas intermingled, cross-leaved heath, heather and bell heather resplendent. Sundews grew angry red in pale sphagnum moss where the merest hint of water sustained them. Distracted by a wealth of flowers, I strayed from our descent line.
We were intent on flowers, thrilled by discovery. And abundance. A wonder of cross-leaved heath rose thick in a hummock, pink flowers already fading under the hot sun. Flowering solely for a day, solely. Solar flowering- fast-forwarded by the sun and all over in a day. New rich-red shoots heather attracted us. Last summer in Colonsay and now on Lingmoor. The beck plunged into a gully in a tumble of dry stones. We hadn't planned on gill scrambling. A family of stonechat called in the bracken that rose above us. Fritillaries and white butterflies. To keep clear of high bracken we went into the stony bed of the beck, wary of twisting an ankle. An overhanging rowan barred our way so we stepped up over loose shingle steeply onto grass. Terrain so rough our progress was imperceptible and the gully hid the wider landscape.
Last time I came this way it must have been autumn or spring. I was not distracted by flowers and butterflies and, being alone, I was more careful. Now high summer bracken concealed the line I'd hoped to follow. I had led my friends astray, but it was worth it. An adventure shared.
Last time I came this way it must have been autumn or spring. I was not distracted by flowers and butterflies and, being alone, I was more careful. Now high summer bracken concealed the line I'd hoped to follow. I had led my friends astray, but it was worth it. An adventure shared.
Ironically, I had suggested this was the easier route. It might have been, had we not been led astray by a glory of flowers and butterflies. Heat-wave and drought parch the landscape, so the hidden gems we found along our way were the more memorable. There's a sense of fragility and resilience beyond our understanding. An awareness of the distinction between weather and climate change and how they interact in this long, hot summer.
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