Yellow Horned Poppy 13 July A summer ferry takes passengers from Roa Island out to Piel island, then across Piel Harbour to see the grey seals basking on shoals. A day of wonderful cloudscapes, a day to bask in the sun- fortunate because we have an enforced lingering. Our field-trip was well organised but the ferry service was not. There should have been two ferries, two crew in each. A single crewman plied a single ferry. So waiting about and queuing was the order of the day. Luckily the sun shone and there were wildlife attractions.
Female eider with crèches of young swam off Piel Island. An eider in eclipse plumage puzzled me for a moment and an immature gannet diving for fish was a spectacle. Piel Castle is a landmark for this Cumbrian coast and we had the opportunity to explore the ruins. Those of us who know South Walney Nature Reserve were disappointed that the flora of Piel Island does not compare. We did find yellow horned poppy, sea campion and tall hawkweed but not the biodiversity of South Walney. At last, we clambered onto the ferry bound for the grey seals.
One of our party has friends who sail here, so she has explored this part of the coast in their company. That sounds exciting. She told me she had bought a copy of Cumbrian Contrasts, loved it, and gone back and bought several more for friends who loved it too.
The day grows brighter and cloudscapes and the gleam of sunlight on the sea is stunning.
The day grows brighter and cloudscapes and the gleam of sunlight on the sea is stunning.
Left to right: seals off Piel Island and vistas from the island. Piel Castle. The lifeboat station on Roa Island.
We disembarked beside the lifeboat station and walked up the jetty where stranded jelly fish glistened in the sun.
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