Piel Castle from South Walney South Walney was an impulsive choice. Not sure I've been in November before and I'd wish to know this place I love in all seasons. The alchemy of season and weather was writ large on land and sea. Weeks of exceptionally mild temperatures (19 degrees today) and weeks of rain. From Ulverston we followed the coast road where waders fed close to the shore and soon we made out Piel Castle in the distance.
We drove through Barrow, crossing Jubilee Bridge onto South Walney, then followed the shore to Coastguard Cottages. A slow, unfenced road beside the salt-marsh, following the course of Walney Channel and Piel Channel to a slow immersion in the solitude of South Walney in November. A couple of curlew flew by, and an egret. The salt-marsh looked sombre, then the sun appeared and illuminated Piel Castle. A few seals swam in the channel. The tide was so high the ruined pier was almost submerged but we saw distant flocks of birds beside fresh-water pools in the disused quarries- too far off to identify and the light was difficult. The previous day there had been incessant rain and strong winds so there was a swell on the sea.
The most dramatic section of our walk came as we glimpsed the Irish Sea and through the wind heard the wild waves that struck the shore obliquely. A perfect day for the off-shore wind farms to gather energy. At the mouth of the Duddon Estuary, Walney Island is vulnerable to erosion and to flooding and as we crossed sandy hollows the sea seemed to loom above us, as if a sea-surge on an incoming tide might invade. This is the zone of salt- tolerant plants like yellow-horned poppy with its long tap-roots. And henbane that sprawls the sands in June, looking sinister. Not a flower left, only a few leaves to show what had been. The clouds were constantly changing, with pools of blue, and the sun poured down on the sea which looked metallic and brilliant. Walking through sand in a blustery wind feels slow-going and as we headed north I looked and looked for the wooden bird-hide with flapping panel which had seemed about to be felled by the wind last time I was here. It was still standing, just further than I had thought.
We drove through November woodlands by quiet roads to Cartmel, the trees glorious in metallic colours of bronze, copper and gold.
The Autumn equinox was 23rd September 2022. The winter solstice is 21st December. The Woodland Trust encourages citizen science observations of the impact of exceptionally mild weather on trees; a longer growing period, an increase of pests and diseases, of plant pathogens, of autumn colour lingering longer.
We drove through November woodlands by quiet roads to Cartmel, the trees glorious in metallic colours of bronze, copper and gold.
The Autumn equinox was 23rd September 2022. The winter solstice is 21st December. The Woodland Trust encourages citizen science observations of the impact of exceptionally mild weather on trees; a longer growing period, an increase of pests and diseases, of plant pathogens, of autumn colour lingering longer.
RSS Feed