High Summer

On Monday 7th August friend and colleague Richard joined me for a few days in Maalie Court. The afternoon was spent digging lugworms in the Duddon Sands in preparation for fishing on the 11.00pm tide at Silecroft. With son Alun calling in to stay the night, the three of us set off and arrived at the beach just before dusk.

Richard, Jim and Alun fishing at dusk, Silecroft, Cumbria

With a rod each, two hooks on each end rig and fishing for nearly three hours (that adds up to 18 hook hours) we had not a single bite between us. Nonetheless, seeing the sun set over the Isle of Man was in itself a pleasure.

Alun continued on his way early on Tuesday and Richard and I called on colleague Peter at his home near Windermere for a day's walking in the fells. Parking at Amblside, we set off through the churchyard towards Loughrigg Fell, Loughrigg Tarn, Red Bank and Hunting Stile before descending into Grassmere for a welcome afternoon tea and scone at a mere side café. A short walk into Grassmere found the open-topped bus to take us back to Ambleside.

Jim, Richard and Peter spot a Buzzard circling near Loughrigg Tarn



On Wednesday Richard and I were up at 5.00 am to join ringing trainee Sue for a ringing session on the Duddon Mosses. A productive little session resulted in about 20 birds caught. Then Richard and Jim headed up the coast to have a cooked breakfast in a café at Egremont before joining Sue for morning coffee at the World Owl Trust at Muncaster Castle. Then down to the RSPB Reserve at Hodbarrow for a walk around the lagoon, where Sandwich Terns, Redshank and Sand Martins were gathering in preparation for the southward migration. There was a single Swift, most have already left, I wonder if this will be the last one we'll see this summer? Homeward bound, we stopped for a pub lunch and pint of Real Ale in the Manor Arms pub in Broughton-in-Furness.

Thursday morning was spent on a local spin to Cavendish Dock in Barrow and Rampside looking out to Walney and Piel Island before a final pub lunch in the Red Lion at Dalton, before Richard headed off south for home.