Tree Fellas

Grizedale Forest Park, Lake District

We'd already had the t'ree fellas joke before we met the Ancient Forester when we were mountain biking round Grizedale. The Forester appears to be sheltering two helmeted leprechauns. These are the two nephews.

We did two big circuits through the woods, and the littlest fella did really well. As for the bigger fella, he and the photographer fella were involved in a Tour de France style pile-up as we were back on the road descending to the Visitor Centre. A large boulder leapt into the road beneath the bigger fella's front wheel, and down he went skinning himself as he slid. The photographer fella was too close behind, and rather than running over the prostrate bigger fella, he jammed on his brakes, and for the first time in over 30 years sailed over the handlebars to land crumpled on the tarmac beyond. His first fear was that one of his charges had come to grief, and quickly following on was the fear that he might have damaged his precious camera.

The nicest thing was that the prostrate bigger fella was asking after the welfare of the fallen photographer fella before he mentioned his own injuries. The littlest fella managed to avoid the fray altogether.

We were a bit grazed and bruised, but otherwise unbroken.

A good day was had by all. In the evening we went to see the fallow deer at Dallam. The littlest fella is a bit of a deer enthusiast.

ps the camera survived.

pps Two new species for the year list: redstart and tree pipits (galore). Total 122.