Admonished by Wordsworth

As someone who is more often than not reading a book, I was amused to find, as I was browsing through some FutureLearn materials for a course on Wordsworth, a poem I can't remember coming across before (The Tables Turned) in which he - says 'Up! Up! my friend and quit your books . . . Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher.' That typically Romantic notion of preferring to commune with nature than finding things from books - 'these barren leaves'.

So I left my books and set out!
 
We walked locally, as the weather was deteriorating fast, and completed another Pathwatch square. This was one of our paths - through Dufton Ghyll Woods, just below our house.
  
Dufton Ghyll Woods are classed as Ancient Semi-natural Woodland and are managed by the Woodland Trust. It is one of the few remaining Northwest outposts for the native Red Squirrel - the reason we get them into our garden. Dufton Gill cuts deeply through red sandstone, known as St Bees Sandstone, and in the part we walked there is substantial evidence of old quarrying for stone to be used in building. Cliffs of stone often tower over the footpaths here and there are great undulations because of piles of spoil. But a pleasant footpath winding through the trees - very popular with locals and visitors alike.