Spoilt for Choice

We’ve had a dry today, with glorious blue skies developing by the afternoon. However, we didn’t manage to go out very far because Smithers wasn’t feeling at his best, so all of today’s photos were taken within the vicinity of Langdale.

Earlier today I popped up the hill in the centre of the estate to get some shots of the Langdale Pikes at the end of the valley, and then wandered around getting some general shots. This afternoon when the clouds were dispersing we walked up to Elterwater Hall on the edge of the village, owned by Langdale and containing four apartments in the house and a couple of cottages in the grounds.

From there we walked up a short, steep path to climb over a stile into Langdale’s nature trail, which overlooks Elter Water itself, which is an SSSI. We wandered along the bluebell-fringed path, the crystal clear air reverberating with the exuberant warbling of many birds. I felt almost intoxicated by it all, and wanted it to go on for ever.

Once again I couldn’t choose which photo to use for my blip, so I’ve posted another bluebell one, this time from the Langdale nature trail, and then made two collages. The first is from my earlier walk around the estate this morning, and if you look carefully at the one on the bottom right, taken opposite our lodge, you will see the board which the maintenance team have balanced against the side of the beck to enable ducklings to climb out before they reach the little weir!

It also shows the view from the Langdale founder’s seat at the top of the hill in the centre of the estate. The seat is three sided, carved with the name of the founder in the centre, and the words “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills” on the left and “Be still and know that I am God” on the right.

The second collage shows Elterwater Hall, the sphere on the top of the summer house, the log pile and the view across the fields, with a bluebell close up.