Wansfell Pike and Baystones

Distance: 10.8 miles
Ascent: about 750m
Weather: wet start, sunny spells
Deer: 2
Red squirrels: 2
Wet feet: 2

Dark and rainy morning,  we thought we'd waited long enough before setting off but it was still very wet as we walked up Stockghyll (good weather for waterfalls) and up on to Wansfell. It was more sunny but windy up on the tops.

Our path led north up to Baystones, where we stood on some lumpy hillocks to make sure that we'd got the top as it's a Birkett.

The path then led us through wet grass and bog towards the road which we walked along for a little way before turning down a bridleway that was a little muddy,  but pretty, and we saw deer, red squirrels and blue tits.

We stopped for lunch at a bench in Troutbeck, joined by jackdaws and a robin,  then followed the track into Ambleside.

Mere Sands Woods

An otherwise pleasant morning at Mere Sands woods, slightly marred by strange goings on and a missing person.

Rat vs Squirrel fight, egged on by Blackbird and Robin, with various feathered spectators. 

Moorhen
Gadwall
Teal mallard
Blue tit
Magpie
Reed bunting
Blackbird
Robin
Dunnock
Grey heron
Cormorants
Tufty duck
Shovellers
Great crested grebe
Shelduck
Goosanders
Coal tit
Nuthatch
Chaffinch
Great tit
Crow
Little egret
Moorhen

Martin Mere

Wren
Goldfinch
Redshank
Pintail
Wigeon
Teal
Mallard
Whooper Swan
Greylag
Coot
Lapwing
Moorhen
Cormorants
Shelduck
Black tailed godwit
Ruff
Pheasant
Blackbird
Buzzard
Black headed gull winter plumage
Greenfinch
Blue tit
Great tit
Robin
Chaffinch
Tree sparrow
Dunnock
Water rail
Little grebe
Marsh harrier
Grey heron
Kingfisher
Gadwall
Snipe
Little Rat
Long tailed tits
Reed bunting
Coal tit
Pink footed geese
Kestrel
Canada geese
Tufty duck
Pochard
Shoveller

Fairburn Ings

Weather: blumming chuffing freezing
Slightly hazy, but dry

Kingfisher
Robin
Goosander
Cormorant
Golden eye
Pochard
Gadwall
Shoveller
Mallard
Great crested grebe
F Smew?
Grey heron
Coot
Tufted duck
Snipe
Mute swan
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Common gulls

Heritage Coast

Distance: 12.5 miles
Ascent: 300m
Weather: bright, warm in sun, cold out
Wrens, stone chats, robin, thrush, reed bunting, ships not going anywhere, oyster catchers, small wader ringed plover things? and goldfinches.

Massively overdressed for the conditions,  we set off from Limekiln Gill and headed north along the English Coastal Path / Heritage Coast up to the railway bridge at Hive Point at the end of Hawthorn Dene.  We decided against am ascent of Beacon Hill, as my feet and shins were protesting that I'd decided to wear my winter boots.

We turned back and found a handy bench for lunch, with views south towards Hartlepool,  just as the clouds covered the sun and the temperature dropped.

Southbound, we dropped to the beach at Warren House Gill, where for a while there was a good hard surface to walk on, then we ventured onto the shingly sand, passing people fishing and having fires.

The tide was coming in, and the spray chillsome, it seemed warmer up on the cliffs when we turned north to head back to the car. For a while anyway.

Ogden Res

Distance: 16.4 miles
Ascent:
Weather: cold and windy
Llamas, kestrel, heron

Now the weather has dropped ten degrees, it's time for us to renew our walking again.

We set off from home, with bright blue skies, along the track and up Pingot Quarry up onto Brushes Clough. Along the lane passed the cattery and down to Ogden Reservoir, stopping for lunch on a wall up on the other side. We turned away to walk the higher path around to the end of the reservoir, then followed the Pennine Bridleway towards Readycon Reservoir (passing cows and people who were very scared of cows) along Dowry Road and Moor Lane.

The sun was setting by this time, long shadows and a decidedly chill wind.

It was dark by the time we reached the outskirts of Denshaw, pavements were hard going on the joints after a long walk but easier in the dark.

Formby Sands and Squirrels

Distance: 10.5 miles
Ascent:
Weather: breezy
Red Squirrels: lots
Sanderling, Jay, Black backed gulls, Grey plover, Golden plover

We did some last minute planning and decided to go to Formby, to get some more sand in our shoes as it's been a while.

Parking at the national trust car park, we visited the facilities and got expensive ice creams but failed to get a leaflet, which isn't like us at all.

We walked north along the beach for a mile or so, then returned back to a sheltered picnic spot in the trees. Back out on to the sand we headed south down to the Cabin Sands nature reserve, where we turned up the lane and returned via the path through the dunes, old asparagus fields and red squirrel walk.