We had planned a trip to The Lake District for June 2020 but with the COVID-19 Lockdown and subsequent restrictions it had to be cancelled. We rebooked the same trip for June 2021 and with the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions we weren't sure if we would get to go again but as our date of departure loomed ever nearer we had a green light for travel and so off we headed on Sunday June 13th.
It was a baking hot day, the hottest day of the year so far, but the drive up to Shifnal near Telford for a 2 night stay to visit nearby Ironbridge wasn't too bad. We then drove up to The Lakes on Tuesday 15th June, staying at Nether Wasdale near Wast Water for 3 nights before travelling to Witherslack on Friday 18th June for 2 nights. Finally we then headed back home on Sunday 20th June, stopping off near Leominster for a night before arriving back in Plymouth on Monday 21st June.
The weather for our trip was fantastic, far better than expected and fortunately perfect for butterflying with only 1 day of mist and murk and rain (Wednesday 16th June). And it was just so nice to get away and have a holiday for a change, our first holiday away for 18 months and such a restorative joy despite having to pre-book meals out at pubs and restaurants and pre-book visits to houses and gardens and museums, curtailing some of the usual random spontaneity we enjoy whilst being away.
The trip was filled with wildlife sightings too and I managed to see all 3 of my target butterfly species, the whole purpose of my trip, so I was very pleased indeed.
Sunday 13th June - On the drive up to Shifnal in Shropshire we stopped off at Berrington Hall near Leominster, a National Trust house and garden which we haven't visited before (and which had to be pre-booked). The house and gardens were interesting and after a look around we headed off for a walk around the estate in the heat and sunshine.
We walked around a large lake where at least 3 Reed Warblers and a Reed Bunting were heard singing and Four Spotted Chasers, Broad Bodied Chasers, an Emperor Dragonfly, Large Red Damselflies and "Blue"Damselflies buzzed around.
Four-spotted Chaser, Berrington Court
Monday 14th June - a cloudy day spent visiting Ironbridge and the River Severn Gorge. We parked up (for free) at the ruins of Buildwas Abbey (also free) and walked along the river to Ironbridge and back. Despite the lack of sunshine it was warm and humid and as we walked through the fields by the river there were many Banded Demoiselles and White Legged Damselflies buzzing about in the bankside vegetation.
Ironbridge
Male Banded Demoiselle, Ironbridge
White-legged Damselfly, Ironbridge
White-legged Damselfly, Ironbridge
Cinnabar Moth, Pyramidal Orchid, Common Blue and Small Tortoiseshell were also noted with Swifts, Swallows and House Martins buzzing around overhead.
Tuesday 15th June - another warm and sunny day for our drive to Nether Wasdale in Cumbria with a Lapwing seen flying over the M6 along the way.
We stopped off first at the Cumbrian Wildlife Trust reserve at Meathop Moss for a look around as the skies became increasingly cloudier although it felt warm and humid in the breeze. We walked along the boardwalk over the wet heath and David soon found a Large Heath flitting over the vegetation. More were seen but were flighty and mobile, rarely settling and when they did it was usually out of sight and far from the boardwalk. Eventually we found one resting on the actual boardwalk and I managed to get some great views of it before it flew away.
Large Heath, Meathop Moss
Large Heath, Meathop Moss
Large Heath, Meathop Moss
A female Brimstone and a Holly Blue were also seen while a Cuckoo was heard calling and a Sedge Warbler was heard singing. Bog Asphodel, Cotton Grass, Large Red Damselfly, Kestrel and Buzzard were also noted.
We carried on to Bowness and Windermere which were hell on earth and we drove through both of them without stopping, heading onwards to the Wrynose and Hardknott Passes for a spectacular scenery filled drive to the Roman Fort at Hardknott (free) before arriving at our hotel in Nether Wasdale. Wheatear, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Siskin and Pied Wagtail were seen along the journey and a bonus find was a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary by the roadside when we stopped briefly to admire the view.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Wednesday 16th June - Rain! With the weather turning grotty we visited the Lakeside Motor Museum (pre-booked) which was actually very interesting and very poignant as it contained an exhibit about Donald Campbell and his ill-fated attempt at the water speed record in Bluebird.
The rain had stopped by the time we left the museum but it remained cool and misty and murky and so we visited Ravenglass for a look at the remains of a Roman bath house (free) and a walk around.
A Tree Sparrow flying down to a puddle to drink and bathe was almost overlooked amongst the House Sparrows, as was the cacophonous noise made by Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls as they mobbed a flyby Osprey before it settled distantly on a post by the side of the estuary.
Osprey, Ravenglass
Oystercatchers, Sandwich Terns and 2 pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers were also noted here before we headed back to our hotel for a quiet evening.
Thursday June 17th - Sunshine! Perfect weather for a walk on Irton Fell and Whinn Rigg seen rising above the back of our hotel at Nether Wasdale. It was surprisingly warm in the sunshine and no sooner had we arrived out on the Fell than David found a Mountain Ringlet flitting past! Many more were seen along our walk and I had some great views of them as they flitted low over the vegetation although they totally disappeared into the grass in brief cloudy moments.
Irton Fell above our hotel in Nether Wasdale
Irton Fell
Irton Fell
Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Mountain Ringlet, Irton Fell
Also seen were Bullfinch, Redpoll, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Skylark, Small Copper, Small Heath, Silver Y and Green Tiger Beetle and Cuckoo, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Coal Tit were all heard.
We then drove along Wast Water to Wasdale Head with views of Scafell Pike and it all looked stunning in the sunshine. We sat by the shore of the Lake and I had a rather chilly paddle in the water with a Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gulls Canada Geese, Bog Asphodel and Sundew all seen.
Wast Water
Wast Water
Wast Water
Wast Water
Bog Asphodel, Wast Water
Sundew, Wast Water
Friday 18th June - another sunny day as we drove to the Stott Mill Bobbin Musueum (pre-booked) via Swinside Stone Circle (free).
The stone circle was interesting and we arrived just as a film crew was setting up for some video production or other. Chimney Sweeper moths were seen flitting about in the grass and Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White were all noted too.
Swinside Stone Circle
The Bobbin Mill was also very interesting and we had an enjoyable visit before walking up the hillside to a dam and a small lake built to power the mill. A Male Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Four Spotted Chaser and Large Red Damselfly were seen but the highlight was a male Wood Warbler briefly singing in the trees before flying off.
We headed onwards to The Derby Arms at Witherslack, our next hotel stop for the following 2 nights, and with the skies beginning to cloud over we walked over to Latterbarrow nature reserve right next to the Inn for a look around. I began looking around for Northern Brown Argus but I wasn't hopeful as the sun finally disappeared behind the clouds but David called me over towards a group of people busily photographing something which turned out to be a Northern Brown Argus roosting on a grass stem.
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
I managed to get some great views but unfortunately it kept its wings resolutely shut when at rest.
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Saturday 19th June - I awoke early at around 7am and a quick look out of the hotel window revealed sunny breaks amongst the clouds and so I headed down to Latterbarrow again for a look around before breakfast.
I found the Northern Brown Argus in the same spot I had left it the previous evening and when the sun shone it finally opened its wings to bask, showing a small white halo around the black spot on its forewing.
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Northern Brown Argus, Latterbarrow
Also seen were 2 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, a Dark Green Fritillary which was too quick for the camera, Meadow Brown, Marsh Tit, Greater Butterfly Orchid and Common Spotted Orchid.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Latterbarrow
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Latterbarrow
Greater Butterfly Orchid, Latterbarrow
Greater Butterfly Orchid, Latterbarrow
Greater Butterfly Orchid, Latterbarrow
Common Spotted Orchid, Latterbarrow
Common Spotted Orchid, Latterbarrow
Common Spotted Orchid, Latterbarrow
After breakfast we visited Sizehergh Castle ( a National Trust house and garden which oddly we didn't need to pre-book) and along with more Meadow Browns I found some Common Twayblade in the grass.
Grey Wagtail, Sizehergh Castle
Common Twayblade, Sizehergh Castle
After our visit to Sizehergh we headed on to Foulshaw Moss, another Cumbria Wildlife Trust reserve with a boardwalk over the wet heath. It was mostly cloudy but with very brief sunny spells and when the sun shone I managed to see a few Large Heath flitting about. Also seen were a few White Faced Darters, a rare and reintroduced species of Dragonfly, but they rarely settled for long and totally disappeared when the sun went behind the clouds.
Large Heath, Foulshaw Moss
Large Heath, Foulshaw Moss
White-faced Darter, Foulshaw Moss
A songflighting Tree Pipit, a Tree Sparrow on the bird feeders, Reed Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Common Lizard were all seen too and Willow Warbler and Reed Warbler were heard. The nesting pair of Ospreys were also seen although very distantly with a bird flying on to the nest with a fish to feed the 3 chicks where it was also joined by its mate.
Tree Sparrow, Foulshaw Moss
Another quick look around Latterbarrow on our return to the hotel was unfortunately Northern Brown Argus free but I did find a Dingy Skipper flitting past and briefly settling like a moth on a grass stem before it dashed off again. A Common Lizard and a Small Tortoiseshell were also noted and I enjoyed a last look at the Common Spotted Orchids and Greater Butterfly Orchids before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Common Spotted Orchid, Latterbarrow
Small Tortoiseshell, Latterbarrow
Sunday 20th June - time to head back to Devon and a flyover Red Kite was seen before we stopped at Croft Castle, a National Trust property (pre-booked) near Leominster. It was cool and overcast and a quick look around the estate revealed a pair of Mandarin Ducks with 2 well grown young, Grey Wagtails, Buzzards and Chiffchaff.
Mandarin, Croft Castle
We stayed the night nearby at Wickton Court, a marvellous old country Manor house, 400+ years old with wooden beams, wooden panelling and creaky wooden floors and in totally secluded countryside. A good night's sleep and a great breakfast the next morning was enjoyed before the final push back to Devon, a rainy journey with another Red Kite seen overhead along the way.
And so an amazing trip away, loved every minute of it, very lucky with the good weather, saw 3 new species of butterfly, ate too much, drank too much and had fun, something that has been lacking in life in the last 16 months.
