A weekend at Christine’s Patch.
Haverigg, has anyone ever been there, it’s a fantastic place for a person interested in the environment, especially birds. I believe there are more ecosystems in a five-mile radius of Christine’s house than any other place in England, and with a bicycle there are many others that could be visited in a day. Christine, or Christineredgate of the forum invited my husband and myself to stay at her house for the weekend. My husband jumped at the opportunity because he was stationed there when in the army and where he lived after being demobbed. We set off early on Saturday morning and the sky was overcast and drizzly, this condition continued until we reached the top of Grizebeck when the clouds parted to show us the sun shining on the sandbanks of the large Duddon River and far to the mouth of the river the Church in Millom, the small town close to the village of Haverigg. The road to Millom was narrow in places and twisted and turned, up and down, and at one place on a bend, passed close to farm building. Along the way we passed hedged fields with grasses and flowers swaying in the breeze and glowing in the sunlight after the rain. Great woods of Deciduous trees and Coniferous trees beckoned one to explore their dank, dark recesses, and the open fells with Heather, Gorse and Bracken invite the fit to wander their silent pathways. We parked in Millom and strolled into the town square where my husband was delighted to see a statue of an Iron Ore Miner pushing a “bogy”. My husband feels proud to be one of the last men to work down the Iron mine that was the mainstay of the town in the past, and he said that the statue looks exactly like he used to look, even down to the red ore dust. On the way to Haverigg we passed a three story tall derelict building called the Tannery. My husband also worked there in the past as a Toggler, stretching Cowhides. We met Christine at her house at Poolside in the center of the village and opposite the slow flowing Lazy River. Christine immediately made us very welcome and after a cup of tea we set out for a little walk on the beach where Alfie, Christine’s dog dashed into the water waiting for a stone to be thrown. The walk took us past Sea view and onto the Sand Dunes where the Sea Holly stood out brilliantly in its smoky grey foliage and sky blue flower. Gatekeepers and Ringlet Butterflies fluttered among the grasses and flowers and out on a sandbank Terns flew about calling. We returned back to the house and then to the Harbour Hotel where we enjoyed a substantial mid-day meal. Suitably refreshed we then set off to circumnavigate the R.S.P.B. nature reserve close by, starting off by crossing the bridge over the Lazy river and on past a large camping ground that overlooks the lake. My husband showed me where the mineshaft used to be. Nothing remains to tell anyone that there used to be a thriving Iron ore mine in the area apart from the office building on the hill, now called the Commodore Hotel. We strolled along Hawthorn hedged lanes and onto gravel paths where Christine had a bit of trouble negotiating her motorized three-wheel bike. Sadly Christine suffers a debilitating bone disease and it’s only her determined wild spirit that keeps her mobile. At one place boulders blocked the track and to prevent Christine from breaking through some gorse bushes my Husband lifted her heavy machine over and we were able to continue the walk. We passed large reed beds with small ponds where Mallard ducks displayed their young and at another place where the lake curved into a secluded cove we watched Grey Herons preening in the trees and on the water Great-crested Grebes with young, Coots, Moorhens, Mallards, Tufted and Pochard Ducks, sleeping and preening without concern at our presence. In the bushes the Chiff Chaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler sang silently to themselves, there was no need to sing loudly to proclaim a territory now that the nesting season had ended. Leaving the cove the path wandered upwards passing a couple of ancient Lighthouses and onto the level graveled area, the lime residue from the smelting of Iron. Different none acid loving plants flourish on these slagheaps, an ecosystem unusual for this part of the country. The gravel spills down to the lake water and that’s where the sea birds nest. Ring Plovers, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Little Terns, Sandwich Terns, and Common Terns. Black-headed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and many other species visit in winter or breed here. The R.S.P.B. bird hide overlooks this area and is opened all the year round for anyone to enter and enjoy. Behind the bird hide stands a newly renovated lighthouse that looks out over the Irish Sea where Gannets and Shearwaters and other deep sea birds can be seen at various times of the year. On the sandbanks at low tide the Grey Seals bask and sing their mournful, magical songs. When we had filled our digital camera cards we then wandered back to Christine’s place and she downloaded our pictures onto a disk. After a snack and refreshment my husband and I wandered back over the bridge to the lake again and photographed the Swans riding the waves that were kicked up by the Ski boats that dashed here and there on the water. The sun sank like a bright red ball at the bottom of Black Coombe, a majestic mound that is just three feet short of a mountain. Before retiring we sat outside the front door among Christine’s brilliant flowers and drank a nightcap in the balmy evening breeze.
At six fifteen in the morning my husband and I were up and off for a walk. We passed the silent Hotel and onto the front at Sea View where Jackdaws and Starlings were searching for creatures in the grass. We wandered past the lifeboat Station and into the Sand Dunes. The chill of the morning had subdued all sound of insects but the show of flowers was magnificent. I had never seen such a mass of Harebells in my life, they covered the sand hills like bluebells do in a wood. The blue of the Harebells with the bright yellow of the abundant Ragwort was a striking contrast. Intermingled with these were numerous other plants of various coloures, the whole show was breadth taking and a memorable sight. This is the area where the Short-eared Owl can be seen hunting for voles and where Skylarks and Pipits abound. We wandered about taking picture after picture. It was when my husband had lain down to get a micro picture of a small flower when we heard the call of a Raven, then right at my feet came a louder raven call, my husband was imitating it. Two other Ravens followed the first and swung over towards us and only turned about fifty yards away when they recognized humans among the dunes. Our most exciting find in these dunes was the Butterfly called the Dark-green Fritillary, neither of us had ever seen one before and normally they are such fast flyers a person would be unable to get a photograph, however we found it in a slightly dormant state with the chill of the morning and were able to take many pictures, a couple of witch I put in the gallery last Monday. We returned back to the house and made our breakfast. Christine then got up and again downloaded our pictures onto the disks. Sadly Christine doesn’t have a back garden, only a back yard, this is where she has her feeding station for the birds and where all those wonderful picture she puts in the gallery are taken. Iridescent Starlings and old Blue-Eyes the Jackdaw. For the midday meal we went to the Port Hotel down at the bottom end of Millom close to where the Iron works used to be but first we went to the nature park by the Jetty. This is another area where the slag had been strewn and is still in a rehabilitant stage. Once again unusual different plants were growing, not being clued up on plants I cannot name them but they were visited by the Common Blue and Gatekeeper Butterflies, with Skylarks and Pipits singing over them. This area looks right up the Duddon River and with a telescope or good binoculars any amount of shore birds can be observed, the marshland at the edge of the river contains other species. After a huge meal Christine then drove us to a small seaside village called Silecroft, about four miles up the coast from Haverigg. The beach had no sand, only smooth wave washed stones and spaced along the tide-line for about a mile each way stood people with fishing rods, all hoping to catch that big one to win the competition, for that was what they were fishing for. We returned back to Haverigg and prepared to leave. Saying farewell to Christine was hard because we had become very fond of her. My husband mentioned later how her face could transform from a serious look to a brilliant smile that causes others to also smile. Thank you Christine from the bottom of our hearts for that memorable weekend in your patch. From myself, Ann and my husband Tanny.
Haverigg, has anyone ever been there, it’s a fantastic place for a person interested in the environment, especially birds. I believe there are more ecosystems in a five-mile radius of Christine’s house than any other place in England, and with a bicycle there are many others that could be visited in a day. Christine, or Christineredgate of the forum invited my husband and myself to stay at her house for the weekend. My husband jumped at the opportunity because he was stationed there when in the army and where he lived after being demobbed. We set off early on Saturday morning and the sky was overcast and drizzly, this condition continued until we reached the top of Grizebeck when the clouds parted to show us the sun shining on the sandbanks of the large Duddon River and far to the mouth of the river the Church in Millom, the small town close to the village of Haverigg. The road to Millom was narrow in places and twisted and turned, up and down, and at one place on a bend, passed close to farm building. Along the way we passed hedged fields with grasses and flowers swaying in the breeze and glowing in the sunlight after the rain. Great woods of Deciduous trees and Coniferous trees beckoned one to explore their dank, dark recesses, and the open fells with Heather, Gorse and Bracken invite the fit to wander their silent pathways. We parked in Millom and strolled into the town square where my husband was delighted to see a statue of an Iron Ore Miner pushing a “bogy”. My husband feels proud to be one of the last men to work down the Iron mine that was the mainstay of the town in the past, and he said that the statue looks exactly like he used to look, even down to the red ore dust. On the way to Haverigg we passed a three story tall derelict building called the Tannery. My husband also worked there in the past as a Toggler, stretching Cowhides. We met Christine at her house at Poolside in the center of the village and opposite the slow flowing Lazy River. Christine immediately made us very welcome and after a cup of tea we set out for a little walk on the beach where Alfie, Christine’s dog dashed into the water waiting for a stone to be thrown. The walk took us past Sea view and onto the Sand Dunes where the Sea Holly stood out brilliantly in its smoky grey foliage and sky blue flower. Gatekeepers and Ringlet Butterflies fluttered among the grasses and flowers and out on a sandbank Terns flew about calling. We returned back to the house and then to the Harbour Hotel where we enjoyed a substantial mid-day meal. Suitably refreshed we then set off to circumnavigate the R.S.P.B. nature reserve close by, starting off by crossing the bridge over the Lazy river and on past a large camping ground that overlooks the lake. My husband showed me where the mineshaft used to be. Nothing remains to tell anyone that there used to be a thriving Iron ore mine in the area apart from the office building on the hill, now called the Commodore Hotel. We strolled along Hawthorn hedged lanes and onto gravel paths where Christine had a bit of trouble negotiating her motorized three-wheel bike. Sadly Christine suffers a debilitating bone disease and it’s only her determined wild spirit that keeps her mobile. At one place boulders blocked the track and to prevent Christine from breaking through some gorse bushes my Husband lifted her heavy machine over and we were able to continue the walk. We passed large reed beds with small ponds where Mallard ducks displayed their young and at another place where the lake curved into a secluded cove we watched Grey Herons preening in the trees and on the water Great-crested Grebes with young, Coots, Moorhens, Mallards, Tufted and Pochard Ducks, sleeping and preening without concern at our presence. In the bushes the Chiff Chaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler sang silently to themselves, there was no need to sing loudly to proclaim a territory now that the nesting season had ended. Leaving the cove the path wandered upwards passing a couple of ancient Lighthouses and onto the level graveled area, the lime residue from the smelting of Iron. Different none acid loving plants flourish on these slagheaps, an ecosystem unusual for this part of the country. The gravel spills down to the lake water and that’s where the sea birds nest. Ring Plovers, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Little Terns, Sandwich Terns, and Common Terns. Black-headed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and many other species visit in winter or breed here. The R.S.P.B. bird hide overlooks this area and is opened all the year round for anyone to enter and enjoy. Behind the bird hide stands a newly renovated lighthouse that looks out over the Irish Sea where Gannets and Shearwaters and other deep sea birds can be seen at various times of the year. On the sandbanks at low tide the Grey Seals bask and sing their mournful, magical songs. When we had filled our digital camera cards we then wandered back to Christine’s place and she downloaded our pictures onto a disk. After a snack and refreshment my husband and I wandered back over the bridge to the lake again and photographed the Swans riding the waves that were kicked up by the Ski boats that dashed here and there on the water. The sun sank like a bright red ball at the bottom of Black Coombe, a majestic mound that is just three feet short of a mountain. Before retiring we sat outside the front door among Christine’s brilliant flowers and drank a nightcap in the balmy evening breeze.
At six fifteen in the morning my husband and I were up and off for a walk. We passed the silent Hotel and onto the front at Sea View where Jackdaws and Starlings were searching for creatures in the grass. We wandered past the lifeboat Station and into the Sand Dunes. The chill of the morning had subdued all sound of insects but the show of flowers was magnificent. I had never seen such a mass of Harebells in my life, they covered the sand hills like bluebells do in a wood. The blue of the Harebells with the bright yellow of the abundant Ragwort was a striking contrast. Intermingled with these were numerous other plants of various coloures, the whole show was breadth taking and a memorable sight. This is the area where the Short-eared Owl can be seen hunting for voles and where Skylarks and Pipits abound. We wandered about taking picture after picture. It was when my husband had lain down to get a micro picture of a small flower when we heard the call of a Raven, then right at my feet came a louder raven call, my husband was imitating it. Two other Ravens followed the first and swung over towards us and only turned about fifty yards away when they recognized humans among the dunes. Our most exciting find in these dunes was the Butterfly called the Dark-green Fritillary, neither of us had ever seen one before and normally they are such fast flyers a person would be unable to get a photograph, however we found it in a slightly dormant state with the chill of the morning and were able to take many pictures, a couple of witch I put in the gallery last Monday. We returned back to the house and made our breakfast. Christine then got up and again downloaded our pictures onto the disks. Sadly Christine doesn’t have a back garden, only a back yard, this is where she has her feeding station for the birds and where all those wonderful picture she puts in the gallery are taken. Iridescent Starlings and old Blue-Eyes the Jackdaw. For the midday meal we went to the Port Hotel down at the bottom end of Millom close to where the Iron works used to be but first we went to the nature park by the Jetty. This is another area where the slag had been strewn and is still in a rehabilitant stage. Once again unusual different plants were growing, not being clued up on plants I cannot name them but they were visited by the Common Blue and Gatekeeper Butterflies, with Skylarks and Pipits singing over them. This area looks right up the Duddon River and with a telescope or good binoculars any amount of shore birds can be observed, the marshland at the edge of the river contains other species. After a huge meal Christine then drove us to a small seaside village called Silecroft, about four miles up the coast from Haverigg. The beach had no sand, only smooth wave washed stones and spaced along the tide-line for about a mile each way stood people with fishing rods, all hoping to catch that big one to win the competition, for that was what they were fishing for. We returned back to Haverigg and prepared to leave. Saying farewell to Christine was hard because we had become very fond of her. My husband mentioned later how her face could transform from a serious look to a brilliant smile that causes others to also smile. Thank you Christine from the bottom of our hearts for that memorable weekend in your patch. From myself, Ann and my husband Tanny.
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