Keswick’s new mountain?

December 16th, 2011

We’re used to heavy rain obscuring our view, or darkness and lamplight throwing up weird shapes in alleyways and urban landscapes; or early morning mists twisting the familiar face of a park or meadow into a foreign field. We take it for granted. It’s what happens when a few of the visual clues we are used to are removed or changed. A common enough experience you’d say.

But last week in Keswick in broad daylight I saw something different – a shapely new mountain – which completely threw me. A keen wind was blowing and thick clouds covered the high fell tops. Mountains surround the town, so I am used to seeing them from different angles as they poke out above the rooftops. But this time there was a hilltop profile – almost that of an isosceles triangle – I couldn’t immediately identify.

It took me a while to crack the mystery, but a group of local residents failed in the task when I asked them at the weekend. So now it’s over to our readers! The first to send me the right answer – the name of this mountain – gets a pot of our best 2012 Tango marmalade. The correct answer will be published in the New Year. Just email me (ian@lakelandbelvedere.com) a message with ‘Mystery Mountain’ in the Subject box and the answer below.

HINT: If you are a keen reader of this website and of the walking section, you will find a hint about the answer!

Posted in Environment, Local news, Seasons | No Comments »

Felltops’ snow service saved

December 9th, 2011


The weather has been wild and changeable this week like for most of the country – cloud, sleet, snow, hail and sun in succession; and has not been without some glorious ‘world’s first smile’ moments. The picture of the snow capped Skiddaw range, taken from inside the Belvedere took your breath away as we ate breakfast on Monday, but by mid morning the mountain was obscured in thick cloud and hail. Our decision to delay a climb to the summit had made sense.

The wind has been very strong and temperatures near freezing for most of the week, so we postponed another high level walk too. It’s reminded me just how important it is for walkers to have good up to date information of the conditions on the fell tops – a service which earlier in the year looked like it would be discontinued because of budget cuts.

The good news this last month is that the up to date service, dependent upon daily climbs to the top of Helvellyn, has now been sponsored and the two men, Jon Bennett from Ambleside and Jason Taylor will this winter continue to undertake this formidable 950m climb in all conditions – at the princely rate of £8.40 per hour.

I met Jon last year in the car park by Thirlmere, when I had been up all day in snowy conditions above Grasmere. I recognised then his commitment as he described climbing through chest deep snow drifts to make the summit. We all have much to thank Jon and Jason for, as conditions on the high fell tops need to be assessed with care.

Accurate information allows choice of the right gear and clothing or a decision to stay at a lower level, if your fitness or level of experience is more limited. I’ve seen walkers in thin gym shoes without ice axes climbing icy snow steps on the route from Catstycam to Helvellyn. Accidents waiting to happen.

Reading Jon and Jason’s reports would hopefully next time make them think again! Yesterday they reported: “Owing to the strength of the wind, the Fell Top Assessor turned back at 710m after measuring a gust of 72mph in a relatively sheltered spot!”

The detailed reports can be found at http://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/

POSTSCRIPT: Click here for three other photos taken from the Belvedere, which show the changing seasons and light patterns from this great vantage point above the Derwent valley.

Posted in Belvederes, Local news, Seasons, Walking | No Comments »

Of belvederes and ospreys

September 16th, 2011

They’ve got minds of their own, we thought, but that’s not surprising for a couple who’ve come over 3,000 miles from West Africa. Like others though we’ve been keeping the change in their exact domestic arrangements quiet this year, as they are VIPs whom we would not like to see frightened away.

Yes, you’ll have guessed that we are talking about the ospreys, who returned this year to the Derwent Valley in April. Since we built the Belvedere three years ago with its wide range view across the marshes, we’ve been keeping an eye out for the ospreys. In 2008 they moved, conveniently for us, to a site in Dodd Wood which was visible from the Belvedere, though hard to see in any detail as over 1.5 miles distant.

This year they caught the RSPB, Forestry Commission and us by surprise by deciding to set up their nest in a completely new and much closer site at the top of a large dead tree on the other side of the A66. No human help this time with the construction work!

We first got wind of this in May, when we saw a descending hang glider over Thornthwaite, being examined by a circling osprey. The new nest we realised was on the marshes and less than 800 metres away. From the belvedere it’s almost directly in line with the church, Without my binoculars I was not able to check the site out.

We received news however last week from Lee Gretton who was staying at The Larches in August. He confirmed what we thought: “The osprey’s nest is easy to view from the Belvedere. I spent quite a lot of time with the binoculars watching them flying across the marshes”. The photo at the top shows the view through the binoculars of the bare tree with the nest. The site is indicated with a grey magnifying glass at bottom left of the photo.

That was indeed good news, especially for anyone staying at The Larches for the five months, April to August. But there was another nice surprise when we arrived in Chicago. “It was too difficult to send it”, said our son Barney, “but here’s a late birthday present I thought you’d like and could find room for”.

The super colour tinted photo from the turn of the century (see opposite) is of New York’s own Belvedere in Central Park. It will most likely join the Escher Belvedere print we already have in our own fine viewing point at The Larches.

Posted in Belvederes, Environment, International, Local news, The Larches, Wildlife | No Comments »

Broadband cash for Cumbria

August 26th, 2011

Access to the web and internet services has dramatically changed over the last decade in the UK. From 15.4 million internet users representing 26% of the population in 2000, ITU figures show that by 2010 that figure had surged to 51.4 million (82%).

Despite this there have remained parts of the country where internet connectivity has been slow or non-existent. The good news last week is that Cumbria. one of the most disadvantaged areas is to gain from the Government’s plan to provide additional funds for bringing broadband Internet services to rural areas.

From a total pot of £353 million for England and Scotland, €17 million has been allocated for improving access in the most remote parts of the county.

Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt said the investment would ensure 90% of the hardest to reach areas would now be covered (Daily Telegraph 16 August 2011).

This will be excellent for Cumbria, opening up more opportunities for people to engage in the digital economy and to gain the benefit of Internet based public services. No longer the long frustrating delays as you wait for a page to download to your PC!

The Keswick Reminder (18 August 2011) points out there has been a consistent campaign for a better broadband service in the county over recent years.

We are fortunate at The Larches in already having good Internet access because of proximity to Keswick’s main telephone exchange. Visitors to the cottage can use our wifi network in most of the rooms.

Posted in Local news, Technology, The Larches | No Comments »

Localism & public services

July 23rd, 2011

Last week the Government published its long delayed White Paper on Public Services Reform.

It’s nice to see that The Economist (“Little platoons on a slow march“, 16 July, page 29) chose a similar illustration to accompany its coverage of this as I did in my last posting a month ago on Cameron’s Big Society. (CamBigs)

When local services are cut, my photo (opposite) showed the gully clearing work I had needed to do as a volunteer with my mattock, rake and scythe.

The Economist cartoon (see below) showed a whole line of volunteers with similar equipment and Cameron in his overalls out there in front leading the troop with a sweeper and shovel in hand! Industrial scale voluntarism is a not so secret core ingredient of CamBigs.

As predicted the White Paper doesn’t contain anything very new about the Big Society. There’s an emphasis on localism (parish councils may have more to do), greater choice, diversity, fairness and accountability.

It all sounds very worthy. Some apologists see this as a radical shake up of public services and decentralisation away from Whitehall. But the rub will come with implementation because public service budgets for local councils, the police and elsewhere are being cut to the bone.

Will privatisation really bring the results for CamBigs when there’s no money on offer? And if not, where will all the armies of volunteers come from? I don’t think I’m very typical, nor my friend Peter who helped me!

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Posted in Environment, Local news | No Comments »

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