WRITE IN NATURE, EYCOTT HILL, 6TH APRIL 2018

WRITE IN NATURE, EYCOTT HILL

Thanks to all who came to yesterday's Write in Nature, shared wild winds and poetry, out on Eycott Hill, Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Nature Reserve, north Cumbria nature reserve near Mungrisdale (northern Fells). 

Car shared from Mungrisdale Village Hall to Eycott Hill, and, just as we set off, a red squirrel hopped across the road in front of us as we drove from Mungrisdale Village Hall to Eycott Hill - a good start to our day! 

Saw shrew trails through blond grass and sphagnum, Luing cattle, curlews, wheatear - whose name is nothing to do with wheat. Or ears. But means white rump, or white ears (go figure!); larks (a fair few!), buzzards, a kestrel, saw grid work of old peat cutting areas, contrasting with the many round images: sheepfold, mole hills, cow pats, mouse holes 

and around us the shaking-you-alive wind that had us sheltering on the north/north-west facing side of the acid green lichened slabs of Eycott Volcanics, when we reached the top, to stop. Lunch. Listen to one of the group reading 'Sedimentary' by Katrina Porteous.

Still streaks of snow on the tops, we were in the company of Blaencathra (rocky chair) Carrock fell, with its Iron Age Hill fort, its sides a mass of juniper, the valley the peat brown beck with dubs, ideal for a plunge and swim. To the west, Grizedale Pike, Causey Pike, Catbells; to the south the Kirkstone Fells; east to a limestone ridge fringed by Ash and beyond, to Cross Fell, Hartside, the Penines home of the Helm Wind... north to Carlisle and the Solway ... what a place! Well worth a visit.

Looking forward to reading poetry and prose later in the spring/summer and collating it with Jody Ferguson (Cumbria Wildlife Trust) into an online e-anthology for the Trust's website.

Finally, big thanks to Jody Ferguson of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. You  can find out more about Eycott Hill on their website.

Jody Ferguson

Eycott Hill Communications and Events OfficerSupported by the Heritage Lottery Fund

Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Gosling Sike Farm

Houghton Road

Houghton

Carlisle, CA3 0LD

http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/eycott-hill

Geraldine Green July 2nd 2018
photos: copyright Geraldine