Beautiful Lancashire

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by Propagator

Last there probably about ten year ago. About 20 year ago was up there quite often as me brother was Head Chef in the Wastwater Hotel at the head of Wastwater Lake. Must try to dig out and scan the old pics that I have.

Nice, Wastwater is quite unique, it's also the deepest Lake in England, possibly Britain, it would be nice to see your photographs too.

Thanks.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by sabang

Luvly thread Mathos- I catch up with it every week or so and remind myself of the beauty that is in England.

Thanks sabang, it's good to know who has been reading. The figures are quite good but I do wonder from time to time, who may or may not be reading the same.

Couple of real English garden photographs I took today, I was doing a series of jobs outside. Fantastic day it was too. I burnt a few leaves, I like the aroma from burning leaves, it's totally unique.




But hell. I get some leaves between now and the middle of December or so, it's great to be surrounded by trees, but the falling leaves all seem to find their way onto my patch.




Sunshine was really great too.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by Happyman

"It has to be a man made wall surely, but how did they build it over the edge of the cliff and down the face."

A quote from one of your posts a little while ago regarding a drystone wall on a cliff face .

The answer is " they didn't "

When you get a cliff like that you start at the botton and build UP the clif !

By doing this you have a stable base to work ( the wall you are building) from and what you end up with is a vertical stack of stones against the cliff face .
If you get the chance to have a close look at one of these vertical walls you should be able to see exactly how it is done .
A wall on level ground has the major axis of the individual stones parallell to the base of the wall - as the base of the wall changes from level to vertical the orientation of the stones gradually changes from parallell to the base to right angles and when you get to the top it reverts back. This gives you a firm base to stand on when working and also makes the stack more stable. Every 10' or so there will be a notch cut into the cliff face and longer stones inserted and incorporated into the wall to "Key" it to the face.

Hardknott Pass Roman Fort

This is a good one to have a look at if you are interested in things Roman !
The foundations of the walls gates and buildings are all intact and give you a good idea of the layout of a typical fort and also makes you wonder about the work involved in building it. While you are there spare a thought for the poor buggers dragged from the sunny Med and stationed up there in mid winter !
At the time the fort was called MEDIOBOGDUM and guarded the supply road to and from the nearest port GLANNOVENTA (Mancaster/Ravenglass) on the Esk estuary and their main administration depot at GALAVA (Ambleside)

Wrynose Pass

Many years ago I took my kids ( 7 & 9 years old )and a couple of their friends ( and two dogs ) I must have been bloody mad ! - for a week in the lake district and we went up to Wrynose Pass. As we were going up the kids - and the dogs- were very quiet for a change .
Turned out they were watching for Rhinos !!
Took a lot of explaining that one especially as I was home after a contract in Tanzania and they had seen all my Serenghetti photos !!!

Still not got my PC (all the above was from memory!) but when I get back on it and access to database I have a load more comments ( if you want them ! )

It makes perfect sense when it's pointed out. Thanks for that.

You have some great tales Happyman, obviously you have enjoyed a full and extremely interesting life to date. Thanks for sharing your valuable knowledge and some of your 'escapades' on here. It always makes for good reading.

Indeed the more you put on the better.

Once again thanks a lot for the input you give, it's appreciated and it's bloody good.





It's a brilliant feeling when you stand in places like this and really take in the surroundings.

Simply thinking about people treading these same lands over thousands of years, it's a nice sensation in a manner of speaking. People such as yourself who have obviously studied the 'messages' must be left with a really great sense of satisfaction.

You can look at a photograph such as the one above and almost imagine a small tribe of stone-age people walking through these lands. The water cascade would have been a great attraction to them I would imagine



Take a look at us now.




Portable caves and all the mod cons.

[Happyman]

Originally Posted by Mathos

It's a brilliant feeling when you stand in places like this and really take in the surroundings.

Simply thinking about people treading these same lands over thousands of years, it's a nice sensation in a manner of speaking. People such as yourself who have obviously studied the 'messages' must be left with a really great sense of satisfaction.

You can look at a photograph such as the one above and almost imagine a small tribe of stone-age people walking through these lands. The water cascade would have been a great attraction to them I would imagine



Take a look at us now.


Portable caves and all the mod cons.

You have it right in one !
Although this thread is about UK it still rings true almost anywhere in the world - must admit 90% of this sort of historical and landscape reading in the sponge thing called my brain is mainly about a place that I haven't lived in for more than a month or two in 40+ years !!!
Just proves the old saying " What goes into your memory first comes out last !!!"

This thread has stirred things up!!!

Love the portable cave reference

I will keep them coming as and when I get back into my regular routine - OK ?

Cheers

[Mathos]

I mentioned the 'Heinz Dog' in a photograph recently, having a drum for his obvious day kennel. Here it is, it's all he needs in adverse weather conditions I suppose.



This was interesting as well, A barn really bulging with fleece from the sheep.

Tremendous amount of wool in there. I was surprised to see so much at this time of the year as well.




It might have been a second cut, I don't know enough about the 'shearing of sheep'.





Sensational view here as well. The other road you can see on the right hand side of the photograph leads to Blea Tarn and Great Langdale, if my memory serves me right.


There's quite an interesting page and additional information on this link as well.

The Cumberland Hotel, Alston in Cumbria. For bed and breakfast and ...
The Cumberland Hotel for bed and breakfast accommodation - weekend breaks or ... Blea Tarn can be seen on your right. Turn right at the end of the road and ...




It's only when you stand in these places and imagine how bleak they must be in the depths of winter, that you appreciate how dangerous it is to be caught out here without the appropriate clothing and additional gear. Numerous people have lost their lives in The Lake District over the years that I am am familiar with.



We couldn't help but notice and be aware of the various places along the roads that were in urgent need of attention and repairs as well.

Certainly not a great deal to be done, but with the road being so narrow and undulating it would be better done sooner, rather than later.






You wouldn't want to be running out of tea, milk and sugar if you lived out here, that's for sure.




Plenty of water though.



A fantastic spot though. Really special.

[Happyman]

Bit of background
Before I left UK in 1964 I was out of work for 6 months - waiting for a delayed contract to start .
A keen motorcyclist and having a Honda trail bike ( 50% road / 50% off road type)
I put a map of all roman roads, forts, settlements superimposed onto on a similar map of all registered Bronze and Iron age hill forts in one saddlebag and a bivvy and a few t shirts in the other and set off to see as many as I could !
Did from the West country to Hadrians wall !!!
Happiest 6 months of my life - down farm tracks on the course of roman roads- across fields and fells when they ran out and picked them up again when they reappeared, always camped overnight in hill forts and roman camps.
Couldn't do that nowadays though with all the rules about bridleways, British Heritage sites etc etc
Had plenty of time to think and observe, amazing what a ciggie and a shot of whiskey brings to the surface of your mind at sunset alone in a place that was a hive of activity 1 or 2 thousand years ago !!!

Well thats it - just wish that there was another history freak in Phuket that I could share with !

[Mathos]

Happyman Wrote:-

You have it right in one !
Although this thread is about UK it still rings true almost anywhere in the world - must admit 90% of this sort of historical and landscape reading in the sponge thing called my brain is mainly about a place that I haven't lived in for more than a month or two in 40+ years !!!
Just proves the old saying " What goes into your memory first comes out last !!!"

This thread has stirred things up!!!

Love the portable cave reference

I will keep them coming as and when I get back into my regular routine - OK ?


Cheers

Look forward to them...

Cheers.

[Mathos]

Happyman also wrote:-

Bit of background
Before I left UK in 1964 I was out of work for 6 months - waiting for a delayed contract to start .
A keen motorcyclist and having a Honda trail bike ( 50% road / 50% off road type)
I put a map of all roman roads, forts, settlements superimposed onto on a similar map of all registered Bronze and Iron age hill forts in one saddlebag and a bivvy and a few t shirts in the other and set off to see as many as I could !
Did from the West country to Hadrians wall !!!
Happiest 6 months of my life - down farm tracks on the course of roman roads- across fields and fells when they ran out and picked them up again when they reappeared, always camped overnight in hill forts and roman camps.
Couldn't do that nowadays though with all the rules about bridleways, British Heritage sites etc etc
Had plenty of time to think and observe, amazing what a ciggie and a shot of whiskey brings to the surface of your mind at sunset alone in a place that was a hive of activity 1 or 2 thousand years ago !!!

Well thats it - just wish that there was another history freak in Phuket that I could share with !

In a nut-shell..

Amazing.

[Happyman]

P.S to my last

It really pissed my girlfriend off
When I got back the contract was due to start so within a week we got married and moved to the Netherlands !!!

[jockben]

This is a good one to have a look at if you are interested in things Roman !
The foundations of the walls gates and buildings are all intact and give you a good idea of the layout of a typical fort and also makes you wonder about the work involved in building it. While you are there spare a thought for the poor buggers dragged from the sunny Med and stationed up there in mid winter !
************************************************
jockben

[Happyman]

Originally Posted by Mathos

This was a close up photograph of water oozing down the valley. I'm assuming the brown on the rock is a source of metal from the mountain side.

The brown/red stained water is more likely Tannin from an ancient oak copse that has been swallowed up by the peat when the climate changed and the trees died - Peat also produces dark run off( see your previous pics of streams where the water is brown ) the presence of old oak accentuates the colour .

The dog is sitting on a wall that shows the long axis of the main stones being parallel to the ground !

[Mathos]

Happyman wrote:-

The brown/red stained water is more likely Tannin from an ancient oak copse that has been swallowed up by the peat when the climate changed and the trees died - Peat also produces dark run off( see your previous pics of streams where the water is brown ) the presence of old oak accentuates the colour .

The dog is sitting on a wall that shows the long axis of the main stones being parallel to the ground !

Thanks again Happyman, great to learn these things.



The effects of nature in places such as this area of our little country are quite amazing. There's a bit of everything showing on this particular photograph, one way or another I thought.

The River Esk also which runs through The Valley had some beautiful locations.



It meanders through all sorts of landscapes, cascading down here and there, forming tarns along it's route and eventually reaching the sea. I thought the photograph above showed some real beauty.

[Mathos]

There's a superb Railway Line, narrow guage track, running from Eskdale to Ravensglass.

There's quite a decent link here as well. Good information.

BBC - h2g2 - The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway - Route and Stations
12 Oct 2007 ... As the railway was originally built to transfer iron ore from




Outstanding place it was too.



Set very picturesquely in a superb location by the base of England's highest mountain as well.




Scafell springs to mind, but I'd better check that out in due course.



Some nice photographs of the trains as well.

I'll add another post on these after this, there is a fair bit to put on the thread.




Amazing how much power these small engines generate.

[Happyman]

Originally Posted by Mathos

Brilliantly built from slate/stone and no mortar again.

Now this looked somewhat peculiar, almost like an underground residence.



There's some kind of entrance in the stone wall, a partly ground covered roof to the right of the same, fencing, waste disposal bin and perhaps some coloured clothing on the side.

.

I like the fitting of the stones on those houses!- looks like some sort of Shale that splits easily . Its all held together by a thick rendering of mortar on the inner face but it looks great with the long bonding stones at the corners !
If you could see the other face ( left hand side in the pic) you would see that bonding stones alternate with the ones on this face !look
It must be local outward sign of status of the occupants ! - note that all the other walls around the property are built of rough ragstone !!!

Now I have said in previous posts that I am not into owning property but if someone were to put that 50% - 50% underground house on the market I would seriously consider moving back to UK!
Wanna be a caveman !!!l

[Mathos]

The line turns into two as it comes into the station.




The engine is uncoupled from the carriages and then proceeds to a man power operated turn-table at the end of the line.

It comes down the other line, passing the carriages and then reverses back up the line with the carriages on to commence the return journey through the valley and countryside to the coast at Ravenglass.



We didn't take the journey, we had to watch the clock so to speak. With hindsight, we really wish we had done though.




The manually operated turn-table.





Everybody connected with the Railway was kept busy as well.




This Engine was about 'eighty years old'

Outstanding condition.




Two separate trains pulled in whilst we were there as well.

We probably dropped very lucky.



The older chap with the 'Father Christmas Beard' really looked the part.




These guy's were ready for a brew.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by Happyman

I like the fitting of the stones on those houses!- looks like some sort of Shale that splits easily . Its all held together by a thick rendering of mortar on the inner face but it looks great with the long bonding stones at the corners !
If you could see the other face ( left hand side in the pic) you would see that bonding stones alternate with the ones on this face !look
It must be local outward sign of status of the occupants ! - note that all the other walls around the property are built of rough ragstone !!!

Now I have said in previous posts that I am not into owning property but if someone were to put that 50% - 50% underground house on the market I would seriously consider moving back to UK!
Wanna be a caveman !!!l

I wanted it too. Absolutely wonderful and to live in there!


Flobo, said 'No Way'

[Happyman]

Can imagine my "herd " of cats going down into the valley and dragging a mammoth or two back for dinner !

[Mathos]

This was a nice looking Hotel as well. There were some magnificent places tucked away in these mountains.

The Brook House Inn.





Well worth checking this link out too.

Eskdale Hotels Brook House Inn
Family owned Lake district country Inn and Restaurant with The Hotel has 7 en-suite bedrooms providing excellent quality accommodation, imaginative food and ...
www.brookhouseinn.co.uk/public/brookhouse-inn.html - 12k - Cached - Similar pages
More results from www.brookhouseinn.co.uk »


Some of the photographs we took are brilliant and that's not a reference to any skills at all. I just point and press. However, they are turning out superb, it must be the way I have been sticking my tongue out of late.





The house down in the valley here was unreal. Imagine not having a shilling for the gas.

Phoning the Newsagents and asking where the 'Paperboy' is in the middle of winter.





The Shepherd wasn't having his sheep do a runner down stream either.




The rugged beauty is endless.




You could walk out for a bucket of coal in deep snow though and never find your way back to the house I reckon.

You wouldn't want to be wandering round there in your house-slippers either carrying a bucket of coal, like the 'Village Idiot'

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by Happyman

Can imagine my "herd " of cats going down into the valley and dragging a mammoth or two back for dinner !

Nice one....

[Mathos]

Some of the views were past any description.



Even the ducks looked happy and content.



Another one of that house too.

What about The RAC getting out to you when the battery on the car is flat?

They'd never give you membership out there.




I bet it would be fun going down those roads on a pair of roller skates though.





Last one for tonight.




Busy day ahead of me tomorrow.