Delta Ged, Volunteer Ranger @ National Trust Lyme Park : Week 30 16/07/2014

Photo Blog Week 30 - Wed 16 July 2014

This week I had the extraordinary pleasure of being very close to several groups of Red Deer. I took a lot of photos, too many to include in the main body of this post, but couldn't bring myself to leave any out so I have appended the rest at the end of this post under the heading "Other Red Deer Photographs".

I really enjoyed interacting with visitors by the Red Deer today. I have learnt quite a lot in my time here and it's lovely to be thanked by people after just having a chat, slipping in interesting snippets and answering questions. I can sometimes go all day without talking to anyone and I just happened to be in the right place for five groups.

If, like me, you have run your hands under the freezing cold water in the toilet block in January, good news, Hot Water! I seems it's been on for 3 weeks now. So, next winter, I can look forward to a nice thawing clean up. Don't waste it though!

Weather forecasters were spot on today. Clear and warm then about 3pm, clouds and light rain. I carried my waterproofs all day but when it did start to rain, it was so hot I couldn't consider putting them on! Water proof cover on backpack was useful though.

Lyme Hall North Face and Courtyard

I don't often include closer views of the Hall though I visit the Estate Office inside every week to sign in and out, pick up any information, and grab a radio and a litter picker.

The inner courtyard with entrance door into the hall itself above the steps

The North Face.

Though this is Grand and the entrance for carriages, the South Face is the spectacular frontage looking out onto the gardens. The original approach was from the Westparkgate direction and as the drive sweeps in at the far end of the main car park, that it the elevation you see. There is a photo of the South Face and Reflection Lake near the end of this post.

The Clock and statues over the entrance.

Being North facing, some stone is heavily weathered and inspection reveals where some has been replaced.

route: Lyme Hall; The Cage; descend toward Admissions - Divert East to Reservoir wall; to Admissions staying North of stream.

On the way up Cage Hill, the sun lights up buildings in the distance

Approaching The Cage from The Hall

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)

I've always had a soft spot for these delicate pretty flowers.

A very broody Kinder Plateau

Looking South over the Hall to Park Moor and Bowstonegate Farm

First Red Deer encounter of the day, Cage Hill

Velvet

The Red Deer antlers are still growing and covered in 'velvet'. In this picture you see the soft outline and with being back-lit it hints at the soft furry nature of the surface.

Manchester city centre. Beetham Tower (Hilton Hotel) centre.

The Lantern nestling in the trees of Lantern Wood

Last week I was pointing out the variety of grasses. Above the forest of other grasses these stems stand high.

More Harebells in the long grass near the reservoir

Dainty Damselfly (Coenagrion scitulum)

Admissions Hut at the Main Entrance.

Nigel reaching right out to pass visitors a map.

I see so many stop so far away from him. Pull in closer guys, he won't bite.

route: Admission; Main Gate; Bollinhurst Brook Exit stile; side of House; Parallel then Main Drive edge; Timberyard Cafe.

Outside the Park: A Coot on it's nest on the fishing lake next to the Main Entrance.

The were also Dragon Flies but I couldn't manage a photograph.

Plate like Fungus on dead tree near Main Entrance gate

A Visitor view as they progress up the Main Drive; The Cage peeping through a tunnel of trees

All sorts of tasks need to be carried out including mowing the edge of the mile long Main Drive for visitor comfort and safety when walking (as well as looking tidy)

Some Lime trees now have little clusters of blossom

Deer or Sticks?

Later, when you see Deer low in the grass, remember this one.

This remains of a broken tree in long grass looks amazingly similar to the antlers of a couple of stags at rest.

route: Timberyard; Stables; Eastlodge; Caters Slack; Turfhouse Meadow; Lantern Wood; Park Moor; Knightslow Wood; Lime Avenue; Main Car Park

Canada Geese on the Mill Pond

A pair of Mallards.

The male (left) is the one with the green head and the female (right) is brown and white

Did you know there are running routes around the Park?

Call at Information by the Main Car Park for details

This building just up from the North Entrance to the Hall is The Stables.

The Rangers and Conservation teams work from here. Vehicles and equipment are stored and maintained in the extensive workshops which also produce bespoke carpentry for authentic repairs in the Hall.

Second Red Deer encounter of the day, Track to East Lodge above Deer Sanctuary

Down int the Red Deer Sanctuary. Hinds with their young calves stay well hidden.

Most of my Red Deer photos are using a degree of zoom on the camera.

This shot is zoom free showing the actually proximity to the track

The new Cheek End was finished yesterday.

You can see the new stone to left side of the gap. Constructing a 'Cheek End' is a highly skilled Drystone Walling job producing a flat closed end to a wall.

Camera tilted.. Not the wall!

A 'Lunky' hole in the wall.

For animals to pass through. These were sometimes used as traps with the animals driven to the wall from the other side and sacks this side ready to catch them.

The Lantern. This clearing in the wood aligns with the Hall so that there is a sight line.

The story goes that checking whether The Lantern could be seen from The Hall contributed to deciding whether the weather was suited to hunting.

Track along the bottom edge of the Moor alongside Hampers Wood.

Fallow Deer

As well as two herds of Red Deer, Lyme Park has a herd of Fallow Deer. A much smaller species coming in all colours including white, brown and grey they have been described as 'pretty' by some. A Mediterranean species; their enclosure is closed to the public in winter months to reduce stress in the cold months when their diet in supplemented by corn.