Delta Ged, Volunteer Ranger @ National Trust Lyme Park : Week 34 27/08/2014

Photo Blog Week 34 - Wed 27 August 2014

Back in the Park after a 2 week holiday, the immediate impression is that autumnal colours are creeping in across the grassland and woods. Grasses are turning pale like ripe cornfields and the woodland canopies are showing tints of yellows amongst the greens. The thistles are mostly fading and tufts of thistledown are developing though not yet ready to be released to begin their journey on the winds. A lot of 'topping' has taken place giving the parkland a tended look.

The last week of the school holidays and a sunny day meant it was quite busy, full of all ages and being enjoyed in all ways from a day at the park or the playground, picnicking or sipping coffee by the cafe, relaxing in gardens through to hardcore hiking out on the Moor. Mrs Delta-Ged also came along for the walk today before she returns to work next week.

I always feel a little sad for people who have travelled to see the Hall which is closed on my Wednesday patrol days. It is clearly stated in the handbook and on the website but many still arrive to disappointment. I explain that it is essential to be open at weekend so a couple of days in the week is the only way of giving people a break and attending to essential conservation and maintenance.

Camera trouble:
The quality of shots is erratic this week. My 18 month old fuji finepix 2400 has developed a fault in the shutter button meaning that there is an unpredictable delay when pressing. This may be the 2nd camera I've written off taking pictures in the rain and putting the camera in a damp rucksack on my patrols. Rain may mean fewer photo's in the future.

route: Lyme Hall; East Lodge; The Cage; Crow Wood; Timberyard Cafe (lunch stop)

The grasses on the slopes around The Cage have been cut

Fungi in the grass

A still bright thistle

The edge of completed "topping". Untouched Soft Rush to right of picture.

To the naked eye, the purple heather can be seen on the moors near Kinder

View over Disley to Manchester in the distance

Green path through dip at Coalpit Wood and up to Cage Hill

A clear day with Winter Hill and the wind farms on Scout Hill visible north of Manchester

Hawthorn Avenue running below The Cage parallel to Main Drive

not identified ?

Elder Berries

A Horse Chestnut showing Autumn Colours

Blackberries ripening nicely

Sweet Chestnuts.

Sweet Chestnuts are seriously prickly when they fall. Sadly the nuts are not like the one in the braziers at Christmas.

route: Drinkwater Meadow; Paddock Cottage; Cluse Hey; Middle Moor Wall; Stag House; Bowstonegate Farm entrance.

Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium)

Arriving a Paddock Cottage from Drinkwater Meadow

Rhododendron in foreground below Paddock Cottage

The grassy slopes near Paddock Cottage looking toward the Welsh Hills

Cluse Hey, Knighslow Wood and Park Moor. Bowstonegate Farm on horizon.

Beetham Tower (Hilton Hotel) standing out in Manchester centre

Purple Heather over Cluse Hey

Lyme Park doesn't have any Heather Moor but there are patches such as this.

The Heather is vivid near Kinder and up on Burbage Moor near the Longshaw Estate toward Sheffield. Well worth an outing in the next few weeks.

Rowan berries.

Lots of berries on Rowan is said to indicate a severe winter to come. (By some people)

Bracken already starting to loose its structure and collapse.

Smell the air around the bracken, a very evocative flavour. It instantly takes me back to building and sleeping in bivouacs as a 12 year old scout in the Dee valley in Wales on summer camp.

The Walling Team are getting on with repairs to the major Boundary Wall collapse bounding the grounds of Park Moor Cottage

From the Boundary Wall across Park Moor and Knightslow Wood with The Cage centre

Park Moor has many dips and Red Deer spotting is difficult often

Fence posts surrounding Stag House ruin.

I have received several enquiries regarding the location of Stag House which appears on many maps.

Actually a ruin consisting of little more that the foundations, it is about 100 yds from the Boundary wall in a section where most people are on the path the other side of the wall which drops down near Keepers Cottage.

Inside the wall there is no marked path however open country walking close the the wall is easy.

NOTE: In nesting season, please stick to worn track to avoid disturbing ground nesting birds.