Delta Ged, Volunteer Ranger @ National Trust Lyme Park : October 2014

Photo Blog Week 42 - Wed 22 October 2014

The first part of the day was spent walking through woods looking up and trying not to fall flat on my face following the high winds earlier in the week; tree observation is important to ensure nothing threatening is hanging up there. My track is split in two as I jumped in the car between the Main Car Park and The Knott Car Park to attend to the area I had been asked to look at as soon as possible.

Drizzle followed for a couple of hours and the camera remained mainly under wraps.
After lunch, I followed the Red running route which estimated at 3 miles provides an excellent walk.

Red Deer

The rut is well underway now and, whereas most of the time it seems like there are about 20 red deer in the Park Herd, today groups of Hinds with a mature Stag were all over and it was easy to appreciate that there are more than 200 out there in the park in addition to over 100 on Park Moor. Often other mature stags stood close by occasional making their presence known with a roar or a brief skulk around before getting warned off by the resident stag. Young stags didn't seem to be a threat and were being tolerated on the edge of the groups.
About 4 PM, they were so many on Cage Hill that I just stopped for 20 minutes watching them as stags would round up wandering hinds and wander toward each other groups warnig off. Lone stags wandered between groups and the roars could be heard in all directions as presences was announced and countered. Many, many photos and video clips have been edited down to still a lot below. I hope you enjoy.
I haven't added many comments to the Red Deer photos apart from the location, I'll let them speak for themselves.

Delta-Ged taking a break next week
I'm not here next week so next blog will be on or after 6th November which will be my 12 month anniversay as a Volunteer Patrolling Ranger at Lyme Park.

Red Lane entrance and Lodge

Park Moor viewed from Cage Hill slopes

First Red Deer of the day on slopes of Cage Hill

Yew berries shaken off the trees by yesterday's wind

Autumn colours continue to develop. Beech and Oak are now colouring up

Westpark Drive

Colours in the Bracken

Westparkgate Entrance

Poynton Brook running through Deer Clough

Naerrow steep path out of Deer Clough

Cluse Hey browns as the bracken collapses into winter

The wide grass path across the ridge to Paddock Cottage

Beautiful dipping boughs on Beech near picnic area

route: Red run - Around Mill Pond; Drinkwater Meadow; Knightslow Wood (wall path); Bowstones track gate; Park Moor (bottom path)

Wind damage: Massive bough ripped of Beech smashed fence around Fallow Deer enclosure at back of main car park

Nature's Artwork: Horse Chestnut leaves on the ground

Marker for Red and Green Running route - I'm following Red

Larch needles turning gold against dark green of non-deciduous conifers

No view of Manchester this week

Fungi fest'

Tall slender beech trees in Knightslow Wood reaching for sunlight amongst the thick canopy

Beech tips speckled with gold

Middle Moor Wall heading into the distance

Fungi fest'

Lovely woodland path. Rain has stopped and a little brighter now

route: Red run - Park Moor (bottom path); Turf House Meadow; Lantern Wood

Park Moor with Autumn coat on - still beautiful

Red Deer silhouetted on the skyline

This culvert was rebuilt by the conservation volunteers earlier this year. The picture below shows the tide mark from were the path was flooded last winter when the culvert collapsed.

Turf House Meadow

The Lantern

An odd building. Holes can be seen where floor joists may have been. What appear to have been windows appear cosmetic only from the outside on the lower level.

A very perculiar aspect to look at if you are in the Lantern is the presence of wooden lintels in only three of the four corners of the ground floor (not shown). No purpose I could figure.

Rear facing lights appear to be bricked up on top level.

Viewed from outside, the closure can be seen but their are no lintels or cills.

route: Red run - The Lantern; Caters Slack; Cage Hill; Lyme Hall North Face; return to car

Cage Hill from high on Caters Slack

Autumn Canopies

Caters Slack

Fungi fest' - vivid yellow

Cage Hill

This classic stag has really bulked up with a darker rich coat and the longer hair below the neck

A lone explorer wanders Cage Hill eyeing up the groups of hinds

Video Clips

Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed the lens cap blowing onto the camera shell interfereing with sound. Also a gentle breeze drowns many of the stags' roars but listen carefully and you can pick them out.