After a large cooked breakfast I headed up Eskedale through some beautiful, mossy woodland – immediately, a Spotted Flycatcher showed itself, perching on a fence post. On closer inspection there was a whole family of Spotted Flycatchers, noisly flitting about with the young begging for food. The flycatchers were just part of a feeding flock of birds with a juvenile Redstart, 2 Song Thrushes, 5 Coal Tits and a family of both Great and Blue Tits. A little further along the woodland took on the appearance of something from Lord of the Rings with mossy boulders and twisted trees everywhere. A pair of Treecreepers were feeding on the trees and a couple more Song Thrushes were hunting for food.

At about 10 am some cloud came in and it began to rain which made me think that I was in for a very wet day. Whilst the rain was at its hardest I messed around with my camera and took some photos. I got this one of a tree.

When the rain eased off I strolled along stopping often to watch the birds; a Garden Warbler, some more Spotted Flycatchers and a Nuthatch were interesting as was a close up view of a calling Buzzard. In a small plantation of conifers a male Siskin briefly came into view before flying across the valley.

By the time I reached the bottom of Hardknott Pass the rain had stopped so I headed further up the valley stopping to watch a Grey Wagtail in a stream and to take in more birds amongst the open oak woodland. Two more Garden Warblers were feeding, Chaffinches, a Mistle Thrush and yet more Spotted Flycatchers. The abundance of this species was nice to see. When I was in my early teens, Spotted Flycatchers were so common back home that I would hardly stop to look at them, now they are mostly gone, but it was nice to see them so common here – if only British woodlands were always this good.

Heading up the valley I gained height quickly and the bird species began to change with Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Yellowhammer and a juvenile Whinchat all present. In the river a Grey Wagtail was busy feeding 2 very recently fledged chicks below a small waterfall. As one goes further up Eskedale the birds thin out, but the views become spectacular with waterfalls and high mountains all around.

The only problem is that getting to all this great scenery involves hiking up loads of steep and wet trails, by this time my feet were already soaked so that I was just taking the shortest route to where I wanted to go, whether that was straight through a bog or not. I had to spare a thought for an old friend of mine who used to accompany me on hiking trips in the past. I was very fit at the time and used to leap up the mountains while he huffed and puffed away; now that I am not quite so fit I have some idea of how he felt. Bogs and steep climbs aside there was still some time to stop and look at the birds with a pair of Ravens calling from some crags and a male Stonechat amongst the bracken.

Once at the top of my climb, the valley opened out into one of the most spectacular views in England. Here the valley is wide and boggy, with a rocky stream through the middle and high mountains all around, like an ampitheatre. This was a good place to have lunch and an even better place for those wishing to overdose on Meadow Pipits, although anyone wishing for more than fabulous views and Meadow Pipits should stay away! Below are a few pictures from my lunch spot, but they hardly do the area justice.

Afterwards I headed towards Moasdale in order to descend and on my way to the pass into this valley I came across a Skylark, which I usually think of as a bird of the lowlands but I guess there is plenty of habitat for it up there, and a distant flock of 15 Ravens swooping around a mountain top. The treck down Moasdale was pretty rough with no real track so it was a case of slogging through more bogs, although it was very pretty. Finally, with the sun now out and very hot, I reached the eastern side of Hardknott Pass and stopped a while to watch the cars going up and down this crazy road. It can be very exciting driving up this pass, or scary, depending on your point of view: here’s a picture of it.

Hardknott Pass

From here I made the dubious decision to head down the Duddon valley instead of heading over Hardknott Pass. Fortunately the birds began to become more abundant and varied with a male Redpoll landing on a fence in front of me, a Grey Heron fishing in the River Duddon, a pair of Buzzards mewing on a crag, many Swallows, 4 Wheatears, a party of Long-tailed Tits and 5 Carrion Crows feeding on a dead sheep in the river. The valley is very beautiful and the boggy meadows were full of yellow Bog Asphodel and pink Heath Spotted Orchid.

Heath Spotted Orchid

By this time I was very tired and not relishing the very long walk around Harter Fell to get back to Wha House Farm and a shower, so I decided to take the more direct route via the summit of Harter Fell, which in hindsight wasn’t the best choice I’ve ever made. The trail was hopeless and I had to constantly consult the map and try and work out where I should be heading. Somehow I made it to the right place, but not before making several stops to admire the fantastic views of the mountains in the sunshine. I have been up here many times but somehow I am still mesmerised by the scenery. By this time I was so knackered that the birds could be damned – particularly the, by now, quite tiresome Meadow Pipits and Wheatears. Although a Buzzard being chased by a Raven was quite good. The view from the summit was great, particularly the view down upon Hardknott Fort, an old Roman encampment. From this height all the rooms of the fort could quite clearly be seen.

Hardknott Fort

The descent back to the farm was torture, I thought my knees were going to explode, and by this time a dodo could have turned up and I wouldn’t have been interested. However, after a shower, some food and a pint of Sneck Lifter I managed to rummage up the enthusiasm to watch a Black-headed Gull catching insects over a hay meadow that was in the process of being cut.