I had an invitation from distant neighbours, John and Rosamund,
for a walk in Holme Wood.
Despite promises on timing, the National Trust have had to fell
the larch trees in the wood becasue of tree disease, Phytophthora
Ramorum
The plan was to remove them last summer, but the contractors
turned up after the wettest January for years.
We walked over to see the aftermath.
Driving down the track to Maggie's Bridge car park, you can
see the artistic shape of the wood, known as the Loweswater
Pheasant.
The lane appears wider because the huge forestry vehicles just
fitted down the lane and have scraped both sides clean.
Full marks for actually negotiating the road without major
mishaps !
The walk across the meadows was no different to normal so no
great pictures this time.
In practice Ramorum disease quickly affects larch woods but
(apparently) can also affect oak and Rhododendron if left unchecked.
Once we were up into the woods the signs of commercial clearance
were becoming very evident.
Most of the logs have been cleared
but it would appear that a number had "escaped"
down the slope before they had been caught !
The upper part of the wood has been clear felled
but along with it, the work has destroyed all of the beautiful
ferns and vegetation that grew along the forest track.
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Aware that the bridge across the beck next to the
waterfall
may not have taken the weight of heavy machinery,
the foresters have avoided
using the track up to the waterfall,
apart from a small section lower down
when lighter vehicles could access.
Consequently the area near the waterfall
is still clear for visitors
to walk up and admire the view.
Those look like larch at the top of the slope
so those may have to disappear at some point.
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A hundred yards up from the bridge, a newly
created forest track allows access to the felling area.
What started as a bulldozer wide clearance has
been hammered by the passage of the logging vehicles.
Great tyre tracks have dug into the forest floor.
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The timber-moving
vehicle climbs up once more . . . |
. . . leaving a muddy
trail in its wake. |
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To be fair,
attempts have been made to level the ground once finished
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. . . but the flow of
mud in places is overwhelming. |
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Small streams
have been coated with silt. |
The occasional settling
pond tries to improve the water quality downstream. |
We avoided the felling areas, obviously, but back down at
the bothy you have to avoid the main track.
Still, can't resist the opportunity to get up close and personal
with the equipment.
This is the Harvester that cuts and lowers the trees to the
ground.
The other large vehicle is the forward control log transporter.
This eight wheel monster climbs the forest tracks and brings
the cut logs down for road lorries to take them away.
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No wonder the forest has been carved to pieces
given the size and brutality of this equipment.
To be fair, it has to be this rugged to actually
work in the woods.
The only alternative would be hand felling
and individual removal of each tree by horses,
a good idea but very much slower.
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At the end of the working day
they've cleared all the secondary equipment away
into the green boxes.
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Despite their efforts the water entering the
lake is still cloudy with silt.
As you would expect, the dogs were "cloudy
with silt" too.
The look on Dylan's face tells of the ignominy
of being washed down with a cold garden hose before leaving
for home !
The mechanised clearance of the trees continued
till 1st March, when all the contractors suddenly left the woods.
The work had been slower than expected and would
now have to continue by hand, leaving extraction till later
in the year.
The hopefully they will replant with similar,
colourful trees to maintain the 'pheasant' outline.
"
Spout
Force through the woodland "
Date
& start time:
2nd
March 2023.
Location
of Start : Scawgill Bridge,
Whinlatter, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 177 257)
Places
visited :
Spout Force Waterfall.
Walk
details :
3/4 miles, 100 ft of ascent, 30 mins.
Highest
point :
Viewing platform overlooking the falls.
Walked
with :
Myself and the dogs, Dylan and Dougal.
Weather
: Overcast
but dry.
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A few days later, inspired by my visit to the
woods I found myself in Lorton
so I decided to walk the dogs in Whinlatter.
The short Spout Force walk has been out of bounds
while they cleared the forestry last year
Hopefully the footpath will be cleared and available
once again.
Scawgill Bridge, the size of the bridge matching
the size of the quarry in the adjacent fellside
I parked on the wide bend to the right
of the photo.
Walking up the Aiken Beck towards the falls.
I notice that the winter storms have washed
a bit more of the path into the river
but someone has strimmed back the bracken and
a new line is being established.
Everything looks so different.
The flat area under the trees that people sometimes
make dens or camp is now out in the open.
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In the absence of a path
the dogs take to the river . . . |
. . . but I'm not as I know where
the steps are. |
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The viewing platform's
still there, but it's missing a handrail ! |
The view of the waterfall is still
the same as ever. |
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The path up to the platform is a little distinct
as a result of the forestry work,
likewise the path on up the valley could still go through
but don't take my word for it
as I didn't walk it this time
and haven't tried it for several years.
We'll return down the valley
once I pursuaded Dylan of his perch !
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It looks strange with so many abandoned trees on what is an
otherwise cleared fell side.
The fellside opposite the bridge was cleared a number of years
ago
and now has a re-growth of birch trees and second generation
evergreen firs.
No time to sit and enjoy the seat as I have to get the shopping
put away before it spoils.
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Four final pictures of the garden one late afternoon, as the
late afternoon sun lit up the garden after a rain shower.
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The crocuses are in bloom,
slowly taking over from the snowdrops. |
That combination of rain and sun has
created a lovely rainbow. |
The rainbow is also reflected nicely in the
pond if you look closely.
In the water a large, new season clump of frogs
spawn is held in a mat of water weeds.
Here's a question . . . what's the name of my
ceramic frog (answer below) ?