Evening Stroll over Sleddale Fell

 

The evening was far too lovely to ignore.

Long Sleddale Fell may not look so remote on the map but in reality it has one of the longest, and loveliest, single track roads in Cumbria.

The home, I hope you remember, of Postman Pat and Jess the cat. Pat had finished his rounds but we did have a slow drive back behind a flock of resident sheep.

 

 

Winding walls protect the lanes,

 

quickly turning into grassy byways,

then into a laconic beck which had recently been a torrent.

but was now only inhabited by malicious horseflies. Grey Crag looked quite deserted

until the sheep told  us otherwise.

and a pair of young foxes noticed they had more than the sheep for company and sped up the gill.

Wet winters and sudden heat must be perfect for cotton grass, the fell sides almost white in places. 

Evening sun picking out the buds and the hill surround.

It was an easy wander from Grey Crag to Tarn Crag across fell that would normally be squelch ally.  The peat has become dry, cracked and dusty, sphagnum moss transformed from deep green sponge to pale, crisp moss. The tarn at had shrunk to a jigsaw piece, with white riverbeds on display.  Enjoy our wonderful summer while we can.

And the map, view in OS Getamap here.