Tarn Guide: Blelham Tarn

Blelham Tarn is a large wedge shaped tarn near the north-western shores of Windermere.

Danby Dale

Danby Dale is one of a series of valleys that flow north into the Esk, creating a pattern of valleys and ridges that give the area its distinctive character

Photo Gallery - Red Panda

Photo gallery on the Red Panda, loosly related to weasels, raccoons and skunks

Two Christmas Poems

Two poems inspired by Christmas this week - December Barnard Castle by Grace Gant and Christmas in the Wind by Terry Watkins

Fells Guide: Kemp Tarn

Kemp Tarn sits just to the north of Reston Scar, to the north-west of Staveley

Something of interest..

Have your family lived and worked with the Yorkshire Moors for generations? Writer looking to record family histories for new project. Please write to Kirstie at: storiesofthemoor@gmail.com

October Middleton in Teesdale and A Farewell to Autumn

Two poems inspired by the changing seasons today - October Middleton in Teesdale by Grace Gant and A Farewell to Autumn by Terry Watkins.

Moors Guide: Wheeldale

Two valleys carry the Wheeldale name, running on the northern and eastern sides of Wheeldale Moor, and merging at its north-eastern corner

Common Toad pictures

This month we add another six pictures to our Common Toad gallery.

On the Building of the Burley Bypass and The Humber

Two more poems by Terry today - On the Building of the Burley Bypass and The Humber

Juniper and Rowan by Grace Gant

Two new acrostics by Grace Gant today, Rowan and Juniper.

Moors Guide: Bransdale

Bransdale is one of the most isolated valleys in the North York Moors, surrounded by high moors on all sides, apart from the narrow ravine of Hodge Beck

The Common Tern

Despite its name the Common Tern (Sterna Nirundo) is less common in Britain than the Arctic Tern, but it is the most wide-spread, being found around most of the coast and some way inland.

A Yellowbelly's Yorkshire and The Moorland Sheep

Today we add two more poems by Terry Watkins - 'A Yellowbelly's Yorkshire' and 'The Moorland Sheep'.

A Storm on the Moor and The New Forest

Terry Watkins is an evocatively skilled writer and we are delighted to include his poems "A Storm on the Moor" and 'The New Forest'   Without further ado we will let the poems speak for themselves.

Walk: Lord's Seat, Broom Fell and Graystones

This walk takes us onto the ridge of fells (Lord's Seat, Broom Fell and Graystones) that sit between the quiet valleys of Aiken Beck and Wythop.

Fell Guide: Broom Fell

Broom Fell is the highest point on the ridge that connects Lord's Seat to Graystones and overlooks the quiet valleys of Aiken Beck to the south and Wythop to the north

Arctic Tern (Sterna Paradisaea)

The Arctic Tern (Sterna Paradisaea) migrates further than any other bird, spending the breeding season in the Arctic and the rest of the year in the Antarctic, spending most of its life when not actively migrating living in the polar summer.

Baysdale

Baysdale lies at the western end of Esk Dale, merging with Westerdale just upstream of Dibble Bridge, west of Castleton.

White Side or Whiteside Bank

White Side or Whiteside Bank is the next fell north along the Helvellyn Range (taking Lower Man as part of the parent fell). At over 2,700ft it would be a sizable fell in other company, but here it is rather overwhelmed by its taller and much more dramatic neighbour.

Fell Guide: High Raise

High Raise (Langdale) is the highest point on the line of fells that form the central watershed of the Lake District and form the boundary between the generally smooth sloped fells of the east and the rocky fells of the west.

Fell Guide: Hard Knott

Hard Knott is better know for its pass and its Roman fort, but the fell that gives both their name is a rather lovely one, with an undulating summit area that repays a leisurely exploration.

Fell Guide: Grey Knotts

Grey Knotts is really the northern end of a ridge that runs north-east from Brandreth, but it stands separate enough to count as a fell in its own right

Fell Guide: Great How

Great How could be seen as a shelf on the south-western slopes of Scafell, but for me there is enough of a gap for it to count as a separate fell.

Gavel Fell

Gavel Fell is one of the group of fells clustered around Blake Fell, although the only link to other high ground is across the col linking it to Black Fell itself.

Fell Guide: Yewbarrow

Yewbarrow is one of the most shapely of the Lake District fells, taking the form of an upturned boat, with steep slopes on every side and a dramatic pointed 'bow' facing south towards Wast Water.

Caw Fell

Caw Fell is one of the more remote of the Ennerdale fells, sitting back from the valley above Silver Cove.

Great Carrs

Great Carrs sits at the northern end of the Coniston Fells, but it feels more like it belongs to the Duddon, where it overlooks Wrynose Bottom at the upper reaches of the valley, and to Little Langdale, from where it is seen above the Greenburn valley.

Aira Force Again

Aira Force Again is a new poem by Grace Gant, inspired by a return visit that saw the falls in a different mood than the one that inspired Aira Force.

Glaisdale

Glaisdale is one of a series of side-valleys that run into Esk Dale, and falls into two distinct areas. Most of the dale is a typical Moors valley, flat bottomed and steep sided, but close to the Esk the valley closes up, with Glaisdale Beck running through a narrow wooded valley.

Genus Sterna - typical white terns

The genus Sterna now contains a group of medium sized white terns that live in coastal waters.

River Lickle

The River Lickle is one of the less well known rivers of the Lake District, flowing south-west through quiet countryside from Walna Scar into the Duddon west of Broughton-in-Furness.

River Mite

The Mite is one of the quiet rivers of West Cumbria, flowing through the grassy fells between Eskdale and Wasdale. On a day when the better known valleys are too crowded, Miterdale can be a welcome refuge.

River Lowther

The River Lowther runs though attractive countryside on the north-eastern side of the Lake District, where the fells begin to merge in the Pennines.

Bilsdale

Bilsdale is the valley of the River Seph, and one of the longest dales in the Moors, running from the north-western edge of the moors between Hasty Bank and Urra Moor to its junction with the River Rye about a miles east of Hawnby.

Coal Tit

Smaller and more agile than the Great Tit or Blue Tit, the Coal Tit is an adept feeder in conifers and a regular visitor to peanut feeders in British gardens.

River Esk

The River Esk is probably my favourite Lake District river, running through stunning scenery from its source all the way to the sea

River Duddon

The River Duddon flows through one of the most attractive Lakeland valleys, a quiet walkers valley for most of its length, accessed along a narrow and winding road and offering an unusual line of approach to the Coniston fells.

Walk: Flat Fell and Nannycatch

Our latest walk takes us to Flat Fell, which appears to be a largely unexciting fell, but it hides a pleasant surprise on its eastern flanks, where crags overlook the normally quiet valley of Nannycatch, which feels more like it belongs in the Dales or the North York Moors than in the Lakes

River Calder

The River Calder is one of the quietest of the Lake District's larger rivers, running through an isolated and often empty valley in the western fells.

Farndale

Farndale is one of my favourite valleys of the North York Moors, a quieter version of its near neighbour Rosedale, a long steep-sided trench cut into the high moors, with a super mix of a gentle valley bottom, steep sides and wild moorland.

Blue Tit

The Blue Tit is a bird feeder favourite and the most common member of the Tit family in the UK.

Seathwaite Tarn

Seathwaite Tarn, off the Duddon Valley, is one of the largest of the tarns, and like many of the larger tarns isn't entirely natural, having been enlarged by the construction of a dam in 1904.

Levers Water

Levers Water is a large almost rectangular tarn in an impressive location above Coniston village.

Yew Tree Tarn and Cogra Moss

Yew Tree Tarn sits alongside the main road from Ambleside to Coniston. Cogra Moss sits in a minature mountain landscape on the western edge of the Lake District.

Dales of the North York Moors

The North York Moors are cut into by dozens of Dales, varying is size from lengthy Esk Dale in the north to some truly tiny valleys in the southern part of the park.

Shelduck (genus Tadorna)

The Shelducks (genus Tadorna), fall between most ducks and geese in size, reaching 50-60cm in length.

Three Tarns and Watendlath Tarn

Three Tarns is a collection of small pools on the col between Bow Fell and Crinkle Tarns. Watendlath Tarn is one of the most attractive of the tarns, sitting in a quiet side valley off Borrowdale.

Stickle Tarn (Stickle Pike) and Styhead Tarn

Stickle Tarn on Stickle Pike is a quiet tarn in a lovely location on a ledge just below the summit of the fell. Styhead Tarn sits in an even lovelier location in the heart of the high fells, but can't be described as quiet!

High Nook Tarn and Over Water

High Nook Tarn is a lovely quiet pool in a side valley overlooking Loweswater. Over Water sits on the northern edge of the Lakes, between Binsey and the Skiddaw Fells.

Fell Guide: Angle Tarn and Arnsbarrow Tarn

Angle Tarn sits at the very top of Langstrath, below the crags of Bow Fell. Arnsbarrow Tarn sits in more gentle country, on the eastern side of Coniston Water.

Small Water and Sprinkling Tarn

Small Water sits below the crags of Harter Fell and Mardale Ill Bell. Sprinkling Tarn is in an equally impressive location, below the crags of Great End.

Skylark and Woodlark

This month we look at the two UK breeding larks - the Skylark and the less common Woodlark.

Rawland Howe and Nean Howe

Rawland Howe and Nean Howe are both round barrows near Danby,

Scoat Tarn and Siney Tarn

Scoat Tarn on the slopes of Red Tarn and Siney Tarn above Eskdale this month.

Grisedale Tarn and Eel Tarn

We finish the month with Grisedale Tarn, at the southern end of the Helvellyn range and Eel Tarn in the interesting ground above Eskdale.

Blind Tarn and Dry Tarn

Blind Tarn (Eskdale) is a small tarn slowly been squeezed by Sineytarn Moss. Dry Tarn sits in a dramatic location on Great Gable but normally lacks water.

Moss Dub and Parkgate Tarn

Two tarns hidden in forests this week - Moss Dub in Ennerdale and Parkgate Tarn near Irton Pike.

Low Tarn and Low Water

Two tarns that can be found half way up fells this time - Low Tarn on the slopes of Wasdale Red Pike and Low Water on the eastern slopes of the Old Man of Coniston.

Genus Cygnus and the Mute Swan

Next on Storm-crow we look at the Genus Cygnus (Swans) and the Mute Swan, the only resident breeding swan to be found in Britain

Loose Howe and Flat Howe, North York Moors

Loose Howe is a well excavated round barrow above Rosedale. Flat Howe is a less well understood round barrow on the eastern edge of Glaisedale High Moor.

Kirkfell Tarn and Innominate Tarn

The week we look at two very different mountain-top tarns - the rather underwhelming Kirkfell Tarn and the stunning Innominate Tarn on Haystacks.