Autumn pleasures.

After a busy summer with several working weekends, I had accumulated enough leave to be able to take time off for a trip to the Ardnamurchan area.  Jan and I searched on-line and found Loch Shiel House Hotel which suited our needs very well.

 We took our bikes and just cycled around enjoying the great landscape and looking for wildlife.

On one of our outings we made use of a Forestry Commission hide on the loch shore.  It was a brilliant location with the additional advantage of being very accessible for wheelchairs.  We spent the best part of a day there watching a couple of otters and several seals – the otters were stealing the show and we didn’t immediately notice the seals! 

Look for an otter and a seal!

Soon after returning home to the Lakes I had a call asking for advice about what to do with an otter cub that had been found in an outbuilding.  It had been left undisturbed all day but was beginning to ‘cry’. The best advice in that situation is to call the RSPCA who have the knowledge and skills to deal with it.  In this case the cub was not there the following morning so either the mother had eventually returned for it or the RSPCA had made an early collection!

One of several dogs on the guided walk.

As part of the Trust’s walking festival 13 people joined my guided walk taking in Walla Crag, Falcon Crag, Ashness Bridge and the return to Great Wood via Falcon Crag.  Red squirrels, red deer and peregrines made appearances and we were also able to look at footpath management in Cat Ghyll and moorland management on Armboth Fell. 

Derwentwater in middle ground, Bassenthwaite Lake on horizon and another of the accompanying dogs.

The weather could not have been better – mainly sunny and clear visibility which was ideal for showing autumn colours at their best.