Daisy, Stan & a new shop.

The big news in the valley this week is that the builders have completed their work renovating the National Trust shop opposite the Derwentwater boat landings near Theatre by the Lake.  After extensive work we now have a medium –sized shop with stunning views over the lake. 

 It will be reopening before the Easter weekend so there was much to do to have it stocked and ready for then. 

Now that the builders have moved out, I can move in to do some work on the open-air classroom and seating space next to the shop.  It will have a decked area made from recycled-plastic boardwalk.  The recycled plastic is made in Liverpool from plastic waste (mainly milk containers) from NW England so the whole process is as local as possible.

Over the weekend I took a walk up Castle Crag to check out a couple of trees that will need attention soon.  One would grow to obscure the view from the top so it will be taken out.  

The other, a larch, is growing too close to the iron-age hill fort up there and its root plate would damage the archaeology if it were blown over.

There is a tremendous view of Rosthwaite from the top of Castle Crag.  The ancient field development can be clearly seen in the existing hedge and wall pattern radiating from the settlement.  The early division of the land would have used people-drawn and then animal-drawn ploughs.  Stones would have been cleared to the boundaries and became walls.  The rocking and turning motions of the ploughs often resulted in what are called ‘lazy-S’ shaped walls and hedges.  This actually resulted in stronger walls and hedges.  It is also clear from the view from the top that Rosthwaite reflects the Old Norse meaning of Thwaite – clearing (in a wood). 

Castle Crag is a fairly short circular walk from Grange although the top is a bit steep as you are climbing up through old slate mine workings.  But, for relatively little effort, there are stunning views both towards Keswick & Derwentwater and deeper into the valley towards Rosthwaite.  There is a reward for your effort!

Hi it's Daisy. I fell in the river - it was awful, awful !!!

I've made another friend.  This is Stanley, Stan to his friends like me.  He can run really fast.