Lake District, September, Day 6

Having finally woken to a perfect morning and enjoyed sitting outside the van in the sun for a while, we pulled up in the layby on the outskirts of Stavely and set off down the River Kent, one of our favourite walks. Once by the riverside, Heather sat down to draw and paint while I pottered along enjoying taking some long exposure images of some of the small sections of white water and birdwatching at the same time.  As soon as we reached the river we saw grey wagtails, possibly a family group as there were quite a few.  I also found others further down the river.  Herons were standing, statue-like in one or two spots, one being particularly confiding.  I found dipper on the stretch where they held territory both this spring and last year.  Perhaps I will make a more determined effort to photograph them next year.  Near my turn round point I came across a female goosander, unaware she was being observed, fishing; diving and also chasing fish at great speed across the suface.  She seemed almost too large for the river at this point.  Returning to Heather I sat watching a grey wagtail through the binoculars when not one, but two, kinfishers sped through the field of view.  Excellent.  The river at this point looks idyllic for swimming and paddling at this point were it not for the discharge from the local sewage plant just upstream.  It is to be hoped that the sewage is full treated!!

Having enjoyed our walk we retreated to Wilf's in Stavely for lunch and then returned to the caravan to relax for the remainder of the afternoon.  During the evening the sky became more and more clear and at 8.45 we set out to walk up onto the fellside to wait for moon rise.  It was full moon, the Harvest Moon.  We had to wait a short while for it to clear the bank of cloud on the horizon and as it came up it tinted the sky orange like a second sunset.  Finally slipping clear of the cloud, it rose into the sky a huge orange orb.  There was a little cloud around and this was also lit orange by the moonlight.  While the planet is suffering from the ravages of climate change, the universe continues, indifferent to the depredations of our species.  A magical moment.

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