The river sparkled on this fine morning as we wandered down into the valley through fields purple with ripe meadow grasses. The plan was to walk along the River Kent from Staveley to the bridge replacing one that had been washed away in Storm Desmond and then return on the other side, first through beautiful Beckmickle Ing wood, owned by the Woodland Trust, and then through flat meadows back into Staveley. Normally we see few people along this stretch but today we met several groups many completing the Dales Way. On a flat stretch of the river we came across the female goosander that regularly frequents this stretch and later a couple of grey wagtails. As we sat and ate our lunch we were lucky enough to get two kingfisher sightings, presumably the same bird as it flew past, a streak of turquoise, first bound for Kendal and shortly after zipping back upriver towards Staveley.
Strangely the path path arrived back in Staveley at the Brewery Yard; it would have been rude not to stop for some refreshment. Rehydrated, we wandered back through the village to the car and thence back to the site.
