This is Piel Castle, which lies at the southern tip of Piel Island, in Morecambe Bay. It was built by monks in the C14th as a sort of fortified warehouse. I only saw it in the distance, from a neighbouring island.

I was introduced by Pete to a couple of guys recording a podcast at Nenthead a few weeks ago. I was doing a bit of walling. It's available at their website www.countrystride.co.uk.

It's worth a listen as it covers a lot of the history of Lead mining in the N Pennines. Pete has been around the area since he was a boy, then while studying geology and ever since. Very knowledgeable.

The volunteers get an honourable mention, with our 'passion projects'!
#mining #Cumbria

Following on from yesterday's post about Barrow, here is a shot of Furness Abbey, basking in the spring sunshine.
Founded in 1123, and made of local, red sandstone, this Cistercian foundation was once the second most wealthy and powerful monastery in the country (after Fountains Abbey).

I never had Barrow-in-Furness down on my bucket list, but I cycled round Walney and Barrow yesterday and have to admit to being pleasantly surprised.
This is the channel between the island and the mainland, with some Lakeland fells in the background.

~30km into my intended Lakeland 200 ride yesterday and my GPS unit stopped showing me breadcrumbs: I'd made the rookie error of adding a route rather than a track gpx and hit Garmin's waypoint limit. Spend the day navigating by phone, but once it got dark the need to continually stop and start to do this meant the cold got to me and I had to bail. Took the known road route back instead. Still a good 21 hours riding, but not what I'd hoped for. #MTB #cycling #Cumbria

Sunday, #LakeDistrict #Cumbria
#WastWater #Screes #path #stony #walking geograph.org.uk/p/7992084
Free to share – please credit Steven Brown/Geograph

Silent Sunday

Above Shap (the Cumbrian one)

Went to a talk about perennial veg growing in Penrith. Presented by someone from Acorn Bank, also in Eden Valley. Very interesting and there were other discussions about ponds and wildflower planting for wildlife.

On way back the weather was unusually clear, so stopped at Hartside to take in the magnificent view, of which this photo does little justice.
#Cumbria #NPennines #Tourist

Ramblers win landmark high court appeal to save paths #Cumbria

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/news/ramblers-win-landmark-high-court-appeal-save-paths-historic-hayton-woods

I've found some Bonny Bits in the lead mine waste behind this wall on which I'm working. Am I rich or just a fool?

If anybody can identify the purplish blue mineral beside it, please do. I feel I should know but may have to consult a book when I get home.

Over at Smallcleugh above Nenthead conditions are much the same as at home. Nenthead is about same altitude as at home, 430m, but here it must be 30 or 40 metres higher up.

If I keep moving, I'm warm, plenty of layers on but feet are a bit chilly with having to stand in the river some of the time. #Cumbria #Weather

The Bishop’s Stones

Up on the bleak moorlands of the North Pennines today, straddling the borders of Durham, Cumbria, and Northumberland. A landscape of peat groughs and bogs thick with sphagnum moss, stirring memories—not necessarily unpleasant, just good times when I was fit enough to fly over this stuff without hesitating. Judging by the abundance of medicated grit trays and “vermin ...

http://www.fhithich.uk/2025/03/09/the-bishops-stones/

Part of the stone circle at Little Salkeld in Cumbria known as ‘Long Meg and Her Daughters’. Dating from the Neolithic and Bronze Age, the circle is one of the widest in the UK. My own. #StandingStoneSunday #Archaeology #Cumbria

At about this time last year, I was in Silloth, on the Solway Firth, admiring the East Cote Lighthouse. It's the most northerly lighthouse on the English west coast, and was originally built in 1841.

It's a lovely day to stand in a river. I'm in a gap in the riverside wall of the Nent, digging out the rubble of the collapsed wall so that I can get down to a solid base and rebuild it. #Nippy #NPennines #Cumbria

Pebbles and Rocks

Wave smoothed over the years

Lens: Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 XF Wide Angle on the Fuji X-T30

Limpet Face

Lens: Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 XF Wide Angle on the Fuji X-T30