Walk Summary
A short walk around Powter Howe wood. Includes a diversion to the shore of Bassenthwaite Lakes with fine panoramic views. Opportunity to see many different birds.
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Date: 18/03/2022
Length: 1.01 miles
Height Gain: 40 m
Terrain: Woodland trail, grass paths.
Navigation: No issues
Start: Powter Howe car park, Thornthwaite
Route: Powter Howe car park, Powter Howe Wood, Bassenthwaite Lake
Map: OL4 The English Lakes North Western Area
Weather: Cloudy, light rain.
Walkers: Nun, Mo and Calse
Gallery
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Barf Buzzards
Captain's Log
Wood Pootle
It was a grey, damp morning with a prospect of the sun making an appearance around 11:00. We decided to have an aperitif to our walking day by having a short walk in the morning and saving the main course until later in the day. We decided to take a circular walk around Powter Howe and include a short out-and-back to lake side of Bassenthwaite Lake.
A couple of Buzzards had been soaring around the sheer crags of Barf, obviously enjoying the uplift of wind that the cliffs provided. In order to make the experience a little more exciting they engaged in a bit of play fighting.
Powter Woods is positioned on a small hill. A path runs in a circle around the bottom of the woods. We decided to go anticlockwise from the car park.
Birds Galore
There are plenty of birds to be seen in Powter Woods. The trees were a cacophony of bird song. It isn't always easy to see the songsters though, especially on a dark morning. Even so, my tick list included Dunnocks, Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinches, Robins, Siskins and the ubiquitous Wood Pigeons. I'd seen a Red Squirrel warning sign on the road through Thornthwaite, but I didn't have any luck in finding one in Powter Woods.
The track turned off to go slightly uphill and then turned again to head towards the busy A66. We took the underpass that takes you to the nature reserve between the A66 and Bassenthwaite Lake.
Powter Dunnock
Bassenthwaite Wildlife
Bassenthwaite Lake
After the restricted views of Powter Wood, it is quite a contrast to see the expansive views on the shore side of Bassenthwaite Lake. Skiddaw's head was enclosed in mist with only the lower Dodd being clear. The lake must be quite shallow here since small boulders stand clear of the water quite a distance from the shore line. Some birds were taking advantage of these little islands including Cormorants, Mallard Ducks and a Dipper. There are paths along the shore line if you want a longer walk, but time was pressing and we decided to head back. As we turned our back on the lake we had a good view of those impressive crags on Barf. We would be up there later today (see North Of Whinlatter).
Osprey
We went back through the underpass and continued on the path around the woods, heading back to the car park. Near some houses I chatted to an elderly women who was cutting some flowers from her Garden. I asked her whether she had seen an Osprey around here. She said that she'd only ever seen one. She told me that they nest among the marshes at the southern end of the Lake. There is a viewpoint at Dodd Wood with a view of the nesting site.
It was only a short walk from there back to the car park. The walk had been an interesting way to spend an hour.
Powter Chaffinch