Old Mill Race

Lake, Pool, Pond, Freshwater Marsh in Lancashire South Lakeland

England

Old Mill Race

The Pudding Stone in Pudding Cove Credit: shikari

Old Mill Race is a picturesque freshwater marsh located in Lancashire, England. Spanning across a vast area, it encompasses a lake, pool, pond, and a thriving ecosystem of flora and fauna. The marsh is situated in a serene and tranquil setting, surrounded by lush greenery and rolling hills.

The centerpiece of Old Mill Race is the lake, which is fed by a natural spring and boasts crystal-clear waters. The lake is teeming with an abundance of aquatic life, including various species of fish, turtles, and waterfowl. It provides a perfect habitat for these creatures, offering ample food and shelter.

Adjacent to the lake is a large pool, shallow in some areas and deeper in others. The pool is home to a diverse range of plant life, such as water lilies, reeds, and cattails. These plants not only add to the beauty of the pool but also serve as important habitats for insects, amphibians, and small mammals.

A smaller pond can be found within the marsh, providing a haven for dragonflies, frogs, and newts. It is surrounded by tall grasses and shrubs, creating a secluded and peaceful environment.

The freshwater marsh itself is a crucial ecosystem, supporting a wide array of plant and animal species. It acts as a natural filter, purifying the water and providing a habitat for numerous bird species, including herons, ducks, and swans. The marshland is filled with vibrant colors during the spring and summer months, as wildflowers bloom abundantly.

Old Mill Race is a haven for nature enthusiasts, offering opportunities for birdwatching, photography, and peaceful walks amidst the serene surroundings. It serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and appreciating the natural beauty that Lancashire has to offer.

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Old Mill Race Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.381094/-3.1042615 or Grid Reference SD2898. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

The Pudding Stone in Pudding Cove

shikari

Irish Cottages, Coppermines Valley

Irish Cottages in the valley of Church Beck is a terrace of houses above Coniston; two of them together form a climbing hut of the Yorkshire Mountaineering Club. The gravel flats through the centre of the image are where the Church Beck flows and winds.

Trevor Littlewood

Spoil terrace with ruined building

A view from the 'Quarries Route', the main ascent path for the Old Man of Coniston. The grassed / mossed-over terrace of spoil is a very small one compared to a number of others along the way. Wetherlam is the mountain in the distance.

Trevor Littlewood

Crag rim at summit area of Coniston Old Man

Snow residues lie at the edge of broken ground at the summit of the mountain. The crag rim and broad ridge extend initially to the north-west before turning north. The Scafell group of mountains lie in the distance at the centre of the image.

Trevor Littlewood

Road heading for Coppermines Valley

The valley is actually that of Church Beck but is popularly known as the Coppermines Valley because of the extensive disused mine workings there. The road is private but is used to access accommodation in the valley including houses, a youth hostel and two climbing club huts. The road is also a public footpath. Coniston Old Man is the mountain seen against the sky.

Trevor Littlewood

Slope with minor rock outcrops

The near slope is close to the feature named on OS maps as Flat Bield and is separated from the camera location by a steep stream groove. The valley beyond it is Red Dell. The sunlit rockface at the centre of the image and beyond Red Dell is Kennel Crag, sometimes known as Kernel Crag.

Trevor Littlewood

Shallow pool on ridge rising to Wetherlam

A broad, lengthy ridge which in its higher reach is fairly featureless rises generally northwards to the Wetherlam summit. There are minor knolls and a tarn or two; this is the more attractive of them. Helvellyn and Fairfield and their satellite mountains are in the distance.

Trevor Littlewood

Large rocks at eastern shore of Levers Water

Levers Water is an enlarged tarn, dammed to create a greater volume of water for the generation of power for use in the mines below. The dam can be seen in the distance.

Trevor Littlewood

Settling tanks at Bonsor upper mill

The series of shallow depressions near to the Coppermines Youth Hostel is named as 'tanks' in the 1969 volume, 'Industrial Archaeology of the Lake Counties' - Marshall & Davies-Shiel. It's supposed that they were settling tanks in which small particles of rock etc. would be allowed to fall to the bottom before the then clearer water would be allowed to flow down to Coniston in the valley below.

Trevor Littlewood

Coppermines Cottage

In the past, when copper was being mined, the cottage was occupied by a mine official, presumably the site manager. In 1958 it was acquired by the Barrow Mountaineering and Ski Club which still uses it as a club hut.

Trevor Littlewood

Boulders on mountain slope

Boulders, large, small and embedded below Sam Bottom in the valley of Swirl Hause Beck which runs down into Levers Water. The slope rising beyond reaches Swirl How.

Trevor Littlewood

Have you paid and displayed?

The 'waste ground' here at the end of the publicly motorable stretch of the Walna Scar Road was for years accepted as a free car parking area for visitors and walkers, the photographer has used it a number of times in the past. Now, (early 2022), the Rydal estate levies a charge of £8 for all day parking! There are no facilities, no surfacing to the area, in fact no improvement to the space other than the embedding of a few logs to demarcate some spaces. As can be seen, at least one vehicle has even had to be parked with the driver's side of it including the driver's exit, in a flood!

Trevor Littlewood

Path rising towards Goat's Hause

The path is partly constructed using rocks set into the ground to minimise erosion. More work on the route seems to be planned - along the path line, below the image centre there are bagged boulders awaiting use to improve or repair the way. Goat's Hause is the obvious dip on the horizon.

Trevor Littlewood