Helmshore: Harvest Moon gazing

Pepper and I enjoyed a girls weekend at home when Mark disappeared with friends to do a bike ride in Peebles.

We started off with a visit to the Lancashire Game fair in Scorton. I enjoyed a wonderful hours drive each way, through the Ribble Valley and surrounding villages, though Pepper is not a good traveller in the back! However, the time at the event was short and stressful. Clay pigeon shooting was a key part of the show and Pepper was absolutely terrified of all the bangs! We watched a working hunter class at the far side of the show ground, briefly stopped to see the Falconry display then hotstepped through the stalls and back to the car in under an hour!

On Sunday, we did a long forgotten walk to Calf Hey, heading along passed the old quarry chimney, into the woods and back behind the three reservoirs to Holden Vale.

The autumn heather is in full bloom, the purple magnificence stretching far over the moorland to Edgeworth & beyond.

The last of the swallows were skimming over the heather, catching the insects whilst a few remaining butterflies fluttered around. It was a glorious sight.

The water levels are very low, and the vegetation is blooming in some amazing colours in the dried up areas.

We returned home via a dip in one of the many streams flowing into the reservoirs; Pepper always needs to cool her belly mid walk! despite the grey looking sky, it was a really warm day and I thought about joining her!

On Sunday evening, I had big plans! The harvest moon was due to be a total lunar eclipse with a blood moon rising.

We headed out at 7pm, catching a magnificent sunset as we made the climb.

At 7:30, Pepper and I were in position on Musbury Tor, with my big lens, tripod, warm clothes and a head torch (for the return descent) ready for the big show. Gazing due East, we waited as the sun set, casting its final light on Scout Moor.

And this was our view (below)! It just kept getting cloudier as the Moon rising time approached.

After an hour, when it started to rain, we gave up. Foiled by the Rossendale Pie Crust weather again!

In the fading light on our descent, we were treated to lots of bats and the distant hoots of tawny owls, but my camera settings were all wrong for capturing them in the dusk.

Disappointed by the lack of success, I was tucked up in bed early but thought I’d had a quick peek out of the back window before lights out… and there she was, peeping through the clouds.

So whilst I didn’t get the eclipse or blood moon, I did see the full harvest moon; from inside my house!!

Monday dawned bright and clear (of course it did!) and we wandered upto Musbury Heights before breakfast. The later sunrise allows for some lovely views over the valley, and the air feels much crisper.

There were 2 Kestrels hunting in the blue sky, but the crows did not take kindly to this and had several attempts to see them off.

In the valley bottom, the whinging buzzard is still crying each morning. It flies around the valley whilst the larger adult sits in its favourite perch and appears to ignore it!

The rain has returned in earnest over the last few days and I confess to having flicked the heating on a couple of times to combat the chill!

The proximity of the farm shop in Autumn is proving to be both a blessing and a curse. It means I can satisfy weather induced cravings! On Wednesday, I wandered up at lunchtime and collected a variety of autumn mushrooms, which were turned into soup and devoured all within a hour’s lunch break! Topped with a drizzle of truffle oil and a side of locally made sour dough, toasted and dripping with butter (of course; no vegetable spread for me!), it was a fantastic lunch treat 😊

I’ve also finally bought a squash. I went for an acorn squash to keep the size small (Mark hates them) so it will be enough for a large bowl of roasted squash soup for one; I’ll keep you posted!