Name of walk | Roudsea Wood |
Date of walk | 2023-02-06 |
On Monday Sue and I drove to Greenodd to walk to Roudsea Wood and Mosses NNR. The morning was cold and frosty, but very still. We would walk both of the Nature Trails. The walk would be 5.8 miles and take us 3hrs 50 mins.
We take the path next to the river that goes under the road. The orange sunrise sky can still be seen.
When you're driving you never notice that the road is on separate bridges.
I go a bit further to get the views.
View the other way to the footbridge we will cross. We go back to the road bridge and take the rocky path up to the highway path that leads to the footbridge.
View south from the bridge.
Some lovely reflections.
We go over the stile and head across the field in the direction of Roudsea Wood.
The sheep having their breakfast. We continue on across the muddy track, thankfully a little frozen this morning.
We continue along what is now a road and turn right into Roudsea Wood and Mosses NNR entrance.
There are two trails, the Bog Trail and the Woodland Trail, these join up to make one long route of about 4km. We continue past the building to join the Bog Trail, which is all on boardwalks.
Mist rising in the valley behind the reed beds.
We just follow the trail. There are numbered markers which refer you to the text in the Roudsea Wood leaflet that Sue had from a previous visit, and I'd printed out from the internet. Most of the interesting plants, animals and birds are in late spring and summer.
We just enjoy the views.
Approaching the osprey view point (April-August).
The Otter Dike.
Tree fungi.
We are now well into the Woodland Trail. The remains of the tan bark-peeler's hut.
More lovely reflections.
Tree growing out of the limestone rock.
The remains of Tan Bark Barn.
We take the path down to the Leven Estuary. I did see an Oyster Catcher!
Greenodd Sands.
The track back takes us past the Powder House, which was used for storing gunpowder. This building is private, and not part of the reserve.
More fungi.
There were many bird boxes on the trees and Longworth type small mammal traps in bushes along this section.
A frozen reed-fringed Roudsea Tarn.
Yew trees with a browse line where deer have eaten the leaves.
The yew tree on Sue's left has grown small leafy 'epicormic' stems across the bark and here these have been grazed by passing deer to create a 'yew lawn' effect.
The 'yew lawn' effect.
Like some monster out of Dr Who!
Tree roots finding their way through the limestone.
Ancient yews and roots.
Once we leave the reserve and return to the road we leave it at the turn off for Lady Syke, and take the Cumbria Coastal Way path back to the footbridge. Holker Estate colours on Lady Syke House, once a railway building.
We stop for a coffee here.
More great reflections.
Back at the Leven Estuary.
View from the footbridge towards Ulverston.
An excellent walk to repeat in the spring/summer.
Jo.


