Kirkby Stephen was a new venue for most on the coach. It is an old market town nestled amongst the North Pennines and we left a cold but sunny Rochdale, anticipating a great day of spring nature watching. The forecast was for an overcast morning in east Cumbria but we were pleased to find that it was as sunny as Rochdale, but just as cold, and breezy too. We were dropped off in the uplands about two miles as the crow flies from Kirkby Stephen, and walked a winding five-mile route down into the town.
Once we had put on our many layers of clothes, we marvelled at the great 360-degree views of the hills and high pastures for the sheep and new-born lambs. 
We wondered if winter birds would have given way to spring’s new arrivals, but noticed a flock of about twenty fieldfares, probably getting ready to depart for Scandinavia. Only one or two curlews were assembling in the hills to breed, and the occasional oyster catcher and lapwing were seen, but apart from corvids, mainly rooks, most birds were keeping their heads down. Plant and insect variety in the pastures was limited, but the views continued to enthral everyone as we descended into the valleys.
Historically this part of country was subjected to reeving, and there were several places where the need for good defences against enemy raiders were still apparent. We stopped for our picnic at one of them, the amazing ruined remains of Lammerside Castle. Here the only swallow and house martins of the day were seen by a lucky few.
After lunch we were in the valley of the river Eden. More and greater variety of flowers began to be seen, and history continued to intrigue, especially as we passed close to Wharton hall with its ditch and bank defences still visible in the fields. Much of the route was through old riverside woodland, with blackthorn in blossom and much birdsong. Despite the lack of leaves, birds proved hard to spot, and seemed fewer in number than we expected until we reached the outskirts of Kirkby Stephen where householders had feeders. Birds that had kept out of sight earlier were finally emerging, including a drumming great spotted woodpecker.
The botanists were happily engaged in identifying all the plants, many of them in flower, and a number of rarities were seen, including town hall clock, goldilocks buttercup and rue leaved saxifrage. All of us could recognise pretty wood anemone and primroses, and a few bluebells were close to opening in the warmest spots. In a few weeks the smell of the wild garlic would be everywhere.
Given the cool temperature all day the lack of butterflies was to be expected. Small white was the only species seen. Bees were more plentiful and varied. There was an interesting slime mould, and the odd fungus. The only mammals were the occasional rabbit, a hare and the roe deer we had spotted before we left the coach. No one saw the red squirrels that are said to be there. With a shortish bird list of 40, this does not sound like a very successful natural history trip, but in fact all of us were delighted to have been introduced to an outstandingly beautiful area, and to have undertaken and indeed revelled in a lovely, well planned walk.
Maggie Culkin