Lime!

Last night we went to an interesting talk in Appleby about limekilns. I knew about them, but had not realised just how many there were and for how long they were used - around 500 years or more. Neither had I realised quite how important lime was and how many uses it had, apart from the main one of improving the soil.
 
There are a number of limekilns still standing around here, and this is one of several on the Orton Fells, because of course limestone was in plentiful supply there. I have passed this many, many times, but have never stopped to look at it and take pictures. Today was the day to do just that. A member of the audience last night remembered working at this very kiln in the 1950s and told such tales about it.
 

It was a circuitous route here and an even more circuitous route back, just because the main Appleby to Orton road was closed - no idea why.