Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve.

We awoke to the first white frost of the season. I had a mid afternoon meeting in the deep south, oh OK Lancashire near Wigan. The morning was beautiful so I decided to set off straight away and have a few hours at the reserve which is quite near by.

As I drove over Shap Fell the Tebay Gorge below was full of mist and would have made some beautiful shots had I not been on the motorway. Never mind there would be plenty of chances at the reserve!

Oh no there wouldn't! By the time I reached the reserve it was raining heavily and never stopped all the time I was there. The birds sat sulking on the islands in the mere and the land birds were in in deep cover of the Rhododendrons and other bushes.

So the choices were damp habitat shots. This was one of the paths leading round to the hides and had a nice autumnal feel, not to mention a damp feeling!

The reserve is run by Lancashire Wildlife trust and more information can be found here.