Change
23rd November 2014
I now live in the countryside. I now live in an area that, from outward appearance, has changed little. However, when you start to look more closely it is clear that there is considerable long term and ongoing change taking place.
The house I live in is on reclaimed mining land. I imagine this quiet little cul de sac, built next to a bird sanctuary on the Duddon Estuary, with waters flowing from the heart of the Lake District, was once a noisy and dirty place. This area would have once been a hive of industry, where mined ore and slack poured into the estuary. The air would have been sulphurous, with steam to rising off the fresh mountain waters. The locals would have had a hard life mining and smelting the ore. They would have been covered in grime and choking on the acrid fumes. This area would have been South Cumbria's own version of "Dark, Satanic Mills".
The change from those dirty and life risking industrial conditions are a marked and obvious change to those present today. Now all is quiet, clean with pristine mountain views up the Estuary. The changes are distinct due their contrast.
However, there are less obvious and more subtle changes taking place. These type of changes are like the shifting sands of a desert, where the countryside is in a constant state of flux and transformation - outwardly the same, but different.
There are the changes created by the transition of the seasons, the annual cycle setting distinct markers from one time of the year to another. These markers note the change in the length of day, the change in temperature and the changes in colour of the landscape. Changes that are subtle, but expected. Changes that are reflected in our cultural activities and are arguably inherent in the changes of our biorhythms - we have a diary of local festivals that reflect the seasons and influence (or are influenced by) by the changing, seasonal fare available - our diets change from salad to root vegetables just like our festivals change from the open air setting of spring and summer festivals, full of music and dancing to the closeted, hunkered down and candle lit scene of Christmas.
There are also changes caused by weather. Storms blowing down trees, removing landmarks that have stood for generations. Heavy rain eroding channels across the mountainsides, or shifting the earth into mounds, or exposing the bare, base rock. Added to these 'natural' influences there are the changes caused by the activities of the local wildlife. The effect of this activity might be detected through the erosion caused by sheep constantly crossing a particular track, leaving a network of trackway across the mountainside, or from the activity of animals building habitation, or bedding down for the winter. The life of our animal neighbours having a significant though subtle effect on our environment.
These are the different layers and dimensions of change that range from seasonal to man made and from weather created to animal activity. For example I have seen the where a large wood had been felled near Skiddaw. This was once a densely filled area that cast dark shadows across the path. It is now open and the view is across the valley, over Bassenthwaite Lake, to the high fells beyond. There are vast areas of juniper seedlings that have been planted near Mungrisdale, and on a path around Rydal Water, plus more planted high up on Side Pike in Great Langdale. This is mans attempt to re-balance, and counter the loss of species in the district. As these small, twigs emerge, grow and mature into large shrubs they will change not only the look, but also the environment they have adopted. Inpenetrable areas filled with song birds, such as willow warblers and Dunnoch. Colour and song where there was once sterile, none species grass and lifelessness.
These and the more subtle changes are analogous to those happen to ourselves, as we journey through our lives. Some changes can be deep and obvious, whilst others subtle and unclear. Nothing is ever the same and maybe like the steady state theory, when thing changes another, somewhere in the universe is replenished, or replaced(?) It seems that everything is in constant flux, and where change is fixed to a constantly slipping time line, that drifts further away from the current point. This constant shift speeds away with our view and understanding of now. No matter where and when we live, our perspective of the world around us, be it in the country or city, is. constantly changing and we can only hope to cling on for a while.
The house I live in is on reclaimed mining land. I imagine this quiet little cul de sac, built next to a bird sanctuary on the Duddon Estuary, with waters flowing from the heart of the Lake District, was once a noisy and dirty place. This area would have once been a hive of industry, where mined ore and slack poured into the estuary. The air would have been sulphurous, with steam to rising off the fresh mountain waters. The locals would have had a hard life mining and smelting the ore. They would have been covered in grime and choking on the acrid fumes. This area would have been South Cumbria's own version of "Dark, Satanic Mills".
The change from those dirty and life risking industrial conditions are a marked and obvious change to those present today. Now all is quiet, clean with pristine mountain views up the Estuary. The changes are distinct due their contrast.
However, there are less obvious and more subtle changes taking place. These type of changes are like the shifting sands of a desert, where the countryside is in a constant state of flux and transformation - outwardly the same, but different.
There are the changes created by the transition of the seasons, the annual cycle setting distinct markers from one time of the year to another. These markers note the change in the length of day, the change in temperature and the changes in colour of the landscape. Changes that are subtle, but expected. Changes that are reflected in our cultural activities and are arguably inherent in the changes of our biorhythms - we have a diary of local festivals that reflect the seasons and influence (or are influenced by) by the changing, seasonal fare available - our diets change from salad to root vegetables just like our festivals change from the open air setting of spring and summer festivals, full of music and dancing to the closeted, hunkered down and candle lit scene of Christmas.
There are also changes caused by weather. Storms blowing down trees, removing landmarks that have stood for generations. Heavy rain eroding channels across the mountainsides, or shifting the earth into mounds, or exposing the bare, base rock. Added to these 'natural' influences there are the changes caused by the activities of the local wildlife. The effect of this activity might be detected through the erosion caused by sheep constantly crossing a particular track, leaving a network of trackway across the mountainside, or from the activity of animals building habitation, or bedding down for the winter. The life of our animal neighbours having a significant though subtle effect on our environment.
These are the different layers and dimensions of change that range from seasonal to man made and from weather created to animal activity. For example I have seen the where a large wood had been felled near Skiddaw. This was once a densely filled area that cast dark shadows across the path. It is now open and the view is across the valley, over Bassenthwaite Lake, to the high fells beyond. There are vast areas of juniper seedlings that have been planted near Mungrisdale, and on a path around Rydal Water, plus more planted high up on Side Pike in Great Langdale. This is mans attempt to re-balance, and counter the loss of species in the district. As these small, twigs emerge, grow and mature into large shrubs they will change not only the look, but also the environment they have adopted. Inpenetrable areas filled with song birds, such as willow warblers and Dunnoch. Colour and song where there was once sterile, none species grass and lifelessness.
These and the more subtle changes are analogous to those happen to ourselves, as we journey through our lives. Some changes can be deep and obvious, whilst others subtle and unclear. Nothing is ever the same and maybe like the steady state theory, when thing changes another, somewhere in the universe is replenished, or replaced(?) It seems that everything is in constant flux, and where change is fixed to a constantly slipping time line, that drifts further away from the current point. This constant shift speeds away with our view and understanding of now. No matter where and when we live, our perspective of the world around us, be it in the country or city, is. constantly changing and we can only hope to cling on for a while.