LIlliput Lakeland - inverse of size to beauty
15th June 2017
15th June 17
Lilliput Lakeland
“Undoubtedly, philosophers are in the right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by comparison.”
― Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
Although not a landscape that gives rise too, or channels a modern day parody of national politics (as many argue Jonathan swifts ‘Gulivers Travels’ was reflecting) my ‘Lilliput Lakeland’ is, however, most definitely a miniature land, scaled perfectly and set in juxtaposition to its neighbouring and predominant Lakeland mountains.
This delicate and overlooked area is an almost perfect reflection of the larger hills that stare across the valley. Here the skyline is as equally serrated, but only lower in physical stature. Here the hills are also punctuated by streams and crevasses, but less obvious as they are off the well beaten track.
This miniature world has a Stickle Pike and a Stickle Tarn, even a Raven Crag, but doesn't have the eroded trails and is frequented by few people. Today, for example, I met not one person during my 5 hour outing. This, by contrast, would be practically impossible if I visited the more famous Stickle Tarn (regardless of the time of the year).
What there is, in this scaled down landscape is a rugged area bursting with crags, buttresses and boulders, set in a pristine environment filled with wildlife. Here peace and quiet can be easily found and it is an area where there is little conflicting use of the land by walkers, farmers, mountain bikers and event organisers. Here, overlooked, almost as a dream, or distant memory is a landscape, existing untouched, like it has for centuries.
Each rock is adorned with a white tailed, Wheatear, each shrub and bracken stem providing the perch for chattering Stonechats. All the while Redstarts and Mistlethrush share the space between tree and stone wall, flying low to avoid attention, whilst Blue Tits and Gold Finches make raids on the insects that cover the many quilts of Fern that are now covering the lowers slopes. Overhead, the ‘cronk’ of Raven and the cry of Buzzards fill the hills with the drone notes of a traditional air.
I see more life here in one hour than I ever see in a whole day's excursion across the way, in the neighbouring Central Lakes. I also find a greater contact with my surroundings as there is a space, socially and mental, that allows an interaction between the non human and self. Here the gentle flowing beck is not only a thing to be crossed, but also a thing to be admired for its clarity, shape and form, understood for the flora and fauna its supports and for its music, contributing to the symphony of the landscape.
This ‘Lilliput Lakeland’ is an area where I can develop a harmony and sense of place that is far larger than the sum of its parts.
“All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something that isn't even visible.”
― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories
Everything here is miniature in comparison, but there is an indirect proportionality between the height, ruggedness, physical landscape severity to the peace, harmony and living complexity found here in Lilliput Lakeland.
“I winked at my own littleness, as people do at their own faults.”
― Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
Lilliput Lakeland
“Undoubtedly, philosophers are in the right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by comparison.”
― Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
Although not a landscape that gives rise too, or channels a modern day parody of national politics (as many argue Jonathan swifts ‘Gulivers Travels’ was reflecting) my ‘Lilliput Lakeland’ is, however, most definitely a miniature land, scaled perfectly and set in juxtaposition to its neighbouring and predominant Lakeland mountains.
This delicate and overlooked area is an almost perfect reflection of the larger hills that stare across the valley. Here the skyline is as equally serrated, but only lower in physical stature. Here the hills are also punctuated by streams and crevasses, but less obvious as they are off the well beaten track.
This miniature world has a Stickle Pike and a Stickle Tarn, even a Raven Crag, but doesn't have the eroded trails and is frequented by few people. Today, for example, I met not one person during my 5 hour outing. This, by contrast, would be practically impossible if I visited the more famous Stickle Tarn (regardless of the time of the year).
What there is, in this scaled down landscape is a rugged area bursting with crags, buttresses and boulders, set in a pristine environment filled with wildlife. Here peace and quiet can be easily found and it is an area where there is little conflicting use of the land by walkers, farmers, mountain bikers and event organisers. Here, overlooked, almost as a dream, or distant memory is a landscape, existing untouched, like it has for centuries.
Each rock is adorned with a white tailed, Wheatear, each shrub and bracken stem providing the perch for chattering Stonechats. All the while Redstarts and Mistlethrush share the space between tree and stone wall, flying low to avoid attention, whilst Blue Tits and Gold Finches make raids on the insects that cover the many quilts of Fern that are now covering the lowers slopes. Overhead, the ‘cronk’ of Raven and the cry of Buzzards fill the hills with the drone notes of a traditional air.
I see more life here in one hour than I ever see in a whole day's excursion across the way, in the neighbouring Central Lakes. I also find a greater contact with my surroundings as there is a space, socially and mental, that allows an interaction between the non human and self. Here the gentle flowing beck is not only a thing to be crossed, but also a thing to be admired for its clarity, shape and form, understood for the flora and fauna its supports and for its music, contributing to the symphony of the landscape.
This ‘Lilliput Lakeland’ is an area where I can develop a harmony and sense of place that is far larger than the sum of its parts.
“All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something that isn't even visible.”
― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories
Everything here is miniature in comparison, but there is an indirect proportionality between the height, ruggedness, physical landscape severity to the peace, harmony and living complexity found here in Lilliput Lakeland.
“I winked at my own littleness, as people do at their own faults.”
― Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels