Initials (WS) and year (1881) carved into stone at an entrance to a tunnel on the old Keswick to Penrith railway which opened in 1865 and closed in 1972. Part of the line is now a footpath and cycleway between Keswick and Threlkeld.

Through the chimney pots of Wescoe to the snowy Helvellyn fells in the Lake District this afternoon.

If you turn your sound right up you can hear a song thrush singing. There is also a great tit calling. Pretty good for the 1st of February in Cumbria.

Castlerigg stone circle in winter. Erected around 5,200 years ago, this stone circle in the Lake District is said to be one of the oldest in the country. #StandingStoneSunday

Church spire of All Saints, Cockermouth, Cumbria. Replaced a previous church destroyed by fire. William and Dorothy Wordsworth were baptised in the previous church. Grade II listing says ‘its fine tall spire gives the building a commanding presence in the town’. #SteepleSaturday

The old road through Langstrath between Borrowdale and Langdale in the Lake District. This was probably a well used trading route between the northern and central parts of Cumbria for hundreds of years.

Reflection in the corner of a flooded field near Stonethwaite in Borrowdale yesterday.

Langstrath in the Lake District today. Wall of an old barn by the old route between Borrowdale and Langdale. #WallsOnWednesday

At the end of the day, the clouds broke to create some nice patterns over the western fells of the Lake District.

Nether Largie South is a Neolithic chamber tomb in Kilmartin Glen, Scotland. It was built 5,500-5,600 years ago. #TombTuesday

One of the Lewis Chessmen which are a 12th century hoard of 93, mostly walrus ivory, gaming pieces discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. They are split between the British Museum (82 pieces) and the National Museum of Scotland (11 pieces). #MedievalMonday

Another one from Grasmere. Had to look this one up and it said velvet shank mushroom. There's also a little baby version top right. #FungiFriday

Had to look for the name of this lichen. I think it's common dog tooth lichen and it likes wet mossy walls. There's a lot of it on the stone walls on the south west side of Grasmere in Cumbria.

Sosgill Bridge, St John’s in the Vale, Cumbria in late winter a couple of years ago. This is an 18th Century pack horse bridge and is Grade II listed. #BridgesThursday

Challoner Street, Cockermouth. Pevsner states that ‘the narrow Challoner Street has a good range of Cumberland Georgian Houses’. The name of the street has changed over the years, including Chandler Lane (1775), Globe Went (1800) and Kitty Went (1832). Kitty was slang for a lock-up or gaol.

A beautiful, sunny day in Cockermouth, West Cumbria yesterday. This view looks across the town towards Lorton Vale and the lakeland fells.

Two of the large oak trees near St Bega’s Church and Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria last week. #ThickTrunkTuesday

Ullock Pike lit by the setting sun near Bassenthwaite in Cumbria this afternoon. Snow on Skiddaw in the background.

A packhorse bridge near Lowgill in Cumbria probably dating to the 17th century. These simple bridges provided river crossings on ancient trade routes. They typically have no sidewalls or parapets so that bulky loads could cross without hitting the sides. #BridgesThursday

Moresby Hall, West Cumbria. Grade I listed. The hall originated in the late medieval period but this south range was remodelled between 1670 and 1690. #WindowsOnWednesday

Found this lichen in our garden pond this morning. Probably blown out of a nearby silver birch. Cumbria. #lichen

A big old tree near the start of the Cat Bells walk near Derwentwater in the Lake District. #ThickTrunkTuesday

Callanish , no drama , recent snow #StandingStoneSunday

St Andrew’s Church, Penrith, Cumbria. All except the tower was rebuilt in 1721–72. The nave of the old medieval church was totally demolished and re-built partly to prevent the private take-over of space by rich people. #CeilingsOnSunday

Field patterns in Borrowdale.

Penrith Castle on a sunny, frosty morning in Cumbria. This castle was built between 1399 and 1470 as a defence against Scottish raids. The castle was eventually sold by the Dukes of Devonshire to the Lancaster & Carlisle Railway Company who built the adjacent Penrith railway station. #CastleSaturday

Ice in Borrowdale, Cumbria today.

The historic funeral road to Uldale Old Church near Aughertree (Affertree or Offertree) in northern Cumbria. There are at least three Iron Age settlements on the nearby fell, a Neolithic causeway and several burial mounds.

Ireby Old Church is a redundant 12th century church of which only the chancel remains. It is a Grade I listed building and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Most of the church was demolished in 1846. #WindowsOnWednesday

An old holly tree near Grange in Borrowdale yesterday. Holly berries are an important food source for some birds in winter, particularly thrushes. #ThickTrunkTuesday

Otterbield Island, Derwentwater in the Lake District this afternoon. #BlueSkyMonday

Medieval Miserichord, Hereford Cathedral. Does he have a jug of ale? #MedievalMonday

Very good programme on the art of Winter. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

Afternoon sunshine on the lower fell but some snow on Skiddaw, the 6th highest mountain in England.

Church of St James, Ireby, Cumbria yesterday. C12 origins but with so many Victorian rebuilds, there is very little C12 remaining. The 3-light east window is regarded as probably from the medieval chancel. Inside is a late C15 depressed chancel arch.

The setting moon this morning from Bassenthwaite in Cumbria.

Whitehaven harbour, West Cumbria a couple of days ago. The Pier Master's Watch House and store was built 1764 and is Grade II listed. The Old Quay on which the watch house sits was constructed in 1687.

A frosted tree stump near St Bega's Church, Bassenthwaite, Cumbria a couple of days ago.

Chancel arch to south of Church of St Bridget, Parton, West Cumbria. The arch was part of a medieval church, probably C13.

Ruined remains of Workington Hall in West Cumbria, home of the lords of the manor (the Curwen family) from 1404 to 1929. Requisitioned by the War Office at the start of the Second World War but suffered a serious fire. #WallsOnWednesday

One wall of a ruined old barn near Bassenthwaite in Cumbria. The window has a timber lintel. #WallsOnWednesday

One of many large oak trees near St Bega’s Church and Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria. #ThicktrunkTuesday

The Highmore Memorial, a medieval gravestone dated to 1275 inside St Bega’s Church, by Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria. The tomb was for Robert Highmoor, described as a knight. #MedievalMonday

Looking south along Bassenthwaite Lake to the Lake District fells today. The weather has been very good for several days with clear skies, bright sunshine and little to no wind.

A view across the Bassenthwaite valley in Cumbria today.

Brougham Castle, Cumbria. Home to Lady Anne Clifford in the 17th century. Her dad was a bit of a bad un, abandoning his family in’t north and clearing off to London and the court of Elizabeth I where he was a champion jouster. #CastleSaturday

Blencathra catching the sunshine on a frosty morning.

A large puffball fungus with an old budweiser bottle for scale. Found today in a hedge near Bassenthwaite in Cumbria. #FungiFriday #FungiFriends

Found this wonderfully wet and wobbly fungus on wet wood near Grasmere in Cumbria last weekend. #FungiFriday

Bluesky had told me that today is St Stephen’s Day and that there are two St Stephen’s churches near Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire. We visited this one in August. The interior of the church contains its original Georgian fittings. This church is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.