The Duddon from Duddon Grains

I had some bad shots of the eclipse this morning but it has been on my
mind to blip this for ages. I have wanted to seek out the source of the
Duddon, loosely with Wordsworth's Duddon Sonnets in mind. I've done it
all back to front, as usual. I went up Black Combe last month and had
the 'After-thought' in mind then. Anyway, in my ramshackle way I went
today prompted also by catching up with all the blip news whilst I had
been away and very saddened to read gladders entry. The 'After-thought'
fitted my mood and all my thoughts about what the process of blip has
meant for me and it's wider context .. and everything else over the last
years - too much and too tedious to write here.

I went up The Wimps Way, a little known short distance walk (not likely
to form part of any national network) taking the line of least resistance
up Pike o' Blisco. I thought it would be good to do it before the season
kicks off and was lucky to have Wrynose more or less to myself as I
drove up to the Three Shires Stone. I was going to blip Red Tarn but
realised that the watershed meant it flowed into Great Langdale and
doesn't form part of the Duddon system. I'm not sure what the
geological changes are here but it becomes very clear why Red Tarn has
it's name as the underlying rock suddenly becomes very red. My jeans
have been crying out to be washed for some time and so, in a desperate
bid for a stone wash, they plunged themselves into a bog, with me still in
them. I decided then to go for the full Heart of the Lakes spa treatment.
Having had the Nordic plunge, the nutrient rich mud bath, the skin
softening pure Lakeland water rinse, I put my waterproofs on and bathed
in the intense tropical steam finish as I climbed the Pike ... all for free, I
chuckled to myself, as I looked down on the Low Wood Hotel nestling
expensively on the shore of Windermere. That'll teach me to try and get a
close up blip of stag's horn clubmoss (I get disproportionately excited
when I see it ... and then look what happens ....).

On a last note to this lengthy entry I would add that 'After-thought' brings to mind that sense of 'being part of something bigger', it's a very human thing. I always find walking out in places like these brings me out of myself and into the wider scheme of things and, for me, thoughts of the idea of blip, the Duddon, the sonnets and particularly the 'After-thought' all bring this together.

Duddon Sonnets - William Wordsworth

After-thought

I thought of Thee, my partner and my guide,
As being past away.—Vain sympathies!
For, backward, Duddon! as I cast my eyes,
I see what was, and is, and will abide;
Still glides the Stream, and shall for ever glide;
The Form remains, the Function never dies;
While we, the brave, the mighty, and the wise,
We Men, who in our morn of youth defied
The elements, must vanish;—be it so!
Enough, if something from our hands have power
To live, and act, and serve the future hour;
And if, as toward the silent tomb we go,
Through love, through hope, and faith's transcendent dower,
We feel that we are greater than we know.

Sonnet 1

NOT envying Latian shades--if yet they throw
A grateful coolness round that crystal Spring,
Blandusia, prattling as when long ago
The Sabine Bard was moved her praise to sing;
Careless of flowers that in perennial blow
Round the moist marge of Persian fountains cling;
Heedless of Alpine torrents thundering
Through ice-built arches radiant as heaven's bow;
I seek the birthplace of a native Stream.--
All hail, ye mountains! hail, thou morning light!           
Better to breathe at large on this clear height
Than toil in needless sleep from dream to dream:
Pure flow the verse, pure, vigorous, free, and bright,
For Duddon, long-loved Duddon, is my theme!