Red scamps

Success! The final thing Barbara wanted to see before she goes home was a red squirrel, so we spent the day at Whinlatter Forest. One of the staff recommended that we try the ‘Wow!’ Trail and so we plodded off uphill. There were some good views out over the landscape towards Keswick, and the cyclists were directed elsewhere. We were at the far end of the trail and thinking that there was no chance of a squirrel when we found a sign pointing to wildlife hide and squirrel feeders….
We tiptoed inside and there a few feet in front of the windows was a fat little squirrel feeding on seeds on the ground! Bonnie and Barbara were so delighted! And there was a ground level window that was perfect for Bonnie to sit and watch through! Some other people came in very noisily but the squirrels were fairly indifferent. We saw at least three different individuals, one with a very pale tail, that is apparently a local genetic form. Brilliant!
We sampled the cafe fare, then had a quick stop in Keswick for Barbara to stock up on sweeties.
By coincidence there was a Cumbria Red Squirrel program on the BBC which rounded off the day very nicely.