Shap Abbey

We were booked on a Wildlife Trust visit to Haweswater RSPB reserve,  It seemed a shame when in the area to not add a visit to Shap Abbey.  I have blipped it before but Clickychick had never been.  So we made our way down the single track road ending in a private drive down to the Car Park.

The Abbey was started in the 1199 and was altered and added to up to the 1500s.  The last addition was the tower replacing an earlier tower.  The abbey escaped the dissolution of the monasteries but closed in the mid 1500s.  Why anyone would choose to build such an impressive structure in such an out of the way spot beats me.  Perhaps it escaped the dissolution because nobody could find it!

The visit to "wild Haweswater" was interesting and depressing at the same time.  As a "farm visit" (they lease two farms from united utilities) it was fascinating and enlightening.  Much was made of habitat improvement, regenerative farming etc.  Birds were virtually not mentioned.  The other annoying thing as a member of the RSPB for 50 years is access is virtually impossible as they don't provide a car park or public hides.  There are two hides a woodland bird hide and a badger hide both of which you have to book and pay for,