NEWS & REVIEWS
This page contains events run by Matterdale Community Association and events that involve Matterdale residents but are run by other organisations.
Join Us at the Christmas Craft Fair at The Royal
Come and join us at the Christmas Fair at The Royal Hotel in Dockray on Saturday November 23rd from 11am to 5pm and get your Christmas preparations started.
Entrance to the fair is free and there will be refreshments available from the pub.
Stall holders will be selling:
Ceramics
Fused glass decorations
Felt decorations and snowmen
Silver Jewellery
Cards
Knitted hats and sheep
Local honey
Locally made leather bags and goods
Dog walking bags
Handmade notebooks
Lampshades
Photo stitch pictures
… so lots of choice. 🎄🎁🎅🏼
Volunteers Required for Oral History Project - Remembered Landscapes
8.11.24
Some of you will know that I have been thinking for some time about an oral history project related to remembered landscapes, which would connect well with the habitat survey work.
We are looking for volunteers who would like to be part of this project. Roles do not necessarily have to include interviewing but could be technical or transcription. Ideally it would be good to get started over the winter with some of our older residents.
I think it could be an exciting project and maybe will be extended to the wider Ullswater valley.
If you are interested please contact me at paddy.palmer@btinternet.com
Halloween at The Royal
1.11.24
In the middle of the week there was a certain reluctance to dressing up for Halloween but come Friday evening everyone came up trumps.
Apologies if we gave any little ones sleepless nights. 🫣
October's MCA Pub Quiz
26.10.24
Huge congratulations to Fifth Event for winning October’s MCA pub quiz. 🏆
Jane organised a fantastic quiz that caused a lot of head scratching and inter team rivalry/banter.
The Wheel of Misfortune was then dragged out and the winning team chose to gamble their prize money. It took Gordon 5 minutes to get to the winnings up to £80 then lose it all… would you believe it?!!!
Harvest Supper and Hop
04.10.24
What an evening, great food, great company and the dancing… well you can see for yourself!!
Huge thanks to Maz and John from Let’s Dance Cumbria who were absolutely amazing and to everyone who supported the event and threw themselves unashamedly into the dancing. 💃🏻🕺🏻
Award for the Curlew Watch group
Congratulations to the curlew group for becoming area finalists in the Curlew Project Group Award.
Whilst curlews are small in number we did have multiple breeding pairs in the valley this year, and we hope they will return next year to increase in number.
A big thank you to everyone who took part, including Chris, residents, local farmers and landowners and the National Trust rangers.
Memories of
Matterdale Summer Day
Forget the cold days and dark evenings and remember one of the few warm, sunny days we had this summer.
📸 Thanks to Mark Williamson Photography @blokeonaphone
Matterdale Hits the Herald
21.9.24
Brian assures us the "potential cheating' comment refers to colleagues from Patterdale... not Matterdale, Matterdale End or Dockray.
If you are from Patterdale please insert Patterdale wherever it says Matterdale!!
Badminton Club is Back!
10.9.24
Oh how we’ve missed it.
Badminton doesn’t run during the summer months as we hope to be out enjoying the summer weather instead!!!
But this Tuesday we were back together and ... for the first half hour played like we had never seen this game before - let alone played it. 🙃
Onwards and upwards. 🏸
If you are interested in joining us please contact vagore16@gmail.com
7th Matterdale Valley Wooddisse Cup - Golf Croquet Championship
6 Sept 24
Congratulations to Mark, the winner of the 7th Matterdale Valley Wooddisse Cup - Golf Croquet Championship.
We were truly blessed with the weather, clear blue skies, the sun shining on freshly cut lawns, the clonk of croquet balls and the sound of laughter. A perfect summer afternoon.
A big thank you to Brian for organising the event and to Penrith and North Lakes Croquet Club for guiding us and having the patience of saints. Also huge thanks to Edwina for hosting us afterwards.
Are You Smarter than an 18 Year Old?
Pub Quiz
1.9.24
Huge thanks to Anna and Rebecca for a great ‘Are You Smarter than an 18 Year Old?’ quiz night. Turns out we’re not ☺️.
Well done to the Dowthwaite Duffers 🏆 ,to all the younger quizzers who were ‘brought’ along for the night and to The Royal for providing the venue and winners prize 🍾.
Matterdale Summer Day 2024
10.08.24
What a beautiful day - sunshine, fun, food, games and music.
A huge thank you to everyone who made the day such a special one and to you all for supporting us - we couldn’t have done it without you.
Wildflower Wednesday - Common spotted-orchid
Common spotted-orchid
Scientific name: Dactylorhiza fuchsii
Height: Up to 60cm
Seen: May to August
This is the most common of UK orchids and the one most often seen.
They grow in a variety of habitats, including woodland, verges, hedgerows and marshes and can be so prolific they create a carpet.
The common spotted-orchid actually gets its name from its leaves, which are green with purple spots. The flowers range from white to pinks and purples and also have darker pink spots and stripes on their three-lobed lips.
Photo: Paddy Palmer
Another great moth trapping session with Peter from Butterfly Conservation, this time at Lucy’s Wood and Crookwath.
We had a great turnout from people and moths alike! Again, we had over 60 species of moth but fewer in total, perhaps due to Lucy’s Wood being isolated from other diverse habitats.
A big thank you to Peter for sharing his skills and knowledge and allowing us to get a glimpse of what is happening outside whilst we’re all asleep. A fascinating world. 💚
Moth Trapping at Crookwath & Lucy's Wood
16.07.24
Peter, from Butterfly Conservation (Cumbria), had been waiting for a calm, mild but cloudy evening for weeks, so he could set his moth traps at Paddy’s and finally … success.
Over 60 different species were recorded and more than 500 moths caught and safely released.
What an amazing experience!
Peter is hoping to repeat this at Lucy’s Wood should we have the right conditions. As you can imagine with the glorious Cumbrian weather, this is easier said than done and we will let you know if this is to go ahead but it will be last minute. If you can make it I would strongly recommend it - it was a huge privilege.
Moth Trapping at Paddy's 16.07.24
Wildflower Wednesday - Ragged Robin
Ragged-robin
Scientific name: Lychnis flos-cuculi
Height: Up to 75cm
Seen: May to August
Ragged-robin is a native British wildflower that loves damp conditions. Sadly the ragged, pink flowers of ragged-robin are an increasingly rare sight as wetland habitats disappear.
It has narrow grass-like leaves and divided, pink flowers that attract pollinators such as butterflies, honeybees and bumblebees.
Keep your eyes peeled for this beauty when out and about in Matterdale - we certainly don’t lack the damp conditions it requires 😉.
Paddy & Jane - Ullswater Breakfast Talk 6.7.24
Paddy and Jane presented "Habitat Surveying in Matterdale' at July's Ullswater Breakfast. •
Inspired by an idea of Professor Lois Mansfield, a group of local volunteers undertook training to classify and map wildlife habitats in Matterdale using the Phase one habitat survey system. The last time this had been done was in the 80's and so with changes in land management over this time it is likely to mean there may be some significant changes in habitat.
Surveying is ongoing and brings about some challenges but the community is learning more about about their landscape and seeing increasing diversity in some areas.
Glencoyne Bay Swim Group 13.05.24
The water temperature is rising 🎉 and is now slightly less Baltic!
If you fancy a swim but would like some company, the Glencoyne Bay Swim Group meet at 8am on Monday mornings, at …
yes, Glencoyne Bay.
Matterdale Treasure Trail 12.05.24
A big thank you to everyone who supported the inaugural Matterdale Treasure Trail.
Clues were solved, ‘treasures’ were photographed, challenges completed and … one unsuspecting local insulted “You must be the elderly educator with the grey face!!!” (Fortunately he took it with good grace.)
Our thanks also go to The Royal Hotel, Dockray who not only donated the winner’s prize but also lots of amazing traybakes to keep the competitors fuelled.
Northern Lights 11.05.24
A solar storm was predicted AND it actually happened AND the skies were clear over Matterdale... what a miracle!
What an amazing sight!
Photos: Joe Ball
Outdoor Fitness 10.05.24
Outdoor Fitness … it was a hot one and let’s just say we needed to add music to the reel to cover up the gasping (and occasional exhausted expletive!)
🎂 🥵 ☀️ 🏃🏻♀️
Thanks @debjackman
If you’d like to join us, we meet in the beer garden at The Royal Hotel, Dockray 12-1pm (term time only). First session is free.
Easter Sunday - Matterdale Church
Easter Sunday morning - the sun shone and the cross was decorated with stunning daffodils and greenery.
Royal Riders - Bampton Circuit 24.03.24
A great farewell ride as Richard and Gina move on to explore new hills and cycleways.
Shanty Evening 7.3.24
We had a fantastic evening with Jonathan our "Shanty Man" with an additional surprise performance from local shanty group "Nobody's Friends" (it was a surprise to them too!)
We learnt the history of sea shanties, joined in rousing choruses (trying our hardest to sound more mariner and less Matterdale) and progressed to singing in parts and harmonising!!
A great evening and a particularly good turn out. Thanks to everyone who supported the event.
Ullswater Breakfast Talk -
Gordon Lightburn 03.02.24
What is in a place name? It would appear thousands of years of history, through which Gordon took us on a fascinating whistle stop tour. The hokey-cokey of a host of invaders created a soup pot of languages and place names that mingled to create the names we know today.
Ullswater Breakfast donated an amazing £210 to Gordon's chosen recipient, Andy Butcher. Every day Andy can be found feeding the swans in Glencoyne Bay come rain or shine, self-financing the floating duck and swan food. And he's not just looking after the local wildlife he also does a daily litter pick in various bays around the lake. Thanks Andy.
Outdoor Fitness aka "Bootcamp"
01.03.24
Nervous smiles from those bracing themselves for a good kicking!!
Steel Pans 26.02.24
Tonight, the steel pan group were busy practising their signature tune, Sloop John B.
If you would like to join the group, whether a total novice or an experienced musician please contact Peter Crofts for more information at peterchriscrofts@btinternet.com
There are 2 groups: Mondays 7-8pm or Wednesday 2-3pm (for anyone but especially beginners).
Glencoyne Bay Swim Group 23.02.24
Snow capped fells, lobster red limbs and running the shore to warm up post swim. What a way to start the week.
If you're interested in joining, the group meet on Mondays at 8am at Glencoyne Bay. Get in touch via the 'Contact' tab.
Ullswater Breakfast Talk - Sam Beaumont 03.02.24
Ullswater Breakfast donated a staggering £248 to Sam's chosen charity, Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group, following his superb presentation "Gowbarrow Farm - An Agroecological Partnership'.
His passion for integrating farming and nature is something to behold. Weeds aren't weeds, they're plants with a purpose, mob grazing with longer rest periods increases plant species, dung beetles are truly exciting and soil ... soil is king.
Burns Night - 25.01.24
What a fantastic Burns Night!
A piper, haggis, neeps, tatties, cranachan, shortbread, tablet, whisky, speeches, the Big Yin (it's what Burns would have wanted), the Bald Mountain String Band and lots of dancing.
A huge thank you to everyone who made the night possible.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2m29P3N1iy/
📸 Amy Bray, Simon Ball
Ullswater Breakfast Talk - Amy Bray
Ullswater Breakfast donated £204 to Another Way following the excellent talk by Amy Bray.
Amy said “Another Way is delighted to receive the generous donation of £204- we would like to thank everyone who attended and donated, and for all the insightful questions.
We rely on donations to help us carry out our work in helping support young changemakers and bring about positive climate action.
For anyone who missed the link during my talk, we have launched a Friends of Another Way scheme. This will be essential to helping us fulfil our mission and we would love to create a community who can support our work and campaign for positive change. Supporting us will help us to launch our Power of 10 scheme nationally to reach more young people. Anyone interested can find out more here https://www.another-way.org.uk/membership/
Thank you again.
Very best wishes for 2024
Amy and the Another Way team”.
