The Lake District’s famous pair of mating Ospreys have reunited at their Bassenthwaite Lake nest after a 3,000 mile migration from Africa.

The female arrived back at Bassenthwaite on March 26, the earliest date an Osprey has ever returned to the Lake, followed on April 1 by the male bird.

Since then they have been seen by staff from the Lake District Osprey Project gathering sticks and moss for nest building.

Pete Barron, of the Lake District Osprey Project, said: “We are delighted that the ospreys have returned for a 10th season.

“They have been busy mating so we are hopeful the female will be laying eggs very soon. We now have a dedicated team doing 24-hour nest protection to ensure the ospreys are left undisturbed.”

The team are certain that the birds are the same ones that have appeared at Bassenthwaite in the past. The male has nested at Bassenthwaite since 2001, while he paired up with the female for the first time in 2007.

The return of the ospreys raises hopes for a 10th successful nesting season for the famous fish-eating birds of prey.

Ospreys first nested near Bassenthwaite Lake in 2001, the first to do so for at least 150 years.

The Osprey Viewpoint at Dodd Wood, near Keswick, is now open, offering views of the nest and nearby Bassenthwaite Lake.

At the Forestry Commission’s Whinlatter Visitor Centre, near Braithwaite, there is an exhibition area dedicated to the ospreys with a live feed from a nest camera.

Osprey fans can follow the birds in the daily osprey diary at www.ospreywatch.co.uk.

When Lucy Nicholson set up a small delicatessen with a £1,000 loan 21 years ago she never dreamed her culinary adventure would see her listed alongside food greats.

But now the mother-of-four has seen her efforts rewarded as her Lake District café has been named as the UK’s best dessert restaurant outside London.

Lucy’s on a Plate, in the picturesque village of Ambleside, was handed the Remy Martin Coeur de Cognac award by Harden’s Guides.

The café has already gained a reputation locally for serving up to 40 delicious homemade puddings daily. Favourites including the raspberry rice pudding brûlée and a Borrowdale sticky banana – described as a cross between bread and butter pudding, banoffee pie, and sticky toffee pudding.

Mrs Nicholson, 52, who set up the deli to enable her to work from home when her eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia, said: “It’s fantastic, I can’t believe it. I think it shows that people like proper puddings – people will come here and just have a pudding.

“Nowadays one of the only things that you can’t do virtually, rather than in real life, is eat and socialise, and I love that glorious moment of seeing people eating and enjoying a pudding we’ve made.”

More than two decades ago, while working in marketing in London, she fell in love with a Cumbrian man, married him, and swapped her busy city existance for a more relaxed lifestyle.

Then when the eldest of her four daughters, Amy, now 24, fell ill, she decided to make a career out of her love of food so she could have a more flexible working arrangement.

“The deli didn’t go that well at first, but it was my passion and I loved it,” Mrs Nicholson admitted.
“The problem was that if you buy 12 of something and you throw away three there is almost no point having sold the other nine, so it was hard to make any money.

“I was trying to find ways of not wasting anything and when the shop next door came up I just went for it and turned it into a deli-café combo with just nine tables.

“It was hard along the way, there were days when we sold just two hot chocolates, but I kept going. Too few people go through the pain barrier now, it’s too easy to give up.”

Since then her business has grown even further. The café now holds 27 tables, a wine bar and bistro has opened, she provides outside catering, and she even teaches others how to make her puddings at Lucy Cooks Cookery School.

“I think this proves how much great food is on offer in the Lake District,” she added. “We are really lucky up here and have so many different, small, eclectic businesses.”

Telegraph.co.uk

Calvin Harris will headline the Friday night of this year’s Kendal Calling with the Saturday and Sunday headliners still to be announced. The Glasgow-born DJ will be airing a catalogue of hits such as ‘Acceptable in the 80′s’, ‘I’m Not Alone’ & ‘Ready For the Weekend’ to name a few.

More main stage acts have also been announced including Wild Beasts, The Futureheads, Ok Go, and Dub Pistols.

The Dance Tent’s first bookings have been confirmed from promoters Wax:On and Ape who will be hosting on Saturday & Sunday. Taking to the decks over the weekend will be Erol Alkan, DJ Yoda, Plump DJs, High Contrast, Scratch Perverts, Elite Force, Justin Robertson, Danny Byrd, Doorly, Eskimo Twins, Emalkay, People Get Real, Rich Reason, Ken Evil, and Ash Howell.

The Kaylied Folk Stage will see the return of BBC 6 Music’s Craig Charles, and the first appearance at the festival of comedy folk band The Lancashire Hotpots.

Kendal Calling has eight stages including Europe’s biggest solar powered tent Croissant Neuf. This year Kendal Calling also hosts a kid’s area, Garden of Eden and Peaceful Progress; a creative crew of graffiti artists, breakdancers & sculptors and much more. The majority of stages at Kendal Calling run until 3am, making it one of the latest-running festivals in the UK.

Tickets sold out last year for Kendal Calling which this year has also introduced a deposit scheme which enables ticket buyers to pay £30 now to secure a ticket and pay the rest later at no extra cost.

An adult ticket including 3 days and nights camping is priced at £85, a child (11-14 years) weekend ticket is priced at £45, and children under 11 can attend for free, but need a ticket. A campervan ticket is priced at £40.

Kendal Calling is held in the Lake District, over the weekend of Friday 30th July to Sunday 1st August and is a wholly independent festival returning for its fifth year and returning to the Lowther Estate, Kendal, in East Cumbria.

2010 sees the festival grow to 8,000 capacity so expect all the regular favourites (entertainers, beer tent, big top marquees, comedians, cabaret) plus many more new and innovative extras, whilst keeping the intimate vibe and friendly atmosphere.