England - Ambleside Walk, Stone Walls

One of the things I was hoping to capture was the network of stone walls that crisscross the region.  Because they are made of rock, which conveys permanence, it's easy to assume that they've been here for a very long time.  That's why we were surprised to learn that the lifespan of these walls is no more than about 40 years if they're not diligently maintained...due mostly because there is no mortar holding the rocks together.  Also it turns out that they don't contain sheep very well; the broken-down parts are where they hop or climb over, knocking some of the rocks out of place as they cross.

Closer shot of the house below, where you can see the gaps a little better (click to enlarge), as well as one wall that has almost completed tumbled down over time: