1st May 2009

I've got a new alarm clock and it went off at 4.15am just as I'd ordered. Some rain on the window but broken cloud so I had high hopes for a May Day sunrise shot.

As I was heading out I spotted a neighbour of mine up and out at this silly hour, Georgia's a Morris Dancer with the Hexhamshire Lasses and was on her way to dance in the May Day sunrise.


I wanted to climb up onto Peel Crags this morning, at 11 degrees it was too warm for mist but it's a lovely, and popular viewpoint. I passed through a herd of Galloway cows from Hotbank Farm, they seem to like the shelter the Wall gives as I often see them there early in the morning. A bit further along and I came across a little flock of sheep with lambs and hoped they'd hang around for a photograph.
I set up above Castle Gap, including the milecastle in the dip, Highshields Crag and Crag Lough in the shot. One of the classic views you see of Hadrian's Wall. (NY759677)

The sun was due to rise at 5.33am but by then the cloud had thickened and there were a few spots of rain. As often happens, to the west there was a little bit of colour and patches of red sky immediately overhead but nothing I could include in a shot. Photography requires lots of hanging around waiting for light, or heavy rain, confirmation that it's time to pack up and try another day.


I could see rain heading my way over the Pennines so I decided to wander back along the top and take some shots of the cows with the Wall. I was setting up when one of the bullocks decided my tripod would make a really useful scratching post, I had to hang on for dear life but once he was finished he allowed me to take his photograph.

While all this was going on some beams of sunlight broke through the clouds, not enough to pick out the stones of Hadrian's Wall but worth a shot or two. (NY755675)

Back along the Hadrian's Wall Path, past the new stone walls, which probably won't last long with the sheep jumping back and forward over them. Down the crag face path, always a bit tricky and up the hill again to the car park. As I crested the hill there were another round of sunbeams for me to photograph, nothing with the WOW factor but quite nice photo's for my smugmug site.

This part of Hadrian's Wall is one of the most popular parts for visitors, not the folk Walking the Wall but people just out for the day, it's really the only part I see families with young children which is such a shame when the Wall has so much to offer.

Lots of rooks calling, a wren, a wheatear, pheasant, geese from Greenlea Lough and something that has a call like someone scraping a spoon down a washboard, maybe partridge?
I'll have to research that one.

Home for toast and honey by 7 oclock.

Catch you later.