Walltown again

Despite the forecasts and early cloud, Saturday turned out to be a nice day.

Headed off to Walltown as much for the fresh air and exercise as to take photographs.

I'm not that fond of daylight photo's, I'm a bit like a bat, most comfortable when I'm out at dawn and dusk, but over the winter months the sun rises and sets well away from Hadrian's Wall.
Of course if I'm out and about the camera is with me, if not the Nikon DSLR then the Canon compact in my pocket.
On Saturday I had the Nikon, the light was good and there were clouds, proper 'chocolate box' weather.
I parked in the main Walltown car park and walked up the hill.

Walltown Quarry and picnic area

I'm feeling a bit jaded at the moment, there's only so many photographs you can take of the same scene, especially if there's not a dramatic weather condition to add that extra something.

Old quarry face with basalt pillars

I took the obligitory shot of the gnarly hawthorn tree and then wandered along the Hadrian's Wall Path, met a nice young couple from Liverpool who had stopped on their way up to Edinburgh. They seemes to be enjoying the experience so hopefully they'll come back for a 'proper' visit sometime.

Walltown Crags with a view west over the lowland towards the Solway 

Not many people about yet all but one of the folk I saw, were at some point standing on the Wall. I did say this wasn't allowed but some didn't believe me because "there are no signs to say we can't" and they're right.

I would have thought that common sense should tell you that it's not a good idea to stand on an ancient monument but have we become so used to signs telling us what we can and can't do that we no longer think for ourselves?

Walked along the top of the Crags smiling to myself that there was I telling people of the need to preserve our heritage when someone had quarried away a big chunck of the rock face and Hadrian's Wall along with it.

Someone quarried right through Hadrian's Wall

Got to Mucklebank Crag, I've never been entirely happy with photographs I've taken of this crag in the past, but the one I share with you today is the best so far, you can see the hump that is all that remains of this bit of Hadrian's Wall as it heads directly up this steep crag.

Mucklebank Crag and King Arthur's Well

To the right are the trees on top of the mound known as King Arthur's Well.
Not only Romans here but knights of the round table as well :)

I've just been looking at a superb book of photographs by Don McCullin, not his usual war photographs but photograhs of Roman ruins and blow me if he didn't have some of Hadrian's Wall, taken standing on the Wall - good job I wasn't around to see him I would have given him a right telling off!
Catch you later.

© Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail

A different side.

Yesterday the weather was beautiful, I'd checked the tide times and discovered high tide at Bowness on Solway was mid morning, and I've been wanting to try my hand at photographing oystercatchers on the wing.
Bowness on Solway is the start (or finish) of the Hadrian's Wall Path, I find it a strange place not at all welcoming and the little hut that walkers pass through, is tucked away out of site.
Nothing to see of the Roman fort which once stood there
I imagine finishing a long walk here is a wee bit of an anticlimax, although I have to admit the walk on a beautiful day the walk along from Port Carlisle is stunning.

The Solway Firth an AONB, is the third largest area of continuous intertidal habitat in the UK and hosts thousands of wintering wildfowl and waders.

Oystercatchers in flight

Probably the best place to see geese and swans is over at Caerlaverock on the Scottish side of the Solway, birds are fed there twice a day so that's generally where they can be found.

Yesterday I wanted the sunlight behind me to highlight the birds plummage so it was that I came to be plodging through the mud that makes up the shoreline of the south side (and the English side) of the Solway

Asleep on the shore

High tide wasn't quite as high as I'd hoped so I had to go out to the birds, standing out like a sore thumb against the flat shore line.  Never mind I did get a couple of shots and discovered places that offer good views for when the tide is higher than yesterday's 5ft offering. Something for another day.

Oystercatchers on the mudflats

When the tide does go out it goes a long way as you can see on this aerial shot of the mud flats 
We called into the RSPB reserve at Campfield Marsh but, as usual, there was very little to see a few swans and a dusting of widgeon.

Widgeon and mallard on the shore, so cold the sea has frozen on the mudflats

After that we headed home.

That evening I decided to go to Gretna to try, yet again, to get a decent shot of the starlings, there are so many of the birds that you'd think it would be easy but fading light makes it difficult and they aren't roosting in the same place each time.

Last night I stood on the motorway bridge waiting to see which way they were going then headed down to the potato field.

A murmuration of Starlings

Starlings are constantly flying in to join the group

Getting ready to go down to the roost, as I was watching a peregrine flew over my head once they were safe the starlings went down into the conifers.

Got a couple of shots I like but I managed to lose my car keys and in the dark it was impossible to find them.

I'm indebted to Mr Eric Stanwix and Mr David Stephenson, who helped my search and incredibly kind when they had a long way to go home.

TT got a lift from our neighbour Richard and brought the spare key so at least we got home.
I rang today and a replacement for the one I lost would cost £185 plus VAT - for a car key!
Borrowing a metal detector we headed back there this afternoon and thankfully found the keys.
It was nearly a very expensive Starling shot.

Both of these sites can be reached within 45 minutes from Gilsland, so if you're coming on a winter holiday and fancy a break from walking these options might be to your taste.
Catch you later

Bright light through the fog on Hadrian's Wall

Woke up yesterday to a beautiful morning, just a light frost with a clear blue sky.
As soon as I was able, I got my camera and headed off to Hadrian's Wall, there's a certain point on the road out of Gilsland where Walltown Crags appear much closer than they actually are, don't know why but they do, anyway yesterday I could see some mist swirling about the tops of the Nicks.

Could be interesting conditions, a couple of years ago I was out in similar conditions and took a photograph that won me a DSLR.

Yesterday the interesting mist turned into thick fog, I called into Cawfields Quarry just in case something inrteresting developed but no, fog it was, just two people appearing alongside the Wall like ghostly centurians of long ago.

Mist at Cawfields

Reluctant to go home I set off to visit the good folk at Saughy Rigg Farm, one of  the Hadrian's Wall B and B's, beautifully situated for visiting the best bits of the Wall.
 
Brad was in the middle of extensive refurbishment works so I didn't stay long but headed down to the Northumberland National Parks Authority Visitor Centre at Once Brewed. 
The best place ever for information on Hadrian's Wall!
It only opens at the weekend during the winter months and Pam was on duty yesterday, I hoped she might have some leaflets about the Illuminating Hadrian's Wall event, I keep meeting people walking along the Wall who have heard nothing about this event.
I thought I'd have a few leaflets in my bag to hand out to people who express an interest in the night of lights.
Guess what, there are no leaflets it seems all the information is online.

Had a word with Peter, he was one of the NNPA Wardens and has recently retired, he told me the fog only started at Housesteads and that the local hunt was meeting at Limestone Corner. I set off east, saw the hunt gathering through the fog which had obviously moved east since Peter travelled the road and decided that I should just give up on photographs and head home.

As I drew level with Winshields Farm Campsite (tel 01434 344 243) I noticed a chink of blue appearing through the fog.

I turned up towards Caw Gap and then headed up the Hadrian's Wall Path towards Cawfields. This is one of my favourite stretches of Wall, the views are lovely yet it still has that feeling of bleakness.

Cawfield Crags

Cawfield Crags looking towards Walltown

The sun broke through, catching the stones of Hadrian's Wall and the mosses and lichens that grow on it.
(My challenge this year is to photograph the various plants growing on and near the Wall)

Cawfield Crags above Thorney Doors

I took some shots, including a group of four walkers, enjoying the fresh air and not at all put off by the varied weather conditions.

A walk on Cawfield Crags

After ten minutes the sun disappeared and the fog returned, never mind I had a couple of photographs to share with you and I went off home happy that my excursion had been fruitful.
It's almost a year since I started this blog and I'd like to thank those few who have followed my ramblings from the beginning.

Catch you later,

Joan

Slipping and sliding along.

-10 on Sunday night left the minor roads hereabouts, like a skating rink.

It really wasn't worth taking the car out, although the main roads were well gritted all of the access roads to Hadrian's Wall are little windy roads, with an incline that water runs down, perfect conditions for black ice and accidents.

A walk from the house was decided upon, and the route was up Wardrew Hill to Temple Mount, ( I wonder if there was a temple there, must check Google earth and see what it looks like from space), across the footpath towards Barron House, along the footpath to Greenhead then returning to Gilsland along the Hadrian's Wall Path.

Gilsland Panorama from Temple Mount

Got my camera ready and set off  up the hill, I'd hardly gone 100yards before I fell the first time, I was well wrapped up and didn't hurt myself but getting up was a chore.

Everywhere was so icy that I couldn't get an purchase to push myself up, had to crawl on hands and knees to the verge, then I got a fit of giggles so it was a while before I was upright again.

Made it to Irthing House Farm but Wardrew Hill was solid ice, I detoured into the adjacent field (I have permission from the farmer) and climbed up to Temple Mount, the untrodden snow had an ice crust so it was easy if strenuous walking.

View over Gilsland from Temple Mount, Lake District mountains on the horizon.

At the top it was so beautiful, you can see for miles, the north Pennine range and even the snow covered  mountains of the Lake District were visible.

No-one had walked this way so I followed animal tracks, obviously this is a busy thoroughfare during the night, unfortunately the way the melt and refreeze distorted the tracks it was impossible to identify what creature left them, unless there really are Yeti's roaming these hills :)
Paul and Christine were out on the quad bike spreading hay for their sheep, they have a beautiful 5 star, holiday house to rent, West Nichold Cottage a converted barn that you can see in the picture. Not a bad place to spend a winter holiday, even being snowed in there would be pleasurable.

West Nichold Cottage, perfect spot for a holiday

The views from the footpath, across to the Thirlwall Nicks (used to be the 9 Nick of Thirlwall but quarrying took at least one of them out!) and Hadrian's Wall at Walltown are lovely, the hills seem much closer than they are and, with a shining white field of fresh snow, they made a nice picture.

Views to Walltown from footpath.

Down the Hill to Barron House Farm, the footpath goes through the farm yard and the farmer Leslie ( happy 60th birthday Leslie) and his young son John were there to greet us.

The footpath down to Barron House

Had a catch up on the news before heading down their farm road, the ice here was so bad and the verge so thin that I had to edge down the hill sideways. The idea of slithering my way to Greenhead, especially as the cafe there is closed now until March, didn't appeal so I carried on down over the railway line to join the B6318 and head back into Gilsland.

A warm coffee and a bit of Christmas cake my reward for all the effort :)

Catch you later,

Joan

Click on the photographs to view them at a larger size.

Winter mists

Gilsland was shrouded in mist on Friday but the webcams along Hadrian's Wall Hadrian's Wall webcams were showing some patches of blue.
I've been wanting to check out the views from Mucklebank Crag (NY681667), to see if a winter sunrise shot would be possible.
As I'm an official 'wrinkly', I have to go out and time how long it's going to get me to 'X marks the spot' especially if I'm clambering around in the pre dawn light.
TT decided to reprise his starring role as 'he who carries the tripod' and came with me.
It's the first time he's been on the new footpath up Mucklebank Crag and was impressed at how much easier, and safer it was to go up and down.
As we climbed the temperature did too and coming up into the sunsine was lovely.
High up on the crags that form part of the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall you get wonderful views all round.
The ground is still very wet, understandable considering all the rain we've had, I'd recommend gaiters and good boots if your venturing out onto the Hadrian's Wall Path.
It was amazing to watch the mist ebb and flow over Walltown Crags and I took loads of shots so instead of writing a long blog I'm uploading extra photographs.
Catch you later.

View over Haltwhistle Common from Allolee Farm

View east from Cockmount on the Hadrian's Wall Path

A fogbow over Walltown

View from Mucklebank Crag, south over Haltwhistle Common

The trees that mark King Arthurs Well in the mist

TT adding a sense of scale to the view across Walltown Crags

Tree on the footpath up to Mucklebank Crag

Walltown Crags from the turret on Mucklebank

Walltown Farm in the Mist

One of the beautiful old trees at Walltown Farm

Panorama from Cockmount on the Hadrian's Wall Path

PS. If you click the photographs they'll enlarge a bit but they are small file sizes for uploading.

The photographs featured in my blogs are available to buy as a print or canvas from a high resolution image.

Luxury of a lie in

Oh! what luxury it is to be getting up for a sunrise at 6.30am, it seems like cheating somehow.

I even had time for a cup of coffee, then was delayed when the outdoor cat made a dash up the stairs as soon as I opened the front door. He's not house trained so I had to ferret him out from under the dressing table.

My plan was to go to Cawfields for some of my favourite mist pictures but when  I got there the mist was so dense my viewpoints were obscured.

Onto plan B, take the high ground and a climb up to the highest point on the Wall at Winshields Crag, (NY742675) was just the thing.

The mist was pooling at the foot of Peel Crags (NY756676) when I arrived at Steel Rigg so of course I had a moments hesitation but as the sun light is to the south at the moment I decided to go with plan B and make the climb.

Walked out of the car park at Steel Rigg (NY750676) and climbed over the wall steps, taking a minute to admire the new kissing gate the NNPA have put in leading onto Steel Rigg.

Onwards and up the hill, very muddy and from the way the mud is churned up I'd guess there are still a lot of people enjoying the Hadrian's Wall Path.

The way up to the trig point is littered with the  wax cap fungi, such bright colours - I'm sure I saw somewhere that they are becoming rare and you're supposed to record sightings but I'm blowed if I can remember where I saw it.

Texel ewes are out in the fields, soon the tups will be in with them, I told the ladies not to take any notice of his sweet talking ways.

The view from Winshields is breathtaking at most times but today it was doubly so - the mist was rising like waves crashing up over Highshields Crag and I probably spent more time watching it that I did taking photographs.

Sun is rising over the Long Stone momument and, as it happens, the Twice Brewed Pub.

Of course, as Winshields is the highest point, you get views all around and to the west you could see pools of mist with the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall standing proud above the sea of white.

I was out for ages this morning but eventually rumblings reminded me that I hadn't had breakfast so I headed back downhill to the car.

As is my habit I called into Cawfields Quarry (NY713665) to see if there were any birds on the lake there.

I found a big yellow gully cleaning truck chugging away so any wildfowl were long gone.

Click on the pictures if you'd like to see them at a larger size.

Catch you later.

Joan

Sometimes you just have to be there

Had a busy day and time slipped by without me getting a breath of fresh air. At about 5.30pm I glanced out of the window and saw a lovely sky with mackeral clouds, the sort that colour up beautifully at sunset.

The sun sets at about 6.30pm at this time of the year, so I'd left things a bit late for anywhere that involved climbing.

I checked the flagpole ( flying the Northumbrian flag of course) in my back garden and saw there was no wind, great for reflections if it stays that way, so I was off to Crag Lough.

Driving along the Military Road I can see that I'm leaving those wonderful clouds to the south but you just never know with weather and I reckoned it was still worth a punt.

Arrived at Crag Lough at the same time as another photographer, he'd seen the same cloud formation that I had. But that wasn't what we were looking at now, the Lough was lovely and still though and the reflections were nice, so it was worth hanging around.

We were rewarded patches of colour appeared and were reflected in the waters, the boats had nice highlights. Then just when you thought this show of light had peaked another wave of colour appeared - shutters were firing twenty to the dozen.

A couple of walkers passed by on the Hadrians Wall Path, although by now it was getting dark they still had a way to go. I wouldn't like to be scrambling over the trail in the dark, and I do hope they got to their destination for the night safely.

It's the Haltwhistle Walking Festival this week so we have lots of walkers around.

I was reluctant to leave the Lough but finally it got so dark that it became impossible for the camera, to focus so I finally gave up and headed back home.

I'd been out less than 2 hours yet I felt so uplifted by the light display, wish you could have been there.

Catch you later.

Calm and collected

Well I've just about recovered from the traumatic events of the last two posts.
The decision to sell all my camera equipment has been put on hold and a spell of beautiful weather has tempted me back out onto the Wall.
There's a scrubby little hawthorn tree that hangs over Hadrian's Wall at Caw Gap and although I have this particular shot on my website it's long overdue an update.

I headed out to Caw Gap, a blue sky and amazing clouds, I have a personal mission to get another of my shots onto the BBC national weather spot. They don't say where the shots are taken, so I'm looking for one that is undisputably Hadrian's Wall.
Alas, Hadrian's Wall at Caw Gap is not the best example, in the main it's just single width and in lots of places it's falling down but I entertained myself for a while, trying to compose a shot that included all of the important elements. Harder than I thought!

Masses of people out walking, one Dutch lady passed me dressed as though going to an afternoon tea dance with sling back sandals and a handbag, not ideal for a muddy hike up and down the Hadrian's Wall Path. The majority of people did have appropriate gear and lots of folk are using two walking poles, everyone I asked agreed this made an enormous difference, it's something I shall try when I'm not carrying a tripod.

I spent several hours out in the September sunshine, took masses of 'chocolate box' photographs and came to the conclusion that this bit of the Hadrian's Wall Path has some of the most amazing views, especially to the west.
Two photographs today, one of the wonderful sky and the other looking west along the line of Hadrian's Wall to Cawfields Quarry then onto Walltown in the distance.



Catch you later.

Willowford

I was out at Willowford today, Lauren and Liam were expecting the two presenters from Radio 2 to drop in and interview Lauren about her work as part of the team trying to get Fairtrade status for the whole of Hadrian's Wall corridor .

I was supposed to photograph the event, happily for me I don't get paid (I declined payment) so no pressure there then :)

I really don't do any people photographs, in fact I'm usually trying to avoid getting people in my shots.

The party of 5 came up from Willowford Bridge and to start with I didn't know which of the 4 ( the fifith was Lizzie so I knew it wasn't her) I was supposed to photograph but someone took pity on me and the guys posed for a photograph.

They had a refreshment stop at Willowford, enjoying Liam's chocolate brownies and did a live phone in to the Michael Ball show. I did take some photographs but I always feel photographing people is a bit intrusive so I sort of hovered and 'is it all right if I just.....' my way through the morning.

I have to report that Mark Radcliffe is utterly charming, a real gentleman. (leading the way in the photo above)

They were walking quite a way today from Banks to Steel Rigg over some very muddy stretches of the Hadrian's Wall Path, no doubt they'll be looking forward to a hot bath and a pint.

Nice publicity for Hadrian's Wall and we're grateful for all of it.

Catch you later.

Rainy days

My goodness have we had rain, it's poured from the heavens along with strong winds which must have made walking the Wall a real challenge over the last few days.

There are sections of the Hadrian's Wall Path that get really boggy and if you don't have good walking boots and gaiters you could get into trouble.

I've just bought a new pair of boots, the do say waterproof on the label but I've yet to find a pair of boots, that aren't rubber, that actually do what they say on the label. Still there's always a first time.

I've been waiting for a break in the weather to get out and see how comfortable the boots are, just after tea tonight there was a chink of light in the sky and hoping that a sunset might be in the offing I set off for Caw Gap.

Rather than go up the steep path I followed the track that skirts around the edge and discovered a quagmire.

Took me ages to work my way around it and all the time I could see lovely light on the other side of the crag.

Scrambling up the grass bank I came to a herd of cows, I'm not usually nervous with cows but these had some very young calves. I took my time passing through them, making sure I didn't get between a cow and her calf.

I also talk to them all the time, nothing but gibberish and they do sometimes roll their eyes at me but I got through unscathed, to the spot I'd planned for my photograph.

It was a very windy, I use a carbon fibre tripod because it's light enough for me to carry but in a good wind it's not that stable. Even worse I was on tussocky grass.

I settled down to wait for some colour in the sky and got the fright of my life when a couple of cows came up behind me and snuffled loudly in my ear.

Nothing much happened sunset wise and the cows were becoming curious so I decided to cut and run, well more cut and crawl as I didn't want to spook them. Don't know if you remember I had a bad fall a few months back, that was at Caw Gap as well, and I'm beginning to wonder if it's jinxed for me.

Nice big moon tonight so maybe I'll get a sunrise outing tomorrow.

Couple of Radio 2 presenters are walking the Hadrian's Wall Path and were getting lots of nice publicity - wish they'd brought some of that southern sunshine with them.

Catch you later

The golden hour

Another sunrise, it's coming over the horizon at
about 6.10am now so it's not quite as much of a struggle to get up early.
A clear sky with stars everywhere except right in front of me, meaning the sun was coming up through a big dark cloud.
I climbed up to the viewpoint on Winshields Crag (NY743675) and enjoyed the gentle sounds of a morning coming to life. The sky coloured up in a subtle watercolour effect and I happily recorded the scene.
From here you get a panoramic view to the east, over Crag Lough, Hotbank Crag, way over to Sewingshields and beyond. It's a great spot but because people generally walk the Wall from east to west, people simply don't turn around and miss out.
Then it all seemed to be over and I headed down the hill thinking of breakfast, but, as often happens, the light changed.
I did a very quick about face and headed back up the hill at as fast a pace as I can manage, arthritic knees and all, every step of the way I'm repeating my mantra to the light, 'please wait, please, please wait'.
I passed the two lambs at a trot and was amazed when I got my tripod set up to find them posing so nicely for me, probably stunned by my antics.
It's always difficult shooting photographs straight into the sun, you always get flare, I carry a bit of black card to shield the lens, sometimes it works and with this shot here I had only one intrusive flare spot to clone out. But the Wall is just so beautiful bathed in golden light I just had to try to capture it.
I took loads of shots, a big flock of finches were landing on the Wall then flitting up into the light like sparkling butterflies, moving to quickly for the camera shutter speed to record them, but beautiful to see.
Thank goodness for digital at least I can take photographs with a chance they'll work, it seems to me you have so much more latitude than was ever available with film.
I love being out when the world wakes up and usually I'm alone but I could see another photographer high up on Peel Crags. When I got back down to the car park at Steel Rigg I stopped for a chat with his wife. I think maybe my car coming into the car park had woken them up, he's a professional photographer called Don Bishop from Somerset, and I look forward to seeing what he managed to get of our bit of Northumberland - he's also a renowned steam train photographer and author of several books.
http://www.steamrecreations.co.uk/
There was another Pro photographer at Steel Rigg but he was still asleep in his tent (camping on the overspill car park - and you all know what I think of that sort of behaviour!)
until we woke him up gossiping. He obviously wasn't a morning person and was grumpy, but then you do meet all sorts on Hadrian's Wall.
Catch you later :)

Sewingshields

Nice sunny day on Tuesday so I took the chance to get out in the fresh air and headed off to Sewingshields Crag.

It's coming to the end of the school holidays and everyone seems to have headed up here to Hadrian's Wall at the first hint of sunshine, the car park at Housesteads was completely full, fortunately I know of a space not to far from Sewingshields and managed to park.

It's a steady climb up to Kings Wicket, the hay had been baled up in rolls and I spent some time trying to get a picture against the blue sky, but the angles were wrong. Grass hay doesn't have the same wow factor that a nice straw roll has does it?

Once up on the Hadrian's Wall Path I was amazed at the numbers of people about, this is usually one of the quieter spots, but in an hour I must have been passed by thirty or forty people.

Great news for the local economy.

(But here comes the grumpy bit!)

I was, however, dismayed by the numbers of people climbing over the Wall, it seems the signposts at Kings Wicket and Kennel Crag by the wicket gates need to be clearer. Folk were going through these gates, which are for the Penine Way, discover they're on the wrong side of the Wall and instead of retracing their steps they climb over.

At this point the Wall is also a field boundary and I wonder how these folk would feel if someone went climbing over their garden fence -I'm sure they'd object.

Of course if they'd been watching the Look North programme the other night they'd have seen Paul Paxton on one of his 'great short journeys' out at Cawfields and standing on the Wall - not setting a good example.

A real autumnal feel in the air now, where has the year gone?

Soon my season for sunset shots will begin as the sun moves back around towards the line of the Wall.

It's a lovely season with low light and gorgeous colours, already the trees are laden with berries, are we in for a snowy winter I wonder?

Catch you later.

The High Point

I've been treating myself to one of those fancy 'flashing light' spirit levels for my camera, so needing to give it a try out I headed off to Winshields Crag (NY742675)
It's the highest point on Hadrian's Wall and the views are spectacular in every direction.
You park in the Steel Rigg car park, and as it's still the main holiday season the car park was full with the overspill field in use.

(By the way I should mention, the car parking charge is £3 a day but you can go from Walltown to Housesteads and points in between on that one pass -BUT if you're coming for a week get the £8 pass from the Once Brewed Visitor Centre it's much better value)
Back to Winshields, head back out of the car park, turn right over the wall stile and head up the field.

I've noticed there are loads of butterflies warming themselves on the stones of Hadrian's Wall and plenty of wild flowers for nectar, on Thursday there were also masses of black flying insects!

A couple of gates to go through on your journey up hill, please do remember to close the gates behind you and latch them properly, the Wall is single skin for a part of the way up although the foundations of the wider Wall are visible.

Eventually you reach a good solid chunk of Hadrian's Wall and just beyond that is the white (well decidedly off white at the moment) trig point. I believe with all the new technology these trig points are now obsolete but it would be a shame if they weren't there.

Had a chat with one of the NNPA Rangers who was doing a survey to see what jobs needed doing over the coming months. It's easy to think the Hadrian's Wall Path takes care of itself but it would be a very different place if it weren't for the work of the Northumbria National Parks Authority and their team.

I love the view east back down the line of the Hadrian's Wall Path, especially using a zoom lens to exagerate the bumps and curves of the land. I stood around for a while waiting for some light, patience is a virtue, and had a chat with the farmer who came up the easy way, on his quad bike.

Then the light came and I spent the next ten minutes running back and forward to try and capture my shots.

There's a new Cafe at the Winshields Farm Camp site, the farmer had recommended the home made scones with blackcurrant jam, so I felt obliged to do some research on your behalf.

I have to report the coffee, scones and welcome were excellent.

Took ages to clone out all the insects and the spirit level worked a treat.
Catch you later.

Morning mists

Out at Great Chesters Farm a few mornings ago, it's where the remains of Great Chesters Roman Fort are and I was looking for some nice misty shots of Cawfields.

Arrived to find a lot more mist than I was counting on and walked up the Hadrian's Wall Path, past Burnhead B&B. I was hoping that by taking the high ground by Great Chesters Farm I'd be able to get above the mist and get some nice views of Cawfield Crags rising above it.

Alas it wasn't quite high enough but I decided to try a few shots anyway.

For a change I had company on my outing and we set up our tripods, hoping to get some shots of cows and sheep through the mist. It is a public footpath so I thought the cows would be quite safe, they seemed to be all youngsters in with the bull, but they were skittish.

They would come forward, simply being nosey and then charge away.

My companion stayed where he was but I'd spotted some sheep nicely grouped and headed over to get a shot. The cows went daft, charging back and forwards.

I grabbed my sheep shot and then we decided to beat a hasty retreat through the gate on the other side of a cattle grid, it wasn't that the cows were particularly aggresive but a few tons of beef charging around with the chance of a passing blow was just a bit more of a risk than I wanted to take.

Back down to the car park and after a quick stop to catch some nice light on the Vallum it was home for breakfast.

Just a quick note to say on the last few occasions I've been out at Cawfields Quarry early on there have been camper vans parked up for the night.

The fact that there's a toilet/washroom there and all without charge,( they seem to ignore the parking charge - I checked the winshields) is obviously a draw but by illegally parking overnight they are depriving our local businesses of income. Camping charges are reasonable and we need the revenue.