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.

Elastoplasts at the ready...

It's September so it must be - drum roll - - - -calendar time.

Last year it was a big production with several varieties of calendar, professionally produced by File Print and they did a grand job.

But it got completely out of hand mainly because I'm very laid back about paperwork, so my records of what was where, left a lot to be desired.

This year it's another do it myself offering in the little plastic cases, perfect for sitting on a desk or next to the phone.

I print and hand cut every sheet, and from day one I needed an elastoplast for both thumbs.

It is great fun to pick the photographs I'm using for each month and I try to be true to that month, but I take loads of shots every month and it's not unusual for me to decide to change a photograph half way through the print run.

The Sycamore Tree has to feature - it's such an iconic tree and people associate it with Hadrian's Wall so that's fairly easy to sort out. For some reason Birdoswald gives me problems as does Walltown ( some of that's to be blamed on William's barn!)

Steel Rigg can offer a mass of shots, as can Cuddys Crag.

I have a soft spot for the mists of Cawfields and Sewingshields Crag and of course Hadrian's Wall itself must play a starring role.

Then there's the front page, it has to say to anyone picking up the box that this is Hadrian's Wall, easy to take the soft option and pick the Sycamore Tree again but this year I found a little gem of a shot overlooked in my file.

A misty sunrise taken at Cuddys Crag and as I print up my little calendars I'm liking this picture more and more so I'm getting a large version done to put on my wall at home, and there's not many make that grade!

If you want a copy of the calendar they're available from Walltown Refreshments and La Toot in Haltwhistle, no more than 150 produced this year so be quick, get yours while I still have thumbs :)

Todays picture is the calendar front page, click on it to see it a bit bigger.

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