Fresh air and exercise

Wednesday started clear and fresh.

I was on my way to Cuddys Crag, hoping some mist would rise but in all honesty just happy to be out on a lovely morning.

The air here is top quality, you only have to look at the mosses and lichens growing on Hadrians Wall to know what's going into your lungs is probably amongst the best in the UK.

This thought comforts me as I puff and pant my way uphill, some mornings it's okay, but others I really struggle, don't know why.

Eventually I reach to Rapishaw Gap and cross the ladder stile. At this time of the year these stiles are slippery beggars, the wood is usually wet, so you have to take care going over them.

I got upto the point on Cuddys Crag that looks towards Housesteads, and waited. It does feel like cheating somehow to be standing there at 7.15am waiting for a sunrise, not so long ago it was 4.15am, soon the clocks will be changing and I'll be able to head out after breakfast.

The sky was clear and while it was cold, there wasn't any frost.

Then the sun rose, just a big yellow ball slightly to the right of the Wall now, no clouds to diffuse it and no mist either. On Wednesday morning there didn't seem to be many birds about so even the dawn chorus wasn't much of a twitter - the cockeral was 10 minutes late with his crow, he must have had a lie-in.

Cows made the most noise and I could hear the occasional car on the Military Road, as people headed off to work. Thought again how lucky I am to be retired and able to take advantage of these good mornings, I really do appreciate it.

I stood for a while just enjoying being out there, until eventually the sun rose enough for the light to catch the Wall stones, and put a bit of life into the view, it's amazing how much difference it does make to a scene.

I was back home by 8.15 and blow me, Longbyre was shrouded in mist and Gilsland was white with frost, I suppose all that upping and downing of the land makes for little pockets of microclimate. Pity I can't move it around to where I need it to be.

I was speaking to one of the Rangers the other day and he thought I should look for 'different' angles on the Wall, something that hasn't been done before. History is against me on that one, there have been so many Hadrians Wall photographers before me, that every concievable angle has been covered. Not sure that people really want arty photographs of a historic monument anyway.

My excuse is that I rely on Mother Nature to add that unique factor for me.

Nature has the X factor

Have a good weekend, catch you later,

Joan

http://www.joanthirlaway.com/

Picnics under the tree

Another sunny Sunday and people (including me) were out making the most of it. There's a magazine competition for a cloud picture and I thought the Sycamore Tree would make a good foreground. Clouds were pretty and the sun was shining, all the right ingredients.

I parked up at Steel Rigg and headed along the middle path (there are three) to Sycamore Gap.

The clouds were building nicely and I was thinking I had the shot in the bag. Well don't count your chickens should have passed through my mind as a family of six came into view. I'd seen the little boy carrying a picnic blanket when I was getting my things out of the car and sure enough they settled down under the Sycamore Tree.

I had actually said on one of my website photographs that it was a nice spot for a picnic but I had in mind a nice hot August day not a chilly October afternoon.

They did seem to be enjoying themselves and with the wonders of digital I knew I could clone them out afterwards.

Lots of groups of folk walking, I'm guessing some groups of Ramblers as they seemed well prepared and organised with the 'correct' sort of gear.

I headed up towards Castle Gap, I love the view from the start of Peel Crag, over Castle Gap towards Highshields Crag, the clouds in that scene were quite different.

The photograph does show that it was a really nice day and it might be a contender for next years October page of the calendar. I like to use at least one or two shots taken during the day even though it's rare I'm out then with the camera.

No autumn colours yet, I thought the sycamore leaves might have had a tinge of yellow but no, the bracken is starting to turn colour and we had our first frost this morning so it won't be long.

Got back to the car park, plenty of spaces but people were parking on the grass verges rather than pay. I've noticed this alot in the last month. The NNPA have a one price policy, it's £3 and it does put people off. If the price was staggered they'd probably end up with more than £3 for an all day stay and someone just popping in for an hour would happily pay £1. Perhaps a rethink is needed.

Catch you later.

Joan

http://www.joanthirlway.com/

Could that be sunshine

October arrives in a blaze of sunshine. I'd looked at the long range forecast and the sunshine was going to be a one day wonder so off I went.

The morning had been foggy, if I'd had transport I would have been out for sunrise - seems funny calling 7.15am sunrise but that's when it rises at this time of the year.

I was wondering if the sycamore tree in Sycamore Gap was showing any autumnal colour yet and thought with a lovely fluffy sky today might be the day to find out.

I called into Walltown Quarry to drop off some of my calendars for Allison in the shop, and bumped into a couple of the Rangers, then I saw fellow photographer, Barry Turnbull and stopped for a chat so by the time I was ready to go I'd left myself short of time.

(Took a photograph of the crag face and lake at Walltown, the tree in the centre of the picture, on top of the crags is the one featured in the black and white photograph from last weeks blog.)

A change of plan then, I'd go to Cawfields. By now the clouds were building and the crags at Cawfields were dappled in light bands, quite beautiful.

I pulled into the car park, nice reflections of clouds in the water so I took a couple of photographs before heading west up past Burnhead B and B and on towards Great Chesters Farm.

Still lots of walkers around, not so many from overseas now but lots of folk from this country taking an Autumn break, everyone's welcome.

The rowan trees and briar rose are covered in shining red berries ( or hips in the case of the rose) it's a bright colour and I guess once it gets coder the berries will soon be eaten by the birds.

I took the footpath that joins the access track to the farm,(NY707668) I like the view just to the north of the great ditch here.

Sheep were grazing and I stood watching them while waiting for the light to move around.

As usual once I was ready the sun went in behind a cloud, but I had some time and hanging around in our beautiful Hadrian's Wall countryside isn't an onerous task.

Eventually the sun came around and caught the crags at Cawfields.

I moved around, noticing the tups are back in with the ewe's again so the cycle begins once more.

Texel tups have to be the ugliest critters and there's one at Great Chesters farm that's even uglier than usual. I took a photograph but once I got the pictures on the screen here I noticed the poor creature had a real 'snotty' nose and didn't look too well. Didn't want to put you off your dinner.

I noticed a walker up on the crags, I always think having a person, or sheep, in the shot gives it a sense of scale, todays picture has both. When the photograph is large you can see the whole length of Hadrian's Wall, as it climbs up the crags to Winshields, is full of walkers enjoying the fine day. Hope they made the most of it because gale force winds are due tonight!

Catch you later,

Joan

www.joanthirlaway.com