Derwent walk

 

We have started walking the length of the river Derwent, beginning where it meets the Ouse and walking back to its source in the North York Moors. It will take a while. This section used to be tidal, but the Barmby barrage keeps it separate from the Ouse so it is no longer tidal but still navigable.

Gallery news

The gallery in York that has one of my images up as part of a group exhibition of local artists sold it on Saturday. I took another in to replace it, she sold it today. This was very unexpected and a bit of a bonus. Trouble is now I am expecting the hat-trick of sales. Rainforest Pool (below) was the first to go.

More Hatfield

My trusty companion on Hatfield Moors last week. 

Hatfield Moors

Last week it was Thorne Moors, today Hatfield Moors. Another great day. We did see 3 people in 4 1/2 hours this time though, so not quite as quiet. Plenty of birds, with hobbies swooping, greenshanks on the scrapes, terns and marsh harrier, and plenty of geese. A great day.

Social Life

Social life is coming back. Went round for a meal with friends last week, round to some others for some wine on Friday evening. Bike rides with people. Getting back.

 This Rowan tree in full berry-show stood out on Thorne Moor last week.

Thorne Moors

I was back on Thorne Moors for the first time since the spring; it is best to keep the dog away during bird nesting season. It was an epic day, I walked with the dog for 4 1/2 hours and saw literally no one. Incredible that such a perfect place can be so quiet.  I am glad that it is so. 

Drax

 The Queen of Drax surveys her lands. From our walk up the river Derwent last week.

Wressle

This is the remains of Wressle castle on the river Derwent, where I walked last week. It was built by the Percy family and is now (despite plenty of public money being used to restore it) totally off limits to the public.

The Pub

 The last time I had a drink with friend Patrick was the day before lockdown back in March 2020. It was great to meet again. The pub was Monday night quiet (how I like it) and to say that Gerald the pub dog was relaxed would have been an understatement. Good for community life to be slowly turning some kind of corner.

Surprise

There is always a photograph that surprises my by selling. This year it was this shot of a thicket at Dringhouses. For most of the year it is an unmemorable and scruffy bit of nothing. Then when the waters flood it becomes this eerie and magical place. Just for one day.

Chilli news

 After a few years of poor chilli growing upstairs, this year they are going well. Still a way to go to get them ready for drying, but it is looking good.

Canals

 

Had a good walk up the Pocklington canal the other week with Danielle. Peaceful and idyllic. 

The Reason we Cycle

Being able to stop at cafes for tea and cake was a welcome respite from lockdown. This cafe near Hadrian's wall hit the spot with the size of pot and cup, and indeed lemon-drizzle cake.

Return

This shot is from the day I walked with the dog in the forest. Peaceful and relaxing.

When we got back from Cumbria, we welcomed Rowan and friend Lydia who stayed for the weekend, very nice to meet her.

Olympics

As ever we have all enjoyed the Olympics. What is interesting this time is how many of the athletes Rowan trained or raced with are now featuring in events. Morgan Lake, who won the high jump when Rowan came fourth in a national competition in Sheffield, made in into the final of the Olympic high jump for GB only to have to pull out with an injured foot. Jess Judd who ran in the final of the 10K for GB today, used to train at York Athletics Club, where Rowan trained too. Katerina Johnson Thompson was competing at an event where Rowan was also competing (in a different age group). Jess Ennis was competing at Cudworth in the Yorkshire Championships when Rowan won her age group at the high jump, to be told that no one had jumped that high at that age since Jess. Sydney McLaughlin who won the womens 400m hurdles for the US, competed at the same nationals in the US as Rowan did, when we saw her at Greensboro, North Carolina. And Rowan found out that one of the boys who she did some mountain bike training with at Baildon near Bradford, was Tom Pidcock who won the Mountain Bike gold medal.

 Here is Rowan with Jess Ennis ten years ago in 2011

Dog news

 Harley (a street dog obviously) was staying next door to us at the cottage. This meant we could leave the dogs to run, sniff and flop on the lawn. Everyone happy.

Rabbit news

Our last full day in Cumbria, and we walked in the Gelt gorge again. Layla celebrated by hunting a rabbit. Getting her to leave her dead trophy behind was not easy, but she got bored with it in the end. This beautiful glade was in the valley of the river Gelt.

Forest

Whilst Danielle was doing work on her Masters, I took the dog for a walk in the forest north of Hadrians Wall at Scotchcoultard. We stayed here once, and I have cycled through it on the Pennine Cycleway. So it was good to revisit. A large and lonely forest, with moors stretching in all directions.

Solway

I had long wanted to visit the Solway Firth. On the one hand there is the remains of the bonkers viaduct that crossed the firth to Scotland. More recently I became aware of the peat bog that covers a large area near Port Carlisle. The bog was fantastic, not as good as Humberhead but still worth a visit. This woodland was part of the bog, on an RSPB reserve.

Bike Ride

 Day 2 I rode from Brampton where we were staying, over Hartside pass, down to Alston, then on the old railway line, including over this viaduct, to Haltwhistle. From there it was alongside Hadrian's wall back to Brampton and to our cottage. Needless to say it was a great ride.

Local walk

Day one, we walked up the gorge of the river Gelt, a really impressive area to explore, about which I knew nothing.