Today’s guest picture is another stolen from contributions sent to me for the last camera club meeting. This is a view that Stan took when he was up a hill in the Ewes Valley. It shows just how flat and narrow the valley bottom is.
Our spell of very mixed weather continued today, and it was raining when we got up. It was windy and not very warm so it didn’t qualify as a good day in any respect. Probably because of the very gusty wind, there weren’t even many birds about to keep me entertained so it was just as well that Dropscone arrived for coffee, bringing treacle scones with him.
He is getting quite excited about going to Malta for a holiday next month. He is flying by Ryanair and he is busy trying to workout how many layers of clothing he can wear and how many things he can carry in his coat pockets to avoid having to pay excess baggage charges.
The sun came out as he left, and I spotted a rook sitting on top of the walnut tree . . .
. . . before it flew off, giving a demonstration of how to open and close its wings as it went.
Down below, a single chaffinch sat at the bird feeder.
I made some lentil soup for our lunch, or rather the soup maker made some lentil soup for our lunch, and then I had another look at the birds. There was still very little traffic at the feeder, with only the odd bird appearing every now and again.
One of our regular pair of dunnocks and a collared dove in the plum tree added a little variety.
The sun went in, and with the wind still gusting very heavily and with a threat of rain in the air, I once again chose to go for a walk rather than battle the elements on a bicycle.
I chose a well sheltered low level route and packed in as many bridges as I could on my way, crossing the Esk four times and the Ewes twice. I have put a gallery of the bridges below in the order that I crossed them.
When I got to the Kilngreen on my way out, I saw that the ducks had sensibly taken to the high ground at the Meeting of the Waters.
When I got to Holmhead, I found a gathering of beaters ready to go out for a pheasant shoot. I enquired a bit nervously about where they were going to be shooting but found that it was a good distance up the Ewes so I would be safe continuing my walk.
Safe but a bit damp and gloomy.
It had started to rain as I walked up from the Jubilee Bridge to the Duchess Bridge, but it had stopped as I took this path above the woods, and there was even a hint of blue sky for a moment . . .
. . . but it was only a hint and later on, a sheep and I agreed that it was a pretty miserable day.
Still, it wasn’t raining and the temperature had gone up a degree or two, so I passed the rugby ground (Langholm Rugby Club unbeaten so far this season) . . .
. . . and walked along the Baggra before turning for home. (My photo editor might have tampered with the picture of the track a bit.)
There wasn’t much colour to be seen but there were trees to enjoy . . .
. . . and small bits of colour in moss and lichen on the wall . . .
. . . but it wasn’t a day that cried out to be photographed.
When I had crossed the High Mill Brig, I walked back to the town along the road. There has been a lot of talk on the radio recently about electric car charging points and how there aren’t enough of them, but there were four unused double charging points at the Kilngreen this afternoon, all in working order. Electric car drivers are obviously driving in the wrong areas.
I did think of adding to my bridge count by walking down to Skippers Bridge but my legs voted against it and I went straight home after I had crossed the Suspension Bridge.
I might have counted two more bridge crossings on my walk as I crossed the little bridge over the dam behind our house twice on my outing . . .
. . . but I thought that that might be cheating.
While I had been out, Mrs Tootlepedal had been patiently sewing in an upstairs room.
She is making a dance costume for our granddaughter Matilda.
I found a mixture of pointless and useful things to do for the rest of the afternoon before sitting down to enjoy an excellent fish pie made by Mrs Tootlepedal for our evening meal.
The flying bird of the day is one of the few chaffinches that visited the garden today.
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What an interesting looking sheep – it reminds me of a German Shepherd (Alsatian?) with a superimposed sheep’s face!
I laughed at your comment about Dropscone’s layers on Ryanair. I’ve only flown with them a couple of times and it’s definitely an experience. What surprised me most was that a staff member checked my bag for free on one leg – a miracle!
That was a miracle indeed. A similar airline charged an elderly friend of mine £50 because she didn’t have a mobile phone to use to check in.
‘Tis the season for lousy weather in Maine as well. Stan’s picture is oh so pretty.
I am sorry about your poor weather. We could all do with a spell of sunny weather to lift the pervasive gloom both literal, economic, and political.
The sheep seemed to have a couple of questions it wanted to ask.
I’m trying to think of a place where I could cross that many bridges and I can’t come up with a single one.
That valley really is flat and very narrow. I wonder if the flatness is natural or helped by man.
I think that the flatness is almost entirely natural and can be put down to glacial action. I am constantly amazed by how well our stone bridges were built. Many have been widened and strengthened but they have stood the test of time very well, The roads department must have to do a lot of checking.
Yes. Here it is the responsibility of the Department of Safety. I wouldn’t want to be a bridge inspector.
It is a heavy responsibility.
It is interesting to see your part of the world, despite the dreary weather you are having, I love the rolling hills and the incredible amount of bridges too.
It is nice to see the chaffinch up close, and to watch the birds every day must be lovely, you get to know their habits.
Chaffinches are popular with me because they are the best of our visiting birds when it comes to hovering. This makes them favourites for flying bird of the day.
yes, I like birds that hover, it makes a photographer’s life much easier.
I enjoyed your photos from the day. You crossed quite a few bridges! The sheep is quite interesting in its coloring. She looks like she is wearing an extra coat to stay warm.
She is a Cumbrian hill breed so she needs the warm coat.
You have made the most of a dreary looking day – your photographs are proof of that.
I was more than happy to get a walk in on an unpromising day.
Unless the weather, you made a nice walk and you didn’t get shot LOL
Nice overview of the bridges you crossed. Thanks for the charging tip but we still drive with fuel. đŸ™‚
I was particularly pleased not to get shot! We drive electric but charge up at home.
I like Dropscone’s wheeze for defeating the baggage allowance – I am imagining him as a multi-coated Michelin man. I am impressed with your green swathe down the centre of a B/W picture. Congratulations to the rugby club
They have got a good coach and are playing at a league level that suits them. They should get promoted and then the test will come.
The photo editor shot is really interesting- the tree below seems to be shouting that ‘he’ doesn’t need any editing! Fine selection of bridge photos and such a variety of shapes and sizes and all crossed on one walk- amazing! I think the little bridge over the dam can definitely be added to your total!
Mrs T thought that too. I feel that a counting bridge should have a little rise and fall in it.