Missing delivery

The forecast was for a cold morning with high possibility of frost and mists.
Mists are my Holy Grail so of course I was out early on Thursday morning rubbing my hands in anticipation.
There was frost on the car windscreen, and a few wisps of mist driving along the Military Road, but as I climbed up to Hotbank Crag and the vista opened out below me I realised that mist wasn't going to be a feature of this particular morning.
Obviously, the delivery of mist to Hadrian's Wall, had gone astray.
Lots of colour in the early sky, I'd had a very early start, I'd dropped TT off at work for 4.30 so I had plenty of time to stop and stare on my way uphill, and to get my breath back it was one of those mornings when I puffed and panted every step of the way.
And it was perishing cold up on the Hadrian's Wall Path, a reminder that Autumn has started and I was glad to have my hat and gloves, also glad no-one was around the see me in  my hat!

So here are the photographs.

Waiting for the sun to rise on the Hadrian's Wall Path at Hotbank Crag

Follow the line of Hadrian's Wall as it heads down Hotbank Crag, passes Housesteads Crag and swings left to climb Sewingshields Crag

Early morning light turns the water of Broomlee Lough into liquid gold

Just minutes later and the colours have changed as more light fills the sky, how quickly things change.

The sun breaks through the low cloud and just catches the stones of Hadrian's Wall

On the way down and one last glance back across Rapishaw Gap to Housesteads Crag

in the early morning light.

This morning the grey clouds are back, I was hoping for better from September, still it's early days and no matter what the weather there's always something to see on the Hadrian's Wall Path. Yesterday morning I was entertained by flocks of Pippits dancing along the Wall stones.

As I passed Cawfields Quarry I saw the missing mist delivery but hadn't time to go and check it out.

Have a good weekend.

as always the photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission

Hadrian's Wall: Housesteads Crag

Like most places we had fog today, I sat out in the garden taking bird photographs and considering the conditions got some nice photo's but nothing you haven't seen many times before so I was back in my files for something of Hadrian's Wall.

Housesteads Crag doesn't seem to be mentioned much but it's a pretty impressive crag and from the walk through the woods ( the only part of Hadrian's Wall you're allowed to walk on ) you get a view of the loops and undulations of the path Hadrian's Wall took.
I had to wait ages for a person to come along and give the view a sense of scale.

Hadrian's Wall with Cuddys Crag and Hotbank Crag, the walkers are just cresting Cuddys Crag

Cuddys Crag is one of the favourite viewpoints on Hadrian's Wall, looking east over Housesteads Crag and onwards to Sewingshields Crag.

Soon the sun will be rising behind the trees on Housesteads Crag and my early morning outings will begin.

Housesteads Crag from Cuddys Crag

The stones of Hadrian's Wall are covered in lichens and mosses, some of them I'm sure are unusual. I did buy a book to see if I could identify some of them but many are very similar and can only be told apart with a strong magnifying glass. I'm sure most  people walking the Hadrian's Wall Path don't give these plants a second glance, in fact many don't give the scenery a second glance either in their rush to finish the walk.

Lichens on the stones of Hadrian's Wall

I'm lucky enough to have the time to stand and stare, enjoying all that nature has to offer (well all but the fog and rain that is )

Click on the photographs if you'd like to see tham in more detail.

all photographs used on this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.