Early one morning

TT is normally awake before the alarm goes off but he must have been extra tired yesterday so we were both awakened at just after 4am by the ringing of that bell.
As I was awake anyway, I decided I might as well go and take some photographs.
I dropped him off at the farm to start work and I headed towards Cawfields.
There's a spot I like that doesn't take any time to get to, so it's perfect for those days when I only have ten minutes or so to sunrise.
As I came up the crest of Glenwhelt Bank from Greenhead I slowed down to do a 'mist assessment', it was looking good, I took a photograph there on the corner because the sky was nicely coloured and I wasn't sure it would last until I was in position.

Looking across Blake Law to Cawfields and Winshields Crag

There was a fair lot of cloud about and it was quite low, I turned down the road to Great Chesters Farm, I had to watch that I didn't get too far into the valley, and enveloped in mist.

Took my photographs, unfortunately, because I'd come out in a rush I hadn't checked my camera settings and I was taking landscapes at ISO 500, instead of the usual ISO 125 so they're a bit grainy.

Colour in the sky over Cawfields Crag but lots of cloud as well

Sun rising through the morning mist at Cawfields

A field of buttercups catch the early light.

Sun starts to burn off the mist at Cawfields.

This was the last picture from this particular spot.

I headed down to Cawfields Quarry, hoping the see the Little Owl and there it was sitting on the fence, I managed to get out of the car with my camera but jst when I thought I'd get a picture it was off.

Just a few wisps of mist over the lake at Cawfields, yet again there was a camper van parked up for the night though to be honest the sign saying 'no overnight camping' isn't easy to spot, and I suppose foriegners are used to stopping in just this sort of area.

It is denying our local camp sites much needed revenue though.

I drove around past Caw Gap, saw some Roe Deer and Hares.

I really must try and get myself organised to photograph hares, one of my favourite animals.

Had a peek down towards Greenlee Lough, I've heard the Osprey has been seen fishing there this year, that's a sight I'd like to see again although it would probably be too far away to photograph.

Golden light over Greenlee Lough Nature Reserve

That's the morning pictures taken care of and now I have one photograph especially for Alison, one of the ladies who works in the Northumberland National Parks Authority Once Brewed Visitor Centre answering visitors many questions with patience and good humour, that's why it's an award winning Visitor Centre and a 'must visit' for anyone coming to this area.

Juvenile Little Owl at Cawfields

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

Golden Hour

Photographers talk about the golden hour, that hour before sunset and after sunrise, when the light is rich and often golden.
Last night looked promising so off I went.
Called into Cawfields Quarry, it's haymaking/silage making time and fields are being cut literally from dawn to dusk while the weather holds.
I love the patterns made by the cut grass, left in lines to dry.

 Field that carries the Hadrian's Wall Path from Great Chesters Farm east to Cawfields

( well if you're walking w-e that is)

Light on the Cawfields Quarry face was lovely, we don't have many easily accessible bodies of water of the Hadrian's Wall Path but this is one. It was here I saw a Little Owl, managed a grabbed picture otherwise I would just have marked it down as a Tawny Owl. I'm hoping to get a better shot, using my 'big' lens, tried tonight but while the owl was in the same spot it was camera shy tonight. I was getting eaten alive by midges so I made a dignified retreat, Round 1 to the Little Owl.

Cawfields Quarry Lake

Some nice clouds in the sky so I went off to Sycamore Gap, while the sun doesn't actually set behind the tree I hoped the cloud to the east would colour up to make a nice background.

It takes 20 minutes from parking the car to the tree and by the time I got there all the cloud had gone from the bit of sky I needed it in.

Took a photograph looking towards Winshields Crag from Highshields Crag, than another looking towards the east and Hotbank Crag, strange how often the sunset colour is better in the east than in the west.



View west to Winshields Crag from Highshields Crag with the Hadrian's Wall Path snaking through the view.

Looking east over Hotbank Crag and Crag Lough, from Highshields Crag

Then the sun went down and it was nearly all over for another night, on the way back to the car I stopped at one of the other areas of water on this bit of Hadrian's Wall, Crag Lough.

You've probaby seen this view many times but it makes a nice full stop to my outing.

I had a few hours sleep then I was out again for sunrise but I'll save those pictures for another time.

Oh and here's the grab shot of the Little Owl,  massively cropped as it was taken with my 18-200mm lens a fair distance away. Challenge is now to get a 'proper' shot of it.

as always the photo's used in the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.