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

Been a while

Sorry.
Weather has been awful and I've been suffering from Vertigo - okay that's my excuses for not blogging out of the way.
Gale force winds today interspersed with torrential rain so not terribly promising for photography.
But, the clouds were moving quickly so I had the idea of doing a long exposure at Sycamore Gap, trying to get the tree sharp with movement in the clouds.
I thought that if I could get a gap in the rain I might get some shots so I headed off to Steel Rigg.

Light on the land at Steel Rigg

View over Peel Crags towards Hotbank Farm

For a change I went straight up the steps at Peel Crags, probably my least favourite climb up, at one point the steps are about 10" wide, not good if you have big feet like me!

On top you could really feel the force of the wind, I'd read there would be gusts of 40mph and I could believe it.

I was blown over twice as I went up and down steps on the various parts, no coincidence that the steps are in the gaps and the wind was swirling around there.

I was suprised at just how many people were walking the Hadrian's Wall Path, those walking east to west were walking directly into the wind, many of them had waterproof covers over their rucksacs and these were acting like mini parachutes. Hard to walk in the wind never mind having a drag factor as well.

Hadrian's Wall on Peel Crags

Walkers on Highshields Crag

From Castle Gap west to Winshields Crag

Sycamore Gap

So eventually I arrived at Sycamore Gap, I tried the long exposure but the wind was shaking the tripod and the filter holder on the camera lens too much.

I stood for a while waiting for light to hit the gap, I wanted the dark storm clouds behind if possible. I also hoped for a rainbow, but then I hope to win the lottery every week and I don't get that either :)

Had lots of blue sky and fluffy white cloud shots but eventually my patience was rewarded, with the light lasting for about 10 seconds, just long enough to take a photograph.

As I stood there with my tripod several people sidled up to me with their cameras, obviously believing I know where the best viewpoint was - a tripod doesn't mean I know what I'm doing much of the time.

Walked back on the lower path, foolishly thinking I'd get some shelter from the wind, on a wide open plain the wind came right at me, so fierce that the bags under my eyes were flapping. I kid you not.

I'll end with a plea to please put the catches on the gates, doesn't matter if they were off when you went through, Hadrian's Wall crosses farm land and animals pass through open gates. Thankyou

Storm clouds gather

Weather hasn't been as good as it should for August.
Torrential rain and really cold, even when it wasn't raining it was overcast, so I haven't been out for sunrise since the beginning of the month.
I've been wanting to get some stormy sky shots, hard as it maybe to believe it's difficult to get the right cloud in the right place, the geology of Hadrian's Wall Crags and the North Pennines seems to push cloud parallel to the Wall.
On Sunday there was enough cloud to go right round and I've just got some new waterproof boots that needed breaking in so I headed off to Cawfield Crags.
Through the day, and especially a Saturday or Sunday, it's hard to get photographs without people in them and you can guarantee that just as the light comes right someone will stand slap bang in front of the camera.
One young man came up to see what I was up to as he approached he said, 'Hello, nice day', we stood watching the way the light danced across the land and the changing clouds. I was in an expansive mode and was saying it was like a great orchestra with clouds the percussion section, waving grasses the violins and the dancing light, flutes and piccalo's.
I turned to see what he made of all this and with a big smile he said.... 'Hello, Nice Day' and I guess that was as much English as he knew :)
Never mind we enjoyed the moment.

On the way up Cawfield Crags

Looking west over Thorney Doors (the gap in the Wall)

Family out for a Sunday walk on Cawfield Crags

Cawfield Crags on the way to Caw Gap

This and the above shot were taken a few minutes apart, showing how quickly things change

As well as the dark clouds we got glimpses of blue sky as well.

And one photograph taken on Saturday evening, looking down onto Winshields Farm Campsite from Winshields Crag with the rising moon.

Early morning haze

The alarm rang at 5.20am and I rose to find a clear sky above fog, so I went back to bed, as you do.
But I did get up early and decided to have a trip out to Steel Rigg just to see if I'd missed much.
I was suprised to find a couple of cars already in the car park then I realised, it was the weekend so, people who have to go out to work would be making the most of this fine weekend weather.
It was a strange morning, the sun was a big golden ball but the land was sort of hazy.
Not exactly mist but certainly not clear and the sky just looked grey and uninteresting.
As I was there I took some photographs, but you can get an idea of just how bad it was when I say my total shutter count barely made it into double figures, and it's not unusual for me to have 600 photographs to wade through. I do tend to take the machine gunner approach thinking if I fire enough I'm bound to get at least one hit.
As I was heading back to my car two young men with camera gear came down Peel Crags, they'd been quite pleased with the sunrise ( just as well considering they'd got up at 4.20am to make the journey to Hadrian's Wall) and were heading off to Crammel Linn waterfall.

Steel Rigg and Hadrian's Wall in the early morning haze.

Hadrian's Wall with the crags beyond.

Saw two partridges, which was a plus and several of the Hotbank Farm Black Faced ewe's who'd jumped the field wall to get to the roadside grass, so it's not just us who always thinks the grass will be greener on the other side :)
The day went downhill rapidly from then on, so today I've spent the day gardening with plenty of coffee breaks so I feel rested and basked in sunshine.