Fire in the sky

After a long spell of poor weather and grey skies, at last we got some nice clear days.
I'd ckecked the position of the sunrise and thought I might be able to capture the sun rising through the trees on top of King Arthur's Well at Walltown, something I hadn't done before.
As I climbed up Walltown Crags the sky was colouring up nicely and I was feeling pretty optomistic, then I heard the bellowing of cows, now I love cows but come sunrise they get skittish and dash back and forwards in front of the camera, leaving ghostly streaks.
So I needed a backup plan.
For ages I've been thinking that I should take a sunrise photograph from Mucklebank Crag, I had planned it for a misty morning and there was no mist but it would be something I hadn't done before so off I went.
There's a good stone path up Mucklebank Crag, it is steep but very stable thanks to the lads of Northumberland National Parks Authority.
Lot's of sheep around but fortunately they were still sheep so here are some of the pictures I took.

King Arthur's Well and Mucklebank Crag, cows are galloping behind me.

Looking east over Cawfields and Winshields Crag, William's Black Faced sheep pose for me.

On the Hadrian's Wall Path over Mucklebank Crag

Sunrise over Allolee Farm

Sheep graze on the Roman Turret as the light catches Walltown Crags

As I headed back to the car I bumped into the farmer from Walltown Farm, he was out feeding his bull, a beautiful blonde Charolais called Emo. As William and I stood chatting Emo was nudging him wanting his nose scratched.

We're back to bad weather again today and yet more high winds are forecast.

As always the pictures are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Sunsets

Last night's sky looked promising.
I needed to find a branch of wood to use as a perch for the woodpeckers I'm hoping to photograph and the obvious place to combine a search for a branch and some photography was Walltown.
It was a beautiful night to be out, cold but bright.
I was trying to get a photograph of the quarry workings the had both ends of Hadrian's Wall on so you could see how the quarrymen had simply blasted through this ancient monument.
I didn't get it quite right, needed to be lower which would have had the Wall cresting the horizon.
One for another outing perhaps.
The sun is setting parallel to the Crags and Hadrian's Wall at the moment, perfect for simply standing and watching the spectacle, not so good for photograhic composition perhaps.
I took some photographs, found a nice bit of branch and got some fresh air and exercise, what more could you ask from an outing ?

The Quarry Face at Walltown the first tiny crest to the left of the quarried face has the remains of Hadrian's Wall, so a vast chunk of stone has been removed.

In the background you can see Mucklebank Crag and to the right Winshields Crag. William's barn still hasn't weathered.

The view west following the line of Hadrian's Wall.

Sunset over Hadrian's Wall

Still trying to work out the kinks in the Nikon D7000, it's quite different to my D300 but I shall persevere.

As always all photographs in the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

Trying out

I got a new camera yesterday and thought I'd go to Washington Wildfowl  to try it out.
Then last night I decided that a new camera, with controls in different plac, it might not be a good idea to risk missing the shot of a lifetime because I don't know which buttons to press.
So this morning after a quick visit to Herding Hill Tea room (great cakes!) I went up onto Walltown Crags.
So many people walking the Hadrian's Wall Path, it's great to see and I hope it translates into a good year for our local businesses. (I do wish people wouldn't climb on the Wall though, it is an ancient monument)
I'd taken the instruction book for the camera (a Nikon D7000 by the way) but it was so blowy up there that it was in danger of being ripped to bits, so I forgot about accessing the built in Spirit Level and just used the settings I know and love.
When I got home I had to ferret about in Google to find the plug-in's that allow me to open the pictures in Photoshop Elements, then I discovered it only works in Elements 9 so by the time I'd downloaded, uploaded and generally twiddled about half the night had gone by.
Never mind I think the D7000 and I are going to get along just fine, it's so much lighter in weight than the D300 which was the deciding factor for me.

So here's a shot of Hadrian's Wall at Walltown this afternoon.

Hadrian's Wall as it snakes it way over Walltown Crags, an impressive bit of masonary

One of the undulations of Walltown Crags, with views west over Gilsland and the Solway coast beyond

From the top of Walltown Crags you get a view of the lake, picnic area and to the north the marshland. There's also a strange arrangement of tree guards, this is the Willow maze.

A piece of living artwork in its infancy.

Michael the Ranger, tells me  that there are various species of Willow planted so there'll be a variety of textures and colours once they grow.

Fortunately, Willow is very fast growing so we shouldn't have to wait long to see the results.

The Willow Maze

If you have time it's well worth a wander into this bit of Walltown, masses of orchids grow here and they're just starting to bud up now, the wildflowers areas attract many different butterflies and during a quick visit this afternoon I watched Martins, Reed Bunting and Spotted Flycatcher over the lake.

Day out tomorrow, was hoping to go to Ullswater but the forecast wasn't good so it might be the NE coast instead, must remember the instruction book.

Mucklebank Crag

I love all the names along the Hadrian's Wall Path, Mucklebank Crag is part of the Thirlwall Nicks.
Once known as the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall for the 9 peaks, the name changed when quarrying at Walltown blasted out a couple of the high spots.
Went out looking for a sunset, and being up on the Crag just above the Turret is one of my favourite spots to just sit and watch the world go by.
Last night I watched William and his sheepdog round up the sheep and move them down off the crags for the night and the gentle put, put of a quad bike is an oft heard sound, early mornings and late at night.
The climb up Mucklebank is easy, well probably easier is the correct term, it used to be an awful slipping, sliding and skidding on your backside job, then Michael one of the wardens for Northumberland National Park aided and abetted by various helpers build a stone step path from top to bottom, much appreciated by yours truely.
So, onto today's photographs.

View from the first peak of Mucklebank Crag looking east, no Wall is visible here but you can follow the line of the foundations that have been earth covered for protection.

The view west from the slope of Mucklebank Crag with the remains of a Turret in the foreground, the Hadrian's Wall Path follows the line of Walltown Crags west, then down to Thirlwall Castle.

Sun setting over Thirlwall Common, and Gilsland beyond,  from Mucklebank Crag

I'm still struggling with this cold/bug, I suppose I did tempt fate when I declared airily that "I never catch cold, of course you must still come for coffee".

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

My website is at http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Hadrian's Wall at Walltown

Full of cold today so it'll be short, and hopefully sweet.
Fog at sunrise so I know there wasn't much point in making the trek to catch the sun coming up.
Checked the NNPA webcams and as soon as I could see a bit of blue I headed out to Walltown.
Fog and mist never quite performs to order and the scene had changed completely when I arrived, the lake was a swirling mass with the island in the middle making a ghostly impression, ducks bobbed asleep in the foreground.

I did notice a Dabchick diving on the lake, it's on my list to photograph so I was pleased to see it back at Walltown.
I headed for higher ground, hoping to get above the mists and find some sunshine to brighten the scene.
There are lots of mature trees on the slopes of Walltown Crags and they were stunning with swirls of mist and rays of light breaking through.
Over on the Pennines a lone pylon breached the fog .

Mists came and went, so just as I thought I'd got enough photographs I turned around to take some more, and I share a selection of those with you now.

The view across the plain over Longbyre from Hadrian's Wall at Walltown

Swirling mists on Walltown Crags

Mist is clearing in the valley below

William's lambs on Walltown Crags

Mucklebank Crags appear through the mist

More of Hadrian's Wall becomes visible as the sun burns off the mist

The Hawthorn tree with a view of Walltown Quarry. The island in the middle of the lake was barely visible in the first picture on today's blog

 Mallard sleeping in the sun but keeping an eye on me, just in case.

If you click on the pictures you can see a larger version, all pictures on the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

Hadrian's Wall: Willowford Bridge

There's a circular walk I do from my home in Gilsland up to Birdoswald Roman Fort and back.
Following the Hadrian's Wall Path from Gilsland as it heads downhill at Willowford you can see the abutments of the Roman Bridge.

Hadrian's Wall at Willowford, the wall ends at the bridge abutments but, unlike the new bridge to the left in this picture, the Roman bridge headed straight up the cliff in front of you, an amazing feat of engineering.

The line of the River Irthing has changed since Roman times, leaving the remains several metres from the river, there are interperative boards that show you how the bridge would have looked then.

The River Irthing by Willowford Bridge, great place for a picnic, and for a fossil hunt.

Once you pass this point going west you head uphill, in spring the edges of the track are lined with wild primrose.

It's a fair pull uphill and the track had quite large loose stones so you must take care.

The view east from Birdoswald towards Walltown Crags

This is almost the view you get straight out of the car park so it's a good place for anyone who can't walk far. During the season you can also visit Birdoswald Fort.

The view over the valley from the road, I am trying to show just how much difference in level there is between the two ends of the Roman Bridge, it must have been such an impressive sight joining the two parts of the bits of Hadrian's Wall that are left, from the Irthing Valley to the plateau above.

23 02 11 Hadrian's Wall

Walltown Crags at sunset

I love being up on the Crags at Walltown for sunset, I'd been wandering around when two young men came up the hill and sat having their supper.

They were walking the Wall and seemed to have no overnight stop arranged. Believe me it's not a good idea to be on the Hadrian's Wall Path in the dark, the path is uneven with stones to trip you.

I was hoping they were intending to put up a tent for the night but didn't want me to know, wild camping isn't allowed here, but I would rather they were breaking the rules and staying safe.

From this spot I can see Gilsland where I live and then right over to Criffel on the Scottish side of the Solway, on a good clear day you can see the Lake District.



It's a harsh climate up on the high part of Hadrian's Wall, yet the gnarly old Hawthorns seem to survive.

You can see the remains of Hadrian's Wall behind the tree as it heads downhill, there's a sharp drop where the quarry works took away the cliff face and the remains of the Wall.

Just across from this point is the Roman Army Museum, currently having a refit but a great place to visit, I imagine it will be opening for Easter weekend.

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

22 02 11 Hadrian's Wall

Came back from Haltwhistle on the road that meets the Cawfields Road at the Milecastle Inn.
While I'd been in a mini meeting the sun had appeared and fortunately I had my camera with me.
Lots of ewe's waiting the arrival of their lamb's, I'm so looking forward to seeing the lambs bouncing about and racing each other up and down the hills.
The farmers I've spoken to are lambing in April although they always get some early arrivals.

Looking across Blake Law towards Walltown, fog is lingering.

So many mole hills, at one time the farmers would poison the moles but that's forbidden, there must be thousands and what a mess they make.



View from the north side of Cawfields Crag

If you double click to enlarge the photograph you should should be able to see people on top of the Crags following Hadrian's Wall up.

I imagine the view today is very similar to the one seem by the Roman soldiers on their patrols along the Wall.

Milecastle 42

The sheep grazing where once Roman soldiers would have walked. The Roman's did things to exact dimensions and although there was a flatter bit of land just to the west of this Milecastle it had to go on the slope because that was where the Roman Mile was measured to.



This handsome fellow was wandering around the car park at Cawfields and a fair way from any of the local farmyards, you just never know what you'll see when you go for a walk hereabouts.

21 02 11 Hadrian's Wall

Today it snowed again, not the beautiful white fluffy snow but the horrible wet cold snow that seems to get sown the back of your neck.
I didn't take the camera out today but I have two pctures to share from when the cold weather made a picturesque scene.

Mucklebank Crag, from Walltown Crag. The snow covering enhances the ridge that is all that is left of Hadrian's Wall on this Crag, although there is a milecastle three quarters of the way up.
I waited for a figure to crest the top of the hill to give it a bit of scale.

Steel Rigg on a very cold morning. Any photographer worth hhis salt will tell you to get out early before anyone has walked on the snow but that pre-supposes you have transport capable of managing the ungritted roads. Unfortunately I don't so we have a well trodden path heading onwards to Peel Crags.
It's supposed to get warmer and hopefully drier as the week progresses - I live in hope.

06 02 11

Walltown Crags on a sunny January day.

If I only have a short time frame I love to get up onto Walltown Crags.

I can see these crags from my bathroom window, better in winter when the oak tree has no leaves.

Within 10 minutes I can be here from home walking amongst the sheep. It never fails to amaze me that the sheep keep the grass here beautifully short.

It's like a billiard table surface and the by products of the sheep grazing, help to keep it green.

Not too many lambs yet, next month should see the start of serious lambing, a big thing here with poor farmer's and their families up all night checking the ewe's and lambs.

Lower route to Cawfields from Walltown

There's a low level footpath from Walltown Farm to Cawfields that follows the line of the Vallum and this is the view from that path.

You can see the Vallum just behind, and to the right of, the peak of Cawfields Quarry.

Another one of my favourite views.

The same view but from the slopes above Allolee Farm on Mucklebank Crag.

I know the guide books to the Hadrian's Wall Path tell walkers to start from Wallsend and walk west but, all the best views are to the east and perhaps more importantly the prevailing winds are from the west so start at Bowness on Solway and you'll have the wind at your back.

Double click any photograph you'd like to see at a larger size.

All photographs on this site are © Joan Thirlaway and connot be used without my written permission.