The calm of the lake

It's not very big but Tong Park Dam is an oasis of calm, not far from the residential areas of Baildon, so it's a popular spot with families and dog-walkers. Saltaire Angling Club owns the fishing rights so there are often a couple of fishermen sitting quietly on the banks. There was a pair of mute swans but they never came anywhere near me, so they are just white dots on the photo! There was also a family of moorhens, with three little chicks whizzing around like clockwork toys. There was very little wind (for a change!) and a heavily clouded sky lent a steely look to the water. A couple of patches of water lilies added some grace to the scene.

To Tong Park Dam

After I'd visited the Hall Cliffe Community Garden in Baildon, I walked down Ladderbanks Lane, past some very gracious old Edwardian villas and some quite attractive, modern 'executive detached' houses. Then I took an old footpath down to Tong Park Dam. The path is wonderfully overgrown, almost like a tunnel in parts, with huge oak trees underplanted with holly and hawthorn. The surface is lined with worn flagstones and the whole path is quite low down between banks, making it, I guess, a holloway: a sunken lane. There was once a mill at Tong Park and the lake was its mill dam, so perhaps the footpath was a route to work for some of the millworkers.

At the end of the path, the view opens out over the lake, with what must be one of the most attractively-sited cricket grounds in the area, sadly lying idle this summer.

There were some ponies in a field and, though they were quite small, I noted they had feathered feet like shire horses. I've done a little research without really reaching any conclusion but I see that gypsy horses, bred to pull the brightly painted Romany caravans, have a similar look so these horses may have some gypsy heritage.

Much of the area around Tong Park Dam is rich in wildflowers so it was no surprise to see some beehives, with honey bees flying in and out.

Nor was I surprised to see yellow rattle growing, a semi-parasitic annual that feeds off the nutrients in the roots of grasses. It therefore has a weakening effect on grasses and enables species diversity and a stronger growth of wild flowers. This is turning into a nature walk...

The lochan

Harris, day two
We stopped for a couple of hours on the Golden Road near Scadabay, beside some lochans (apparently the correct name for a little Scottish loch, though some variations were suggested - lochlet being one). It was a very attractive spot, nestled among hills and rocks, and with several different varieties of reeds, bog bean and waterlilies to keep us photographers happy. Personally, I was happy not to fall in! The ground was boggy and peaty and several times proved not as stable as it looked!

My polarising filter got an outing here, darkening the water and reducing the reflections to provide a dramatic backdrop for the lily pads. I took quite a few photos of them, fascinated by the sinuous stems and placement of the leaves. This is one of my favourites:

The reeds made lovely squiggly patterns too. I had fun trying to find and isolate little groups of stems.

This scrubby little tree (an unusual sight in a landscape that is largely treeless) was clinging on improbably to the rock. Its few remaining leaves and berries, illuminated in the weak sunlight, transformed it into quite a thing of beauty.

The Golden Road

Harris, day two
Our second day on Harris included a tour of the Golden Road, a scenic route that winds its way around the east coast from just south of Tarbert to the village of Rodel, linking many tiny settlements at one time only accessible by boat. The coast is indented with sea lochs and studded with lakes, and affords some lovely vistas over rocky islets and gentle hills, with views across to the Isle of Skye on the horizon. 

The picture above is Loch Plocrapool. (The place names have many spellings, hovering somewhere between the traditional Gaelic and more anglicised versions.)

Below is a view over Manish. The building with the rusty, decaying roof is apparently an old post office that at one time held the only telephone in the area.

All the roads on Harris are narrow and winding, with passing places marked at regular intervals. Most drivers were very considerate, especially since we were travelling in a minivan that took up quite a lot of space! I was glad I wasn't driving. There was the added hazard of free-wandering sheep. Most of them looked very white and fluffy, almost as though they'd just been shampooed, so they were not too difficult to see, even in the dark. Perhaps it's all the rain that keeps them clean!

The joy of holidays

I've recently returned from a holiday in Wales with a couple of good friends. We had - amazingly - much better weather than it had been at home, with only one day of heavy rain plus another sharp shower when we happened, fortuitously, to be in a café. Mind you, we spent a fair bit of time in cafés, coffee and cake being, in our view, a major component of a good holiday!

The photo above is from one of the stops we made on our outward journey. It's a lovely area near Aberystwyth, known as Bwlch Nant yr Arian, where there are walks and mountain biking trails. The brilliant sunshine made the lake and mountain scenery look spectacular, though it was actually extremely cold. We stretched our legs with a walk around the lake, enjoying the signs of spring in the young bilberries and bright foliage.    

Riding into 2019

I find myself feeling more than usually positive as I settle into the new year. I'm not sure why that is... I think it must just be me getting older and much more appreciative of the small things that make up daily life. I'm blessed, so far, with good health and reasonable fitness. Being retired is a joy, offering time to indulge in all the things I like best (amongst them: walking, exploring, photography, reading, spending time with friends and family). True that the current political situation in the UK and elsewhere concerns me, and it's hard to see where it's leading, but even with that, as I write, there is sufficient vagueness to hope that it might actually all turn out for the better eventually. The horse hasn't yet bolted and the stable door is not yet closed...

It took me long enough to discover that there is not much that a walk and tuning into nature cannot ameliorate to some extent. Also long enough to figure out what I need to eat and how I need to exercise to feel good (though I don't always do it!) But now I know myself much better than I ever did and I can take care of myself pretty well. I also know life is fragile and everything can change in a moment, so I never take things for granted - but the best antidote to worry is being present in the present.

I nearly always go for a walk on New Year's Day. (I don't drink, so I am always clear-headed.) Usually I just amble around locally but this year I decided I'd go to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate, in search of some colour and signs of new life. There was plenty and I'll share some photos when I've processed them. For today, this bicycle-riding hare seems the perfect illustration for my mood.

Cliffe Castle Park's refurbishment

It seems a long time ago now but when I was fairly

newly retired, I visited a local museum in Keighley called Cliffe Castle. At that time it was undergoing extensive work in the grounds (see here). I've been meaning to go back to see what they did to it and I managed to fit in a visit one day over the summer, when it was very hot and I didn't want to travel too far.

Some of the work has involved recreating a replica of the Victorian lake and fountains in the grounds. (Rather green with algae, due to the hot summer). They had been removed in the mid 20th century. They have also improved the steps and terraces. Sadly, even though the work has only been finished for a few months, many of the decorative urns reinstated on the plinths have been vandalised. It's both shocking and annoying that some people seem to think it fun to spoil things. Rather sad.

Sculptures in the gardens

The Himalayan Garden (see also yesterday) holds over 60 contemporary sculptures, which add another layer to the delightful experience of wandering the paths and exploring the planting. There are several red oriental-style bridges and a Balinese pagoda. The red of the bridges is echoed by a red fibreglass sculpture called 'Wave' (Rebecca Newnham), which has earned the lake the nickname of the Nessie Lake, after the Loch Ness monster! There are also some rather attractive twisted metal fountains.

The Stone Circle (Barry Bain and Peter Roberts) is reminiscent of the ancient 'henges' that can be found across Britain. This one is made from decorative stones and old gateposts, some with the metal gate hinges still attached.

John Simpson's Fir Cone is a ten foot tall construction of Welsh slate, standing proud on the hillside.

Other sculptures are almost hidden around the gardens, nestled into the plants, like the bronze Tribal Head (Patricia Volk).

In reserve

I've mentioned before (see HERE) the small nature reserve that has been started near Hirst Lock, on a boggy field that was once part of a farm, beside the canal on the edge of Saltaire. It's the brainchild of the Hirst Wood Regeneration Group, who had already transformed a scrubby patch by the lock into an attractive garden. Some three years in the planning, the reserve officially opened in September 2015. Despite some problems with vandalism, it is beginning to establish itself and is a pleasant place for a stroll.

On the first (and only, so far!) warm, sunny day we've really had, a few days into April, I had a little walk in that direction. Everything is really behind this year. Daffodils were only just beginning to flower (although the smaller narcissus were a little more advanced) and there was at that stage hardly any blossom or signs of trees in bud. Nature's energy is literally held 'in reserve' but the warmer weather soon encourages growth to speed up.

The reserve is used for educational purposes by the local primary school. They have made a nice little mosaic picture, which clearly shows the mature tree near the reserve's entrance.

Ilkley Tarn

Craig Tarn, above Ilkley, was developed by the Victorians in 1874 from a moorland pond and bog into the small lake we see today. A gentle walk up from the town, the tarn has a central island that used to have a fountain, and a wide and level perimeter path, around which you can well imagine Victorian ladies promenading. Apparently it was at one time a popular spot for ice-skating in winter. See here for a photo taken in the 1920s.

Pond dipping

As I wandered around at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate recently, I noticed a school group busily engaged in exploring a pond. The children, about seven or eight years old, were enthusiastically dipping nets and seeing what weird and wonderful aquatic life was lurking among the water lilies. Mind you, listening to their excited squealing, it was amazing that all the creatures hadn't heard them and hidden themselves away!

Gull-p

There was an interesting exhibition in Cartwright Hall, the art gallery in Lister Park in Bradford: 'Assignments 2016,' the year's best press photographs as chosen by the British Press Photographer's Association (BPPA). Some great stuff (see them all here).  There was one I particularly liked, taken by Peter Nicholls, of HM the Queen talking to someone. It just showed the back of her hat, with the other person gesticulating so that it looked like they were about to grab the hat. I think it's interesting that you can instantly recognise the Queen just from her hat!
After seeing the exhibition, I wandered through the surrounding park. There appeared to be a seagulls' convention going on.

Timeless grandeur

Anyone recognise this place? It's Chatsworth House, the ancestral home of the Duke of Devonshire, in Derbyshire. My sister and I arranged to meet there for a day out. Unfortunately, even though we had had some lovely summer weather for a few days, on this day it deserted and was replaced by low cloud and torrential rain. Such a pity, as I'd been looking forward to getting some good photos of what is a very beautiful building, set in wonderful gardens and parkland.

We mostly stayed indoors, in the tea room and touring the interior, though we did have a short, soggy and muddy walk round the immediate environs of the house. This was the best photo I managed! The house is undergoing a huge renovation, outside and in, and much of it is covered in scaffolding. Furthermore, they were erecting a (rather ugly) temporary structure in the garden that looked like mushrooms a stage or bandstand, as though it might host a concert. Disappointing... I will have to pay another visit.

Do take a look at the website here for much better photos and some interesting info about the house.

PS Just seen on TV that there is a huge Country Fair there this weekend, so no doubt the preparations were related to that. Hope they have better weather than I did

Evening light

Evening light on the Coppice Pond at Bingley St Ives. A swan doing the usual thing, swimming rapidly away from my camera... Not perfectly positioned therefore - but never mind.

Coppice Pond green

That weather when you set off for work early, in a thick coat, boots and gloves - and it's chilly. But when you set off for home in the late afternoon, everyone out there is in shorts and flip-flops...

There were just a couple of days like that recently, before it reverted to much colder temperatures generally (and even snow, as I mentioned yesterday!). The warm evenings seemed too good to miss, so one day when I arrived home I hopped straight in the car and drove up to the nearby Bingley St Ives estate. I took a walk through the woods and around the Coppice Pond and sloughed off that 'office feeling' in the fresh air and late afternoon sunshine. It's a lovely walk and the fresh greens are amazing, although I'm not sure all that growth in the lake is healthy.

A little extra excitement...

Northern England had very heavy rain over the past weekend, 13.4 inches (341.4mm) in 24 hours. Many areas to the west of here, Carlisle and the Lake District in Cumbria in particular, have suffered appalling flooding and destruction, despite millions of £s being spent on flood defences in recent years. In fact two of the largest Lakes (Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite) actually became one, leaving much of the town of Keswick, which sits in between, under several feet of water. However, there has been a lighter side... You remember my picture of Malham Cove I posted a few weeks ago..? Well, for the first time in living memory it became a waterfall on Sunday. Normally the water disappears underground through limestone tunnels and caverns and comes out in a stream at the bottom of the rock but there was so much rain that the water overflowed over the top.  Click here to see some amazing photos and video.