ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Monday 26 December 2011

SHADES OF GREY (26/12/11)

Well! That’s another Christmas survived. I only have New Years eve to go and life will be back to normal……Hark at me!…….Normal? For a Romany perhaps! We were out before dawn as Alfie needed a comfort break. I don’t think he was too fussed but he has a delicate tummy and Moll and I were really bothered. A flatulent dog in a small camper can only be tolerated for so long.

image image   I just realized that I haven’t done a map……….it’s all the excitement. You think I’m being cynical but No! It’s been a very entertaining morning. I waited for some light and at around half nine decided I was waiting in vain so off we went to make the best of a bad job.

We walked down through Strid Wood to the river Wharfe. I have the dogs on a lead, I have one lead, they are tethered together. I let Molly off and she was away…….well. Bless my Soul! I’m Away To Hell In A Handcart!…There was a roe deer that I’d failed to notice. Silly me! Twenty minutes later she deigned to rejoin us.  Fortunately I hadn’t got around to letting Alfie loose. He can’t find his way back if he mislays Moll. It would have been a days job finding him. On we plodded along the river.

The dogs met a Weimaraner a grand young dog who tempted mine in for a swim. Weimaraners are water dogs terriers aren’t. Whilst trying to conjure up a suitably hideous expletive to attach to ‘Come Here And Now’ the dogs owner appeared…..a joggeress in black lycra………….Just like Christmas it was. Took my mind off the dogs and their imminent watery demise she did. She also had dog control mastered. Stuck the first two digits of both hands in her mouth and blew an ear splitting whistle and out of the river he came and off she ran. I’ve being trying to master this. All I get is a PHEW….PHOO sort of noise. Mind!…..As I watched her continue her run Phew! Seemed to fit the bill. I think I fell in lust.

On to the dull and dismal pictures.

_C260410_1_2_3_4_tonemapped_edited-1 The river Wharfe and as it disappears round the corner……………….

_C260387_88_89_90_91_tonemapped_edited-1  The Strid, a diminutive of stride. The river goes from about two hundred yards wide to two yards. Stride and miss and you are meeting your maker.

_C260382_3_4_5_6_tonemapped_edited-1 It must be fifty or sixty feet deep with hollowed caves and allsorts of chambers under my feet to cope with the volume of water. It is said that no one who has fallen in has survived. It doesn’t look impressive but I was impressed. My imagination turned to Hades. Trapped for eternity swirling around in a subterranean cavern. It is not noisy and doesn’t make the earth move. It’s power and might are in it’s deeps. I’m happy I came to see it.

_C260405_6_7_8_9_tonemapped_edited-1 Cavendish Bridge. Yes it is Cavendish as in the Duke of Devonshire. He not only owns Chatsworth where we stayed last week but also vast tracts of land around here. Though I’m envious there is no way I would want the responsibility. He allows access so is a great bloke. He is also clearing trees to open up vistas not see in a hundred years. He is managing the land and putting in disabled access. A modern landowner who I congratulate.

_C260398_399_400_401_402_tonemapped_edited-1   Cavendish Bridge again.

_C260415_6_7_8_9_tonemapped_edited-1  Turner painted this panorama from this spot. I hung around for ages. No shaft of sunlight for me. Just about dead centre is Bardon Tower. The sun, sorry light, did hit it for a second……I missed it despite a half hour wait.

All images today are HDR. The water is popped back in as a two to three stop under exposure. Cameras lie but eyes don’t. I just tell fibs.

You all enjoy the rest of the holiday even if it is murky nasty weather.

22 comments:

  1. I'm in good company then as I have never mastered the two finger whistle technique in fact I have only ever managed to whistle with the aid of an Acme Thunderer.
    You were in the wrong county - glorious Sunshine here up to about 1p.m.. So much heat through the windows I turned the gas fire off.
    The photos do convey the atmosphere of your weather conditions. The rivers seem to be flowing fast and furious.
    I hope Alfie bought you a new Air Wick for Christmas.

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  2. Hi Adrian....You and those dogs sure make for great story material.. ; }
    Still nice shots in spite of the weather..I like the swift river ones an amazing flow of water there ..pretty to view but I surely would not want to fall in eeeek!!
    Thanks for the map i do find it very interesting seeing the places you are visiting !!
    Now if you hadn't indulged poor Alfie with that lavish Christmas dinner....blame it on the dog....whose fault that you really had to get out...ya he didn't get that meal for himself ; }

    Grace
    Lovely day here sunny after a inch or so snow fall last night !!

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  3. That's a wild river. Great shots!!

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  4. Another good laugh, thanks to you Adrian! I like so much your sense of humour!
    You should take the camper in France, we have had a glorious weather for the past few days, today was even better just a bit chiller! You travel in the wrong country!!!
    Keep weel, DeeBee :)

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  5. The Strid is a great place for a walk - have enjoyed many a stroll by the river.
    I'm very envious ..

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  6. Wonderful images Adrian and a very amusing read.
    I hope you had a wonderful Christmas...

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  7. Lovely photos, and the woman with a high pitched whistle, I know what you mean.

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  8. Glad to hear that you still have a spark for the good looking ladies. Great photos today even though the light is not so good. You have yourself a wonderful New Years if I don't hear from you before then.

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  9. Like the fact that you haven't played with the water so that you get those blurs that you and Gaz seem to enjoy.

    Love the expression 'Fell in lust'. How often in truth....

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  10. Excellent and entertaining post Adrian.
    I can understand how you felt about the joggeress; seeing some of them glide around my local lake, stirs similar feelings.
    The shots of the flowing river really convey the force of it all.

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  11. Pleased to see you and the dogs enjoyed Christmas in your own way and that Santa worked his magic by appearing as a lady in lycra for you. He nearly got caught dressed as a daddy in underwear here! Thanks for showing where you are!

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  12. Love the bridge, and I like that last shot. I'm sure you miss the sun but I'm glad you shoot even when it's hiding. It seems more honest.

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  13. I think you probably hit the moment of sunlight by watching Ms Lycra Jogger. ;) Lovely as always - no matter the weather.

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  14. John, I'll have to get whistling lessons. It did strike me as not all that ladylike.
    I do have a spray for such moments but it smells almost as bad as the dog.

    Grace, I accept responsibility. I'll have forgotten by next Christmas.

    Ruby, thank you it is flowing fast.

    DeeBee, you may have some sun but do you have ladies in lycra?

    Petrus, it is a grand place to be. Well worth a wander.

    Andrew, thanks. Christmas was better than I thought.

    Bob, thanks. It was the whistle that did it, very impressive.

    Horst, many thanks, the weather could have been much worse.

    Graham, I've gone off smooth water. Everyone is at it now.

    Keith, I hope she stays clear of roads. Cause pile ups she would. This is a good place.

    Pauline, it's my first visit here. Lots to see and do.

    JoLynne, I enjoy a walk and the camera just tags along. So I get rainy days and sunny ones.

    Hilary, I know you are correct. made my day the bonus was watching deer and a Red Kite.

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  15. Good to see you're keeping 'in stride' humour-wise ;) Glad you didn't lose your footing and succumb to the watery depths when Miss Lycra whistled by. Enjoyed seeing your location and the grand photos of the area.

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  16. My Nanna used to whistle with two fingers like that. She was a cockney, and I was was envious of her ability. Fab shots as always. Sunshine is over-rated.

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  17. OH, by the way, I can whistle like that without the fingers. :-)

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  18. Love your narrative. You always make me smile.
    Have a good week, Adrian.

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  19. Wild river and narrative today too.

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  20. Glo, it is a little gem of an area. Has little gems in it too.

    Katherine, Thanks, not a particularly ladylike call but impressive.

    Horst, I'm still trying to master it.

    Laura, I'll do my best.

    Gillian, many thanks. Wild weather!

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  21. Plenty of action in that river and that fantastic bridge looks almost Brunel like.

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  22. It looks like an aqueduct. It's a footpath now.

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