SOMEWHERE NEW (06/01/12)

  Yesterday I braved the wind and rain and crossed the Pennines on the A66 from Teesside to Brough. Alf hates the truck rocking whilst it’s moving……I’m not keen……He is a real backseat driver. I told him to shut the Duck Up! Bad enough driving without a dog whinging away. Molly is good she curls up and sleeps till we stop. I say she is good….as soon as we slow she is barking at things….just to let folk know we have arrived. I have avoided this place on the edge of Morecambe Bay and on the banks of the Kent river as it is full of static caravans. It’s fine this time of year.

I know I was heading for Scotland but it is blasted wild up there. I also got a phone call from a mate who is here….he said the birds are demolishing his feeders so could I drop some seed off on my way. I thought I’d give the place the once over. The feeders are doing brisk business. All the usual visitors but also Bullfinch and, I think, a pair of marsh tits, could be willow tits, the wee buggers won’t stop still for a picture. I love watching the feeders. Better than the television they are.

This morning dawned bright and clear the wind is away and all was calm, crisp and dry.

Sunrise over the Kent Estuary……………..this isn’t Kent as invy Sarf.  This is the river Kent invy Norf.

Same place, slightly different view. It is repetition but good sunrises are few and far between. I moved quarter of a mile for this vista.

Back and breakfasted I walked into Grange over Sands. It’s a six to seven mile walk with the dogs dodging off this way and that but Higginsons are renowned for their pies. Seemed a pity not to get one whilst within striking distance. I like pies….so much so I ate it on the way home so no picture but it was worth the walk.

I just remembered Bob purchased three so here it is a perfect pie and one out of a considerable range they bake.

If you want one you can always phone and ask for them to pop it on the train.

They are connected to the rest of the world by rail at Grange over sands. Now I’ll have to break for a minute as Bob is braving the rain to reclaim his pie………….and it’s bag…….Untrusting folk we are in the north. I had to leave him my watch as pie security. That’s why I’m rambling on, I’ve lost track of time.

It’s a little like a Holland in miniature here, drainage dykes and that sort of thing every few yards. This is a raised one. I was impressed but there again I had been walking for half an hour and this was the first photo I took.

Morcambe Bay from the promenade at Grange over Sands. This one is a multi-exposure shot and stitched. It’s as good as I got today. It is a surreal place…..The daft buggers have built a Promenade overlooking salt marsh and mud….No wonder my ancestors could conquer the world………mad as a sack of spiders they are up here.

On we wandered into town. It was getting awful dark again and it wasn’t even noon. Just as I entered the metropolis of Grange over Sands I noticed a sign saying Ornamental Gardens. Worth a look, I thought, this time of year they will not have sold out of pies, we diverted from the main drag for a peep.

  Brilliant it was…………or they are. Different Ducks by the Dozen. Help please!

  This is a small goose or a big duck.

There are a several of them and……………………..

Whilst I have little idea what they are, I’m hoping these are Mr and Mrs Eider duck. Serendipity is a wonderful thing. It restores my faith in the world. Three or four miles walking on tarmac to get here and then I’m miserable and then I’m happy……Thank you ducks, geese and pie man.

We’ll walk the other way tomorrow. It’s raining again but tomorrow the sun will shine.