HBM

Only metres away from the very lone tree that started my photography hobby on its way, here we are on the higher round walk around this now famous reservoir. This scene from 2013 has altered a little because the stand of high pine trees to the left of the fence has been largely replaced by more native deciduous trees. The bench, like many around here has been placed as a memorial for someone. Enjoy full screen. HBM to all, have a great week.

Looking across the harbour to the two piers. In front we have the old section of the East pier, which like on the west pier in the background, has many benches for people to rest and picnic. An ideal spot, especially in good warm weather. Full screen essential. HBM to all, have a great week.

A look at our Tandle Hills Park here whilst taking another one of our exercise walks the other day. This is the highest point at 222m and shows the war memorial commemorating the men of Royton who died during the First World War and was unveiled on 22 October 1921. Originally the memorial, which is constructed from Portland stone, bore plaques listing the fallen and a bronze statue. We also see one of our dwindling 'Trig Points' used by our Ordinance Survey to denote the exact height - now made redundant by GPS. The park consists of approximately 110 acres (45 ha), a combination of beech woodland and open grassland. The first two PiPs were taken in the winter of 2015 from the spot were that guy is looking to. These are towards the city of Manchester and the town of Rochdale. The third pip shows an 2018 Autumn view from the park behind me Enjoy full screen

Another look at our Tandle Hills Park here whilst heading down from its highest point. Crampons and ropes advised! The park consists of approximately 110 acres (45 ha), a combination of beech woodland and open grassland. Enjoy full screen.

Back to last years Yorkshire coast week and we are here in Saltburn-by-the-sea. A charming Victorian town just south of the industrial town of Redcar and north of Whitby. This was a cold, miserable day as we get quite a lot of on this coast but it was nice to stroll up and down this lovely pier. Enjoy full screen.

Back to last year’s trip to the Yorkshire coast and we see here a view looking up this small tidal part of the river. In past years this section would have been teeming with fishing boats sheltering from the rough seas just a couple of hundred meters below us. Now just one or two die-hard crafts still moor here; so is the scene in all our old fishing villages. It’s early and so I precede the hordes of tourist who now flock to this historical quant place and for once, the weather is kind. Follow PiP for opposite side view in full screen. (page before this one.) Enjoy full screen and have a good week

We have already seen some photos from this walk but here is the essential seat at the top. This main photo show the view to the back towards the snowed capped ‘Ben Ledi’ range of mountain vistas. In front of us is the view back into the flatter lands below. See PIP. ~ Just to the left, in that view–out of sight, is the popular holiday destination of Aberfoyle. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

One of our walks last week brought us close to a small public park with this bowling green. The game of crown-green bowling has always been very popular here in Northern Britain, particularly amongst our older generation (simply because they traditionally had more time). It’s actually quite nice and relaxing to sit and watch too, especially when there is a big match on, when teams of two to four go head to head from every corner and side of the green. Of course there are those that allow the phone to get in the way, or in my case – the camera :) The game is played by two players, each player having two bowls. The object of the game is to get one or both bowls nearer to the jack (a special smaller bowl, bowled by the winner of the last game) than either of the opponents’ bowls. The bowls are delivered alternatively until each player has delivered both bowls. The green is square, varying in size from 30 yards to 60 yards. The surface of the green slopes slightly upwards, rising to a central crown between 6 and 12 inches higher than the edges. The crown and the surface irregularities provide fresh factors to influence the running bowls Enjoy full screen and have a good week and Summer on this summer solstice day.

A view from a walk in the woods south of Invesnaid on the north east of Loch Lomond. We can just see the Loch Lomond holiday park across the water backed up by the grand mountains of Ben Vorlich (943m) and Ben Vane (916m). There is in fact a hydro-electric power station just to the right of that park called Inveruglas. (https://www.seelochlomond.co.uk/discover/inveruglas) Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

A week’s break in north Lancashire allows me to visit some places that we have not been to for some years now. This is the seaside area known as Silverdale and one might imagine how that name was derived. We have just finished our picnic here and are looking down Morcambe Bay over the treacherous Walton Sands which houses the Kent Channel. The tall buildings in the distance is the Heysham Nuclear Power station. Our path continues between the narrow walled path on the left into the headland trees and beyond. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

A very nice viewpoint above this northern part of the Loch here. Looking south. Out of sight over my left shoulder is Ben Lomond with its snow peak is greeting us too. PiP Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

Another very nice viewpoint above Loch Ard looking towards the holiday village of Aberyfoyle. A spot for picnics and contemplation after a steep climb to here. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

As nature takes over the seat here in Barbon, Cumbria perhaps we see things as they should be. After all it’s not in nature’s interest to place benches all over the place. However, a once cooling place of rest and meditation for someone special, it’s now a pity to see it like this. Perhaps it looks quite different in winter? Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

A view towards Point Lynas Lighthouse here on the Island of Anglesey, North Wales. This is a splendid coastal walk with the highlight being the lighthouse area itself where we saw dolphins (or porpoises) playing in the waters. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

An opportunity at last to share the second week of my fortnight in Scotland during May. The area here known as Assynt, lies on the far North West corner of Scotland. This is our local stony beach which we were to see every day for a week in different conditions. Our own wooden holiday chalet sits just behind this closest white building with our garden running to the rocky shoreline seen here. This seat was a pleasure to sit on, watching different waders, birds, sheep and even wild deer. The weather today was typical of the week. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

A nice Autumnal bench, a nice reflection but I know only too well that the centre of attraction here will be the cat. Taken along the Huddersfield canal in Mossley just twelve months ago, Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

After a great day touring and exploring this area of Assnt it’s time for a wee rest and bite to eat. Here we see our ever present magical mountains Canisp to the left and Suilven on the right. Suilven looks in fact to be just in front of an equally impressive third mountain, but no – it is the same mountain that is quite long with a ridge walk between the two peaked ends. As said elsewhere here, a view that we would see again and again. Looks like the weather was about to close in, as is so typical in this part of the world. Enjoy full screen and have a good week.

We are here on the very windy Lancaster coast near the estuary of the River Lune. The view here is actually across the Irish Sea and the star attraction is this old 1847 lighthouse – ‘Plover Scar’ that protects the southern entrance of the river. It is just there that a small dockyard is situated – Glasson Docks. This used to be a place where sea-going ships unloaded their cargoes into canal-barges heading for inland mills and factories up the Lancaster Canal. See Pips and adjacent photo for closer look at this lighthouse and Glasson Dock itself. Enjoy full screen. HBM, have a good week.