I went awol yesterday with my friend Joan thro 5 counties - twice!
Ian said ....'I will see to your mam and get her dinner before going to work - why don't you take Joan for a day out.......' I didn't need telling twice (and bless his little cotton socks for suggesting it - I do love that man...)
So plans were laid to find Black Grouse (well I knew where they were but not exactly!) so I picked Joan up at 5am (and I was on time for once!) and we arrived in Teesdale, Durham at 07.35am!! We pottered up the valley to Langden Beck and the min we got there the cloud got lower and thicker, the wind blew even harder - and sunshine? Not a chance.... the forecast was for a decent day with excellent visability - yeah right as they say .........
To cut a long story short we found the grouse and at the finish saw 11 cock birds but not within anything like photographic distance but at least we saw them - more than I have ever seen before! But did manage pics of golden plover in these diabolical conditions - far far worse than even I am normally accustomed - but they have rescued back here on the comp - much to my amazement - probably cos the bird was beside the car less than 50ft away - we could see its eyelashes! (The original pic and what I ended up with is on my own website under Tips and Tricks)
The weather showed no signs of improving and trying to show the Cow Green area to Joan when we couldn't see a hand in front of our faces was sjust plain silly and I lost it ......... and said 'oh dear me - lets not bother Joan - lets go ride about until we find the sun.......'
So via Alston (which we couldn't see either!) we came down Hartside and began to see glimmerings of light in the Eden Valley at the bottom - when somewhere just before Melmerby (and a side trip into the Village Bakery for some top class organic goodies..) we burst out into a blue vault and sunlight that hurt our eyes........
I said ....'We will go to Ullswater - I haven't been there for a while' and so we got the chairs, a brew and the goodies out beside the lake and listenend to a Willow Warbler singing behind being drowned out by the traffic (I'd forgotten it was still school hols and silly busy!). I thought about a walk at Aira Force and couldn't park - too many folk already ........ and ended up at Brothers Water to find the Dipper nesting as I suspected and out came the camera again for another 45 mins of all action clicking! I wish now I had stripped my trousers off and gone in the stream with my back against the wall - the eye level would have been better and I wouldn't have attracted as much attention poss - tho maybe in just knickers, shirt and coat - maybe I would.........
If Joan were here she would tell you that in my panic to suddenly get parking where she could sit beside and watch me - I almost ran her into the stream such was my urgency to grab this available parking spot and get back to the camera and dipper ......... oops! I did apologise!! I think I have been forgiven.........
When I'd had my fill - the birds were feeding crazy and the young sounded big and will prob fledge this weekend - I hope the parents have the sense to move the young down stream a little away from folks and dogs ...... Anyway we left them busy and took off up Kirkstone Pass, stopped near the top to look back at the view which was terribly hazy but at least it was sunny! Then I took my normal side track down past Limefitt and Troutbeck and then another offshoot little road which comes out at Ings.
It was still only mid afternoon the sky had gone more blue and it looked fab so I went across the M6 and off past Kirby Lonsdale to turn left at Ingleton and up another favourite route alongside Ingleborough between White Scar Caves and the twin waterfalls in the valley bottom. We went past Ribblehead and as far as Dent before coming steadily back to turn left for Horton in Ribblesdale. From there to Settle and into the best chippie for miles for a fish and chips supper - yum!
And to finish off it was then down the wonderfully twisty bendy route I used to so enjoy on my motorbike back in my youth ..... Wigglesworth, Rathmell, Tosside to come out at Copy Nook Bolton by Bowland, over the Ribble and past its waiting begging mallard at Sawley and the A59 all thro the valley to Salmesbury and onto the M6..... to be home 15 hours later at 20.30 hours ......
And the 5 counties: Gt Manc, Lancs, Cumbria, Teesdale - Durham, Cumbria, Yorks, Lancs, Gt Manc and home ........ I wish I'd taken notice of the mileage but I didn't know I was going on an oddessy until I'd done it! Did we enjoy it - you can say that again - shades of the old days!!
Joan and I are on red alert ..... wondering if Ian will suggest it again next time he's on lates ..........
Pauline
5 Counties - Twice! 
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