The Nine Standards, Kirkby Stephen.

The forecast is poor for tomorrow so we decided to make the most of a supposedly dry Saturday and visit the Nine Standards, that stand proudly, above Kirkby Stephen. They are reputed to have been erected at least in the 12th Century as boundary markers between Westmoreland and Yorkshire.....although alternative theories exist. We went from the B6270 to try and get there quickly and in sunshine...failed there rather dramatically, as a prolonged snow and hail shower advanced rapidly down the Pennines towards us and then proceeded to obliterate everything!

Solway lino-cut card.

Playing around...

Camera trap update....river Waver.

As Tom continues to move the trap around the headwaters of the river Waver he continues to catch some good photos...

Fox with 'otter' ; dipper; chaffinch and mallard.

Roe deer; pheasant and badger.

Pied wagtail and chaffinch.

Bassenthwaite from Binsey

This afternoon's oil painting....

Dunlin at Mawbray

An enjoyable walk - trying to get the light, birds and waves in the correct position is challenging! ...a good excuse to go again!

William Shakespeare and Dufton in Cumbria.

As it is the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare's death today it was purely coincidental that, in Dufton - Cumbria, we noticed this sign and statue!

High Cup Nick - dramatic scenery!

More pictures from today's walk...

High Cup Nick from Dufton

A cracking walk this morning - the forecast said there might be some precipitation at 1pm, so we got away early and were on the fell for 9:15am. As predicted at 12:57 there were just a few snow flakes and a bit of hail. The views were, as always, spectacular with the best of the light being early on.

The classic 'U-shaped' glaciated valley of High Cup Nick with the Whin Sill intrusions. 

Good views - including Ingleborough, on the way up - lots of lambs, larch flowers
and a tired Rocky in the pub at Dufton afterwards. 

Headend quarry, Sandale - Queen's Birthday Beacon.

On rather a 'fresh' night a few hardy souls gathered to see the lighting of the beacon. The views were stunning, the Lakeland fells providing an ideal backdrop. ....and the sunset wasn't bad either!

The Beacon with Skiddaw behind and a view over the Solway.

The Beacon and Binsey.

.....and Skiddaw. 

Spring moths

Last night provided an ideal opportunity to moth trap - still and relatively warm.

Left hand column: Hebrew character; clouded drab and red chestnut; common quakers and March moth
Right hand column: twin-spot quaker; March moth; early thorn; early grey.

Calm waters - across the Solway Firth

A large oil.

Pen-y-ghent ; felt purple saxifrage ball

As part of my on-going 'felt ball' project - here are a few of purple saxifrage on Pen-y-ghent yesterday.

Purple Saxifrage - Pen-y-ghent.

This gorgeous little gem speaks for itself! In full flower today.

Pen-y-ghent

A cracking walk up Pen-y-ghent. Parked just outside Horton and then followed the Pennine way up to the top ...via the crags to photograph purple saxifrage - which was perfect today! Returned from the top down to Brackenbottom - certainly the way round to do it if you are doing this circular route.

Royal Scot 41600

Royal Scot was built in 1927 for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway for their passenger service from London to Glasgow and was chosen by Britain to appear in Chicago at the 1933 'Century of Progress' exhibition. She was rebuilt in 1950 and served for another 12 years on the West Coast main line before retiring in 1962. After that, she was purchased by Billy Butlin and became a star at Skegness Butlins! In 2015 she returned to the Severn Valley Railway (Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust) and began to, once again, carry passengers in February of this year. What a treat to see her coming full- steam through North Cumbria!

Combining monoprint and lino cut

Finally, finished these three prints based on the cliffs at Cligga Head, North Cornwall. There was a lot of tracing leant on the window to help with registration between the two techniques. The monoprint is water-based ink, the lino oil-based and then hand colouring was watercolour. They look nicer in reality than in the photo as they were photographed in a dull light.

Primrose ball

Finally, a dry day to photograph my felted primrose ball in situ.

Roe deer and more ....

Another successful camera trap - this time it brings the total number of species 'caught' up to 30.

Curious roe deer.

Grey squirrel , rabbit and stoat. 

Chaffinch, song thrush and tawny owl. 

Cornish choughs lino cut.

Here's one using my lovely new oil-based inks - may have to order more! Two versions:

Binsey - sparking snow on Skiddaw

What a glorious day - a quick walk up Binsey and some fantastic snowy views. Nearly all of it has gone now (5pm), but it was beautiful while it lasted.

Fern frost patterns

Lovely patterns on the cars this morning.

Indian supermarket - Manchester

A lovely display of fresh vegetables.

Signs of spring!

A quick walk from the house today. Spring is on the way!

A mix of : pond skaters, linnet, early purple orchid, catkins & stonefly larvae. 

Rocks between Sennen and Cape Cornwall.

A free-er piece in acrylic.

Constantine Bay - oil painting

A 30"  24" oil of a very atmospheric day!

Coltsfoot - in the sun.

Cligga Head Oil Painting

Trail cameras on domestic cats

Over the week, when we were in Cornwall, Tom left the trail camera in the garden so that it was secure - among a lot of wood mice and dunnock there were a fair few cats from the surrounding houses!

A compilation image in daylight imaging

Some more shots in daylight imaging.

Some infra-red night time photos.