Speeton: Coprolite mine

As it was low tide and we were passing - it would have been impolite not to! Not many fossils, but the mud was lovely and dry for a change - a nice walk out in the sunshine. The most exciting thing was to see the timbers of what, in the nineteenth century, was once a coprolite mine. Fossilised dinasaur faeces were extracted, crushed and treated with sulphuric acid,  for their phosphates and used as manure. There were small tramways used to transport the copralites to the station at Speeton where upon it was taked to Hull for processing. Not all of the nodules extracted would have been coprolites but many would have been. 

Copralite mine timbers.

A decent belamnite ....  photo at the bottom...

Belamnite pieces.

Shell.

The belamnite ..

Speeton mud/clay.

Runswick Bay: Patterns and colours

As well as photographing various ammonites - the colours of the rocks, in places, were spectacular!

Desiccated shale with periwinkle tracks.

Barnacled belamnite.

Pyrite crystals.

Runswick Bay - Ammonites

The weather looked set fair in the North East, after Storm Agnes ...so glamping pod here we come! On the way we stopped off at Rumswick Bay for a breath of fresh air and a lovely lowtide walk. No significant finds but lots of noce ammonite casts.

The bay at low tide.

Runswick.

Happy Rocky pootling on the wave-cut platform.

Ammonites ..and below....

Mawbray Mud!

A walk along the coast and being as it was low tide - out to the ababdoned Oyster trestles. It was muddy! 

Across to Criffel.

Plenty of barnackles on the trestles.

Marine litter.

The trestles with old oysters in their cages. 

Mae's Tearooms, Uldale

It's always good to have a restock: so some general pictures and then photographs of the individual paintings. I have also placed three pieces of fused glass there - they really stand out on the windowsills, so if you are local I invite you to visit and enjoy a brew and cake and my contributions to the gallery! Feel free to contact them on 016973 71369 or email: info @maestearooms.co.uk

The Tearooms.

Re-stocked with cards and mini paintings.

Some of my oils ...a couple of really large pieces.....see further down for individual images.

Marsh Marigold fused glass wave...

..and Water Lillies...

..and Mountain Pansies. 

Grasmoor emmerging from the cloud on a winter's morning.

Central Lakes from Harter Fell ...across Eskdale to Scafell, Esk Pike and Bowfell.

Derwentwater.

Great Gable from Innominate Tarn.

Wasdale - Evening light.

The river Esk...towards Bowfell. 

Stormy Seas.

Drumburgh Water Lilies

I couldn't resist the light through the leaves and ideally could have spent a lot more time photographing these.