Galgate Day 1/2

What a beautiful day for our trip to Galgate.  Cloudless skies and pleasant 10C temperature. The journey through the Dales went well with only a stop for pack-up (egg sandwiches, yum) and a visit to Booth's at Ilkley for supplies.  Peter and Lin were already installed when we arrived but we were soon settled in and enjoying a cup of tea.

We woke on Monday morning to grey skies and heavy rain but we are hoping that it will clear up enough to get out.  We finally began to move by late morning and as we were loading the cars we had great views of a male goosander on the lake in front of the cottages.  Pity the weather was so putrid, the photographs were rubbish; maybe it will still be there tomorrow morning when the weather is due to be sunny.  Excitement over, we set of for Heysham and the ancient rock cut graves but first heading for Sunderland Point for some birdwatching as the tide ebbed.  Heather and I had never approached by the tidal causeway before and today under lowering skies and drizzle, with the tide only just clear of the rough, silt coated road, it was a wild place.  Once over we sat on the edge of the village for a while bird watching from the car. We only managed 13 species but it was a relaxing half hour.

By the time we arrived in the old village of Heysham it was raining steadily and bleak to say the least.  The old chapel and rock cut graves on the headland was a wild, dreary scene today, but fascinating nonetheless.  The massed purple crocuses in the churchyard were spectacular and would have made for an excellent image in brighter light.

Time to return to the cottage for lunch after which Heather and I opted to stay in with books and sewing while Peter and Linda went down the the local garden centre.

In the evening Thomas and Katy came round for meal; a wet but pleasant first day.

Redshank in rather gloomy conditions.

Shelduck