Magpie Fish and Chips Just As Good As Ever.

Well, finally, I feel that we have to admit that our long, hot summer has come to an end.  The media tells us that it has been the best since 2006 but I can't remember another as good since 1976, but maybe that's just my rose coloured glasses!!!  Nonetheless, it was time for our regular September trip to Whitby with friends Brian and Heather.  Until recently it was a last taste of summer to fortify us before returning to work; nowadays we hold a minute's silence for all those still at the 'Chalk Face'!  It is very satisfying to have our day out during wrinklies fortnight!  We were up and away in good time, the weather being not too bad: overcast but dry, and the sun came out later and gave us a very warm and pleasant afternoon.  We made good time, stopping for the regulation coffee and scone at the tearooms at Sledmere House.  Driving away from the carpark, it was interesting to note that the magnificent local beech trees were just beginning to don their Autumn colours.  As we drove over the moors north of Scarborough the heather was past its peak of flowering and had reverted to it's more muted colours.  Only a couple of weeks ago the moors would have been ablaze with purple.  We parked at Boggle Hole, half way round Robin Hood's Ba,y and sat and ate our packed lunch as we watched the tide recede.  Then it was time to potter and enjoy photographing the freshly emerged pools and sea weed.  At one point Bay Town was beautifully spotlit in a shaft of sunlight.  As we made our way along the beach up to the village for a wander around the steep, old streets and alleyways we had to negotiate huge piles of seaweed that had been washed up by the recent high tides and wind.  The cup of tea in Swells was welcome before climbing up to the cliff top for the walk back to the car.  Although Whitby was busy, we managed to walk straight into the Magpie Cafe for our evening meal of their wonderful fish and chips.  Timing is crucial here,as there was a long queue when we came out.  It was magnificent as usual.  Although we have been here many times and I have hundreds of images of Whitby, the light is always different and so I indulged myself yet again.  All too soon it was time to set off home after yet another magical day.

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Seaweed revealed by the retreating tide.

Kelp with Ravenscar cliffs in the background.

Kelp

Sand map.

Storm wrack.

Bay Town spotlit in the sun.

Stranded

Boggle Hole

The red roofs of Robin Hood's Bay tumble down to the sea.

St Mary's Church and the Abbey

Whitby Old Town and harbour.

Whitby Old Town and Harbour

St Mary's Church perched above the old town.

Whitby Harbour

Whitby through the keyhole.

Whitby Pier

Whitby from the Pier.

Fishing boats at dursk.

199 steps.

Whitby at dusk taken October 2012

Whitby at dusk taken October 2012.

Sunset Elm

Although there are few elm trees about nowadays, there is a fine example on the outskirts of Grimsby.  It sits above the small valley of Laceby Beck and from beside the beck can be photographed in an isolated position.  It looked liked a good evening so my son Thomas and I decided to go and have a go.  We hadn't reckoned on the JCB parked next to it!!!

An Early Start at Cleethorpes and an Afternoon in the Wolds.

It looked like there might be some early morning mist again today and so I decided on a visit to Cleethorpes.  There was mist or rather a bank of fog out over the Humber and the sun rising through it was quite spectacular.  It would have been interesting, perhaps at yesterday's location but it's not possible to be in two places at ones.  Ah well c'est la vie.

In the afternoon, as the weather was still very pleasant, Heather and I decided to go and look for some blackberries.  In that we were unsuccessful but we did come across a field that had been harvested but with the bales still there.  Normally I prefer not to photograph in the middle of the day but as it is very much a Lincolnshire scene at this time of year I did take a few.

Up early this morning for some more sunrise shots but this time out on the edge of the Wolds.  I was hoping for some good views from high above North Thoresby looking out over the coastal marsh with perhaps some low lying mist.  I was out on location by 5.30 and was pleased with the sunrise but unlucky with the mist.  As always it was beautiful to be up and about so early.  It really is the best time of the day.  I also wanted some early morning shots at Moggs Hollow, near Swallow, also in the Lincolnshire Wolds so followed the sunrise images with some early light there.  Moggs Hollow is a spot that I have photographed  in all four seasons last year for the final portfolio of my degree module.  This year the field has grown wheat which has now been harvested and I wanted shots of the stubble.
Above North Thoresby

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 Moggs Hollow

Sunsets and Sunrises.

Over the last few weeks we have been blessed with colourful and dramatic skies both at sunrise and sunset.  On Thursday I dashed out into the Wolds with Thomas after a rushed meal and just managed to catch the last of the sunset of the harvest fields.  Last night it was the turn of Cleethorpes to receive the attention of my camera.  Although Cleethorpes, itself was buzzing, I thought that the sunset was going to be a damp squib and took an image of a groyne looking away from the sun as I liked the sky.  Then I noticed some colour appearing and the clouds behind me lit up as the sun sank behind them.  What a sunset it turned out to be, made even better by sheets of rain high in the clouds glowing deep red in the light from the sun.  Amazing.  This morning I was up at 5.00 and down to Cleethorpes for 5.30 ready for the sunrise.  A much quieter affair this morning though but beautiful nonetheless.  It was certainly good to be out so early and I enjoyed the call of the curlew carrying from the tide line.  I was also impressed with the guy going for an early swim - at first I wondered if it might be the swim that needed no towel!!!

Images below: sunset in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Last night's sunset at Cleethropes.

At first I thought the sunset would turn out to be a damp squib, but I liked this shot anyway.

Then this happened!

Magnificent clouds.

The setting sun catches swirling sheets of rain.

Surreal light on the rides.

This morning's sunrise at Cleethorpes.