The difficult second photo...

This morning was mild. Birdsong notable by its return after abscence and spring flowers, garish against the bare earth and last years fallen leaves. It takes time for spring to get going here; it approaches tentatively, quietly.
So it is a limbo period - only patches of snow on the hills remain, but the landscape is a barren dun, the trees leafless and stark and lambs shelter in the lee of walls. The ice axes and crampons return to the cupboard.

Uninspiring light for the photographer again, so the old stand-by of dull days, the long-exposure-waterfall-shot. Catrigg Force near Stainforth in the Yorkshire Dales was my subject today. The main fall cascades in two steps, as ever I am awestruck by the relentless power of the crashing water. I couldn't help wishing it were frozen - I don't imagine it happens often but it would give some great climbing. Ah well, another year..?

Not a bad stop on a dog walk all things considered.