Curlew sunset

A curlew flies across the water to the mudflat beyond as the sun sets. Viewed from the little bay between Far Arnside and Silverdale, looking across Morecambe Bay towards Kent's Bank on the far side. The intention had been to return to Jack Scout, but we were diverted by the reflections in the water further along the bay.

I saw the sun rise and the sun set today. From my usual vantage point, the sun rose directly behind the mass of the flat-topped mountain of Ingleborough, into a sky flushed with pink.

In between, much of the day was spent in and travelling to and from the meeting I mentioned yesterday. While I can't say what it was about, I will say that it was testing for all involved in many ways, not least emotionally. For those like me who work in nature conservation, there is satisfaction and reward, but so often we are thrown into conflict with those who have other ideas of how to manage the land that is entrusted to their care. And while so many people profess to be interested in wildlife and the environment, the simple truth is that some have other priorities, including the understandable desire and need to make a living. And while it is easy to empathise with people whose paths we cross, empathy does not always lead to a mutual solution. Enough said.

The beautiful autumn weather continues, and it is astonishingly warm. The haze was building today in the still air, and the Lake District seen from Sandside was shrouded.