Ash Valley On Ash Wednesday

I walked the Ash valley this afternoon, the light was wonderful. I got great golden hour shots of the red brick All Nations College buildings but I have Blipped them in the past. I had the area completely to myself until I got to the ford. Lots of alders have been cut down to 'improve' the river. I'm not happy. They're my favourite trees. The denuded banks aren't an improvement in my opinion.

On the way back I photographed a young couple with my long lens. He left and she sat prettily on a tree stump. I went over to her and asked if she minded that I had taken shots and if they were in love, thinking of the Tog Squad theme. He is a good friend of hers but has a girlfriend. She was fine about the pics. 

The final part of my walk was back along the route of the disused Hertford East to Buntingford railway line which used to be known as The Bunt. It went into decline and was axed by Beeching in 1964. As I climbed up the steps from under the railway bridge I got the above shot. When I looked at it on screen the cross made by the fence reminded me of the palm ash crosses that priests trace on the foreheads of their parishioners on the first day of Lent.