RIBBLEHEAD VIADUCT

Such a nice day, cold but lovely.  Actually I prefer days like this to hot summer days, but then I am a bit weird!!!!

Hubby was up his allotment so I decided I wanted to go out.  Jumped in the car to go to Hawes.  On the road to Hawes I came across a lot of cars parked on the side of the road and people everywhere, a bit of a nuisance, but negotiated it all OK.  I think there must have been some sort of rare bird in the area 'cos they were all there with binoculars and pointing etc.  Which is great, I just wish they just wouldn't park their cars just anywhere without thinking about the consequences.  Oh well that's just me.

Got to Ribblehead Viaduct, and even in early January there were quite a lot of cars there but I did manage to park OK.  Decided I would actually up to the viaduct this time rather than just stand on the side of the road (this is very very brave for me, one I get nervous walking around on my own and two I get vertigo the wrong way round, ie I can't bear being at the foot of something high and shear, strangely I don't mind looking down, but looking up gives me the heebie jeebies!!!).

Anyway I did it, took several photos and experiments with some black and white shots after our monochrome talk at Grange Photographic Society talk last night.

Heading back to the road with my back to the viaduct all of sudden was a roar and a tornado flew overhead, must have seen me as it did a half roll.  Sadly it was soo darn quick by the time I'd lifted my camera up it had gone,  aaarrggh - one day I will catch it.!!

Headed back to the car and just as I was there, I hear a toot toot and there was a very long goods train actually going over the viaduct - yeah.  This brings back so many memories.  Many years ago on one of my trips from Somerset to visit parents (who had moved to Morecambe in 1975) I was taking them for a drive in the area, just coming back from Hawes when my Dad shouts, very loudly "STOP".  Checking mirror and screeching on the brakes I got in a panic, Dad jumped out of the car - WHAT FOR - A DARN TRAIN WAS GOING OVER THE VIADUCT AND HE HAD HIS CAMERA WITH HIM!!!!!!!!!

The photo is of the train going over.  Not in the best place to get a truly great shot but it's not too bad, considering I didn't have the tripod.

Then went to Hawes for a meander round the town and into one of the few cafes open in the town for lunch.  Quite a lot of people around really but not overcrowded. 

The extra is one of my black and white experiments - does it work do you think??

Hope you all had a nice day too;l