SORCERER'S APPRENTICE

Well it is a Merlin!!!!!

Hubby went to Barrow to do the food shopping this morning (oh and he wanted to go to B&Q as well) so I thought I would take the camera and go off somewhere.  

I headed for Ullswater as it has been calling to me for sometime.  I tried to stop at Brother's Water on the way but even at 10.30 in the morning I couldn't get a parking space.  So I just carried on. 

When I go to Ullswater I always go to the Inn on the Lake.  So I parked there, went into the Orangery for coffee and tea cake.  Whilst I sat there all of a sudden, the windows rattled a great big Merlin Hecilopter appeared, framed in the patio doors, obviously I blinked and it was gone.  Darn I thought another photographic opportunity gone.  One of the extra is where I had to force myself to sit whilst having coffee, tough but someone's got to do it!!!!

After my refreshment I headed out into the grounds and heard someone say that the Hecilopter was coming back and it was circling to check where it could "park"!!!

I know coffee and lunch is just a bit more expensive here but it's worth it, you get lovely facilities, good services, great views and free parking, so to me its worth it.

I really must go over the other side of the lake sometime but those narrow roads make me nervous to do that.  I don't know why I used to love finding roads like that but bad experiences had now made me nervous.

I would love to go walking more, but one thing I can't get Hubby away from his allotment or garden centres or B&Q,

So I sat on the loving seat all on my own *sigh* and waited.  Sure enough we heard it arrived.  Sadly I only had the wide angle lens with me so I've had to zoom it in in Lightroom, but I don't think it's too bad.

Of course I sat facing the golf course where it was going to land but the pilot decided to land right behind the large oak (better for the hotel's putting golf course I guess).

Still I managed to get quite a few reasonable shots for a nice change.  The times I've been in Grange or The Lakes and either hecilopters (sorry childhood name for it) or planes have zoomed overhead and I've missed them, so at least I could catch this.

Had a walk round the grounds, then round the village and down the yachting marina and back into the grounds for more photos of the parked hecilopter.  I then popped back into the Orangery for a light lunch (a very lovely ciabatta).

It turns out that the hecilopter was from the Royal Navy, so that was lovely for me as Hubby was in the Royal Navy for 25 years and I was a Wren for 5 years.

Whilst I sat there I heard the rotors going again so dashed out, several people here by now, and watched it take off.  The photo is of it taking off.

After all this excitement I decided to head back home.  All in all a lovely day lots of photography practice.

I've put a couple of extras in to, must try not to use up too many as |I may need extras later in the year, you never can tell.

I must find some easy walks in that area that I'm comfortable with doing on my own.

Hope you've all had a good day.  See you all again tomorrow.

I forgot to say this is my entry for Wide Wednesday, unfortunately it isn't artistic (I don't think so anyway) but it was an opportunity not to be missed and especially as the lens I had with me was my wide angle one.