Montserrat's spring line buildings, near Butterow

Viewing the light this morning I had to grab a picture. It is near the Equinox so the day and night are nearly equal. I love to look out from my desk and see the houses and farm building as on the far side of the valley catching the low rays of the sun.

The spring line marked by the building is at its name implies where the water bearing strata of the limestone overlay the more clayey strata. It also shows the point where the slope lessens and meadows and which are farmed, rather than the woodland which now (but hasn't always) dominate the outcropping rock. The same layers are found on both sides of the Golden Valley and similarly ancient tracks follow the contours on the slopes just above the spring line where the land would be drier and more passable. But the actual heights are different because of faults in the rocks. The valley bottom couldn't be used for wheeled vehicles until Tarmacadam changed a great deal of economic history, eliminating the sticky muddy tracks.

I was trying to capture the still quite muted light so took a couple of pictures. The hybrid (diesel and electric) train from London came down the valley right on time. It changes its power source when it reaches Swindon. It is hard to imagine this left Paddington only about 75 minutes ago.