The Vale of York

The view from the "cliff", the scarp of the Yorkshire Wolds looking down onto the flat expanse of the Vale of York. Behind me the sun is rising, and below Wifie's home village of Bishop Wilton is partially in sunlight. The land farmed by her brother and sister-in-law is down there. You will need to imagine under the finger post, there is a border collie proudly sat facing the camera. Gus is in fact nestled next to me in the frosty grass, refusing as usual to sit still and stay when I retreat to take the photograph.

A busy day catching up with friends and family, and Gus making new friends. Gus and I went for an early walk up onto the cliff to see the sun rise. I discovered that Gus likes to chase rabbits and hares, but he comes back when called. Ascending into the cloudless blue sky above the arable fields were many skylarks, the first I have heard this year, and another harbinger of Spring. In this landscape, yellowhammers are still numerous, and there were males singing their plaintive "little bit of bread and no cheeeese" song.