Viaduct

Today’s excursion saw me take the Settle-Carlisle line as far as Ribblehead.

I started with couple of hours pottering around the famous viaduct, in part following the ‘Tramway Trail’ which guided me around some features of the temporary settlements and infrastructure that developed here during construction (1869-1874).

It turned into a fine day, with plenty of sunny spells, so I did have some butterfly activity to add to the distractions, including first sightings for the year of Dark Green Fritillary (extra) and Common Blue, along with Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White and Small White.  There was plenty of gorgeous limestone flora too. A single Wheatear was the bird highlight.

I walked up the line as far as the Blea Moor signal box, then took a path south west along the foot of Whernside, with some great views across to Ingleborough, through Winterscales, Ivescar and Broadrake, before working my way back to the Viaduct. I was slightly wishing I’d planned to tackle either of the big peaks, as it would have been a good day for it, but that would also have meant I missed out on my lower level explorations. 

Returning home, I stopped off in Keighley for some more pre-season football, with Steeton hosting Blackpool team Squires Gate, which finished 3-2 following a late come back from Steeton. I has the screeches of the Keighley Peregrines accompanying me on my walk back the station.