Under the M6

Most of today was spent recording quadrats at Claughton Quarry, which was the reason we'd travelled up to Lancashire. The weather was kind, warm and relatively calm, but with high cloud which persisted all day. Thanks to a very efficient approach by our team of three, we managed to finish not long after 3 pm.

We returned to the hotel to remove our bright orange safety wear, and then went for a gentle explore of the River Lune. My leg was grumbling after two days of walking over rough terrain, with lots of kneeling and squatting thrown in for good measure, so I was glad to go somewhere relatively flat.

We had a good time bumbling over shingle banks with a surprising diversity of plant species and admiring views of the river from disused railway bridges. Our last potter was along the river south of Halton, which has some seriously beautiful riverside properties. We sat on a bench for a while and saw five kingfishers in less than ten minutes - with a dipper and grey wagtails sighted later on. Although the river was beautiful, the light was awful!

We finished our exploration at the point where the M6 crosses the river, and I was struck by the abstract nature of the bridge reflected in the dark waters beneath. Something a little bit different anyway!