It’s that time of the year! Snowdrops heralding that Spring is near at hand. Whilst they do look beautiful…
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Grey day in Breamish Valley
Well, it was a bit grey in the Breamish Valley today. Still, I did decide to give cycling a go and, having donned my waterproof trousers and jacket, off I set.
Several Greylag geese had settled in a field nearby: on the Telford Farm, one of the first farms I come across as I cycle from Powburn along the Breamish Valley heading towards Ingram.
By Bulby’s Wood in winter
What a great day it was yesterday. Sun was shining and it had pretty much flashed off any remaining snow on the lanes and fields. So off we went cycling. I’m really just a leisure cyclist – I can’t manage too many hills. And so the Breamish Valley from Powburn is ideal. I thought it would be nice to go and sit…
By Bulby’s Wood
Having cycled from Powburn and through Branton Village, we arrived at the footbridge over the River Breamish at Branton…
The unfreeze
So…the temperature rose today to a balmy 4 degrees! Consequently, Branton Lakes have pretty much unfrozen. Just a few floating cracks of ice:
Felt pretty warm walking in the sunshine but pretty cold as soon as you dipped into shade. The Exmoors are a hardy breed…and kept watch on the lakeside.
Enjoying Branton Lakes
Having spent time back in Teesside recently, it’s wonderful to be reminded of just how lucky we are to have the riches of the Branton Lakes Nature Conservation Area on our doorstep.
Greylag geese at Branton Lakes
Good things in nature
What do you think is good in nature?
- Active wildlife?
- Its beauty?
- The wide range of colours?
- Something else?
While each of us would probably answer the question in a slightly different way, Dr Miles Richardson and colleagues at the University of Derby1 have identified 10 themes that capture everyday good things in nature that promote a person’s sense of connection to nature:
Coffee and scones in Winter
Nice place to stop
One of the nicest stops along the Breamish Valley is calling in at Muddy Boots Café.
This was my first visit of the New Year. As always, we received a warm welcome from Jan and Susan. Jan popped on the fan heater so that we could enjoy sitting and cupping our coffee on the soft sofas in the seating area towards the back. I had a delicious cheese scone and my usual cappuccino. Nothing nicer on a cold winter’s day!
Snow in the Breamish Valley
The overnight cold snap brought a thin covering of snow to the Cheviot Hills last night. It could be seen in the distance from Powburn Village:
Snow on the distant Cheviots, looking from one of Dodds’ farm fields
Frosty morning
HAD TO BE CAREFUL whilst cycling out on our bikes this morning, as the winter frost had made the lanes quite slippery:
When we got to the bend in the River Breamish near Reaveley [GPS: 55°26’42” N 1°57’6″ W] there were some unusual foam circles in the water:
Autumn trees in the Valley
Lots of rain today, so I couldn’t get out on my bike for my usual ride along the Breamish Valley. So, I took a look at some of the photos I’d taken a couple of weeks ago and found these…
…majestic trees in the autumn sunshine with their red, yellow and ochre leaves makes a walk along the River Breamish quite spectacular.