31st Jan 2010

Well, finally they did it - some brave/insane people went for swim in a local dam  They had to break the inch thick ice to do it - this was the third attempt and it finally warmed up enough!

My sister-in-law was one of 4 in the womens race!   It was a lovely day and well warm  for those sane ones who just watched!

In the words of Young Mr Grace "you've all done very well (and are completely mad!) "

Busy busy

Frantic time -  What a week - plumbers in fixing the new boiler -  we have hot raiators for the first time since December!!
I had a man put a camera down my throat - not recommened!!
But

I finally gave in and and have got an Iphone - sad I know but I am very childishly pleased by it

Hi

It has been a cold day, the sun has shone but the cloud has been low and the mist has drifted in and out of the gaps in the hills.   The light has been interesting - difficult to capture in a piccie though.  Snow is still there on the hills.

Some More Photos

These were taken this saturday before the Thaw set in.  Mostly along the Rochdale canal in Walsden

Above you can just see what saw us first.

When we threw the first bits of bread  - walking was not enough

The canal was as you see a smooth whit plain broken by a few footprints

Just above this lock we found deer prints in the snow

and some nice views

 

  The church by the old school

Walsden water

Fallen Holly

The snow is now icy, wet and slippy
 and is slowly fading away in the fields under a dull grey sky!

Jan 10th

Hi  - just a quick note - I was watching a grey wagtail on the canal today - nothing unusual in that but this one was feeding off seeds that had fallen on the frozen canal!

A few More Snow pictures

These are of Stoodley Pike, a monument that dominates our valley.

from stoodley glen

From the  Town Centre

Update - 2/1/10 - It's snowed again

Well yes it did but so what -  here are some pictures I've taken over the last few days.  We went to Leighton Moss again on New Years Eve and yesterday to Scamonden water.

At last a Picture of a water rail!

Most of the water was frozen solid

The few open areas were full of water birds

On the way back we went past the great bulk of Ingleborough, now turned to a cloud!

 Yesterday we went to scammonden to look for Great northern diver - missed out but we did see a wonderful barn owl floating over the snow.  Kirklees did not grit the road as well as Calderdale so the road beyond the bridge was entertaining.  The views were wonderful

 can you see the Motorway ??

Looking the other way the sun was setting!