We had a few days of really beautiful summery weather at the end of February, with record temperatures around 18-20 C, which is at least 10 degrees above our usual February high. It was lovely, if rather worrying. A late burst of summer is known as an Indian summer, so I wonder what an early burst should be?
I tried to make the most of it. One day I enjoyed a lovely stroll along the River Wharfe beyond Bolton Abbey, from Barden Bridge to The Strid gorge and back again. Such blue skies! I took several photos and am really undecided which to post... so you can have them all!
Barden Bridge itself is interesting and very old, built in the late 1600s. It is only about 10 feet wide, and is steeply humped in the middle, so modern cars have to be careful crossing it. The triangular cutwaters are intended to strengthen it against floodwaters (though it has been damaged several times). They provide useful pedestrian refuges as it is quite a long, narrow bridge to be stranded on when a vehicle comes along.
The warm weather was certainly bringing on the buds. The pussy willow looked very pretty against the blue water. I watched a red kite soaring on the thermals too.
Yorkshire is very beautiful. Thank you for these photos, Jenny.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I walked the Dales Way through Wharfedale, the whole walk was beautiful though we could have done with some of that weather - obviously should have gone in February instead of June! Presumably the opposite of an Indian Summer would be a Cowboy Summer?????
ReplyDeleteHaha, love it John. Hereafter to be called a 'Cowboy summer'.
DeleteSpring is coming. Beautiful shots!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely day that you had!
ReplyDeleteOh, a tree that is a pussy willow...I'm used to a marsh plant that just grows grass high with the buds along a stalk. So glad to earn about yours.
ReplyDeletesorry...Learn. Sticky 'L' key.
ReplyDelete