Herb Riddle's photos

Almost concluding my 2018 Ireland trip, I will end where I started on our second week, with another view over the bay situated in front of our holiday cottage. Each night the views here were tremendous with dancing clouds and light -how could I not just love the place. PiP Enjoy big.

Cromford Mill was the world's first water-powered cotton spinning mill, developed by Richard Arkwright in 1771 in Cromford, Derbyshire. These small water wheels are there just as a demonstration I think, as the main giant waterwheel was almost underground to where this river is heading, beneath the mill itself to work the machinery. 'He chose the site at Cromford because it had year-round supply of warm water from the Cromford Sough which drained water from nearby Wirksworth lead mines, together with Bonsall Brook. Here he built a five-storey mill, with the backing of Jedediah Strutt, Samuel Need and John Smalley. Starting from 1772, he ran the mills day and night with two twelve-hour shifts. He started with 200 workers, more than the locality could provide, so he built housing for them nearby, one of the first manufacturers to do so. Most of the employees were women and children, the youngest being only seven years old. Later, the minimum age was raised to ten and the children were given six hours of education a week, so that they could do the record-keeping that their illiterate parents could not. The gate to Cromford Mill was shut at precisely 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day, and any worker who failed to get through it not only lost a day's pay but also was fined another day's pay.' Wiki Enjoy large.

Continuing our tour of this wonderful Dingle Peninsula, driving in a clockwise direction towards Castlegregory. A landscape to prove that we do not always need clear blue skies.

A view of the Connemara 'Dogs Bay' in County Galway. A wonderful peaceful, almost deserted bay of pure silver sand surrounded by fences like this. A must -full screen. HFF and have a great weekend

North of the tourist town of Paphos is Sea caves. Here you get an idea where the name comes from. A bit of scrambling required to get to this now hidden viewpoint and so not in everybody's holiday snaps collection. I imagine there will still be somebody who wants their photo taken whilst jumping up and down atop the bridge though! Enjoy full size. pip

Taken from our stopped bus, as our driver screeched to a stop on seeing this near Lake Louse. We knew we were lucky seeing this. It was about 100m from our road, moving by a river. The bus was stopped and I managed to get this through a open window but trees and foilage marred the view somewhat via this long 270mm (400mm equivalent) lens. I was pretty happy with this capture though as my fellow bus riders got nothing like this. Of course our driver had his hand on the ignition and foot near the accelerator in case it crossed the river and ran towards us :) "Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) have concave faces, a distinctive hump on their shoulders, and long claws about two to four inches long. Both the hump and the claws are traits associated with a grizzly bear’s exceptional digging ability. Grizzlies are often dark brown, but can vary from very light cream to black. The long guard hairs on their backs and shoulders frequently have white tips and give the bears a "grizzled" appearance, hence the name "grizzly." The correct scientific name for the species is “brown bear,” but only coastal bears in Alaska and Canada are referred to as such, while inland bears and those found in the lower 48 states are called grizzly bears." - defenders.org

Another taken from our moving bus near Johnson Canyon. 'The elk or wapiti is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in North America and Northeast Asia. This animal should not be confused with the still larger moose to which the name "elk" applies in British English and in reference to populations in Eurasia.' Wikipedia

I think this is a cow moose as the male bull moose has big antlers. Maybe a young one though? Not far from our road. Our driver who was once a park warden here, chastised a car driver here, who had stopped his car just next to our bus and was creeping ever closer to the animal with his camera, quite unaware it seems just how dangerous these wild animals could be. 'The animal Alces alces, called the moose in North America and the elk in Europe is the largest of all the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from other members of Cervidae by the form of the antlers of its males.'

Seen whilst on the roads through the Rockies near Emerald Lake. This taken through the window of our moving bus.

Seen in the Johnston Canyon.

The 'Lighthouse Beach' pier in Paphos is the spot where this pier lives. For us, just a few meter's away from a nice beach cafe, and so a place where I can see the waves hitting the end whilst drinking my coffee and thinking, "should I go take a shot or not", you know the answer to that.

The magnificence of Lake Louise caught in the early morning light shortly after sunrise. A canoe paddle or a path on the right hand side here leads explorers to that far point The full wonderful lake scene can be followed in the PiP. Note - for millennium this lake was frozen solid at this time of year in May. This year (2016) was the first time open water could be seen - It is usually seen at the end of June. A sign of things to come it seems! Must be seen full screen.

Another Canadian Rockies scene here. This time we see the magnificent Mount Steven massive from the Kicking Horse River in the YoHo National Park BC. One has just got to love the colour of this Glacial melt-water flowing from such places as Emerald Lake. It that a Grizzly in the distance :) As usual deserves full screen on back.

Reminded of my travels here in the Canadian Rockies just the other night, I was tempted to release another shot of this magnificent lake. It is seated high in the YoHo national Park and believe me, our two hour stay besides this lake was all too short. The wooden buildings provides some accommodation and food for those lucky enough to stay longer. Enjoy large. PiPs

Looking down towards Slea Head Beach and giving an impression of this scenic Slea Head Drive which goes just along the line of houses here. A wild place here in County Kerry, Ireland but beauty comes with a price. Enjoy

Just at the edge of the village of Ilam near Ashbourne. This is the main path up to the hall with its church being just to the left of this capture. At the end of this path you can see the edge of the front walled gardens and garden tower. I wish you all, a great weekend, Herb pip Another looking good full size.

A look at this well know castle from the west side. It is possible to explore inside and along its roof -at a cost but I believe it is largely empty except for the odd exhibition and fact boards. - Located on the edge of Paphos harbour. It was originally built as a Byzantine fort to protect the harbour. It was then rebuilt by the Lusignans in the thirteenth century after being destroyed in the earthquake of 1222. In 1570 it was dismantled by the Venetians. Best viewed large.

Seen on walk to Dovedale from Iiam.