Herb Riddle's photos

A walk to Diglea tales us along a valley with these three trees. They are quite isolated here so whether there were once many more or these trees or had there been a particular reason to be planted like this I don't know. Anyway, I rather liked the way the light lit up their right sides framed by the recent snows. Enjoy full size.

On the eastern coast of Lindisfarne (Holy Island) and walking north, we come across this interesting piece of art in the form of a bird sculpture. It is in fact part of the 5km ‘Willow Sculpture Trail’ created by 'Anna' and volunteers. I think this might be the Arctic Tern. Our own trail heads north towards the white pyramid beacon that we thought at this point was a lighthouse - we abandoned that goal some few hundred metres before we got there. More info: www.biteabout.co.uk/news/willow-sculpture-trail-on-lindisfarne Enjoy full size.

A much better weather day of late brings me to the bottom of our Chew valley as it meets the Dovestones round walk. The snow still lingers here in the shadows and the waters of Chew brook reflect some of the warm hillside colour. Enjoy full screen

A walk last week brought me again, like a magnet to this wonderful view. We are looking over the Dovestones reservoir towards Alderman Hill. It was only some short months ago when this reservoir seemed almost empty after last year’s dry weather. As always here, when the wind drops the reflections can be magical. The many seagulls too are happy of the higher water level it seems, as they collect on the special yacht pier. Enjoy full screen

This is part of the area known in the past as Manchester Docks. A large area just off the centre of Manchester but lying in the actual city of Salford. The waters here mainly form part of the Manchester ship canal that brought goods to and from Liverpool (mostly cotton from the deep south of America for our many mills). The Bridgewater canal also runs alongside. Nowadays Salford Quays, as can be seen, is a very up-market area with promenades, shopping malls, theatre, museum and a large media hub for our main TV services. We have just alighted the metrolink tram and we are on our way to the fabulous Lowry Theatre only metres away from this spot. (Two pips included from 2018 of the Quays just around the corner from here.) Enjoy full screen

A cool look at the Manns pond in our local Saddleworth village of Greenfield. As can be seen much of this pond is frozen over. See Pip for an interesting alternative shot. Nice full screen. Have a good day.

An S-shaped flight of steps makes our head whirl at the thought of ascending. The fence may be useful when we feel we might topple over. Enjoy full screen Have a good weekend.

Taken just a few hundred metres from my home after an overnight flurry of snow. I do love to see trees like this. Sadly the snow normally soon melts away. See the adjacent photo (PiP) for a closeup of a berry bush nearby. Nice full screen. Enjoy the day. Herb

As winter starts to show here, we have a light covering of snow on our bushes and trees. Nature still flourishes as can be seen with these berry's carrying the seeds of the future with them. I am not sure what kind of tree/bush this is, It lies near housing and so might be an escaped garden variety. See PiP for a better idea. A special prize for naming it correctly. Enjoy.

On the hillside path to Starbottom from the village of Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales, there are many walls and barns to be seen. On this day we were fortunate with the pronounced strong light coming just over the opposite steep valley side. On a previous walk along the valley bottom we saw an owl in one of these barns. Enjoy full size.

A Sunday walk to this lower reservoir in Stalybridge shows some colourful reflections. The light remained good for all of two minutes before the clouds blotted out the sun again. A nice walk up behind that red-roofed building and to the right, past two other reservoirs up to the top ‘Higher Swineshaw’ reservoir. Enjoy full screen

In these days of cold miserable local winter weather here in Oldham, I thought I would cheer myself and my Ipernity friends up with a sunny shot from my holiday in the Caribbean during 2008. Here is perhaps one of its most stunning views showing the high pointed peak of Petit Piton from the small town of Soulfriere . The PiP (adjacent photo) shows a wider view from the sea near ‘Anse Chastanet Beach’ showing Petit Pitons larger twin of Gros Piton to the right. Enjoy full screen and enjoy the day.

Taken aboard our catamaran. The tall peak is Petit Piton with the larger twin of Gros Piton to the right. Enjoy full screen

It’s the skiing season and even if the snows are late this year in the Alps I thought it would be nice for me at least to recap a skiing holiday I had once in the Italian ski resort of Cervinia. I was being towed up the mountain here in my skis with sticks in one hand and my camera in the other, all in readiness for a long run back down to the village. The high pointed mountain here, I think is one of the sides of the Matterhorn taken from above the ski resort. See PiP for the more famous view of the Matterhorn from the Swiss village of Zermatt where you can ski to from here. A scanned photo, taken in January 1988. Nb. there is plenty of snow today in the higher resorts of the Alps. Enjoy the day

This is situated very near the castle in the main square of Bamburgh in Northumbria. Actually it is described as 'The Old Animal drinking fountain'. The fountain dates from the early 19th Century and is grade II listed. See PiP for the square itself. Enjoy.

Another 2014 shot taken near Bradwell-on-Sea in the south eastern county of Essex. Nice full screen. This again is the Blackwater estuary. The fences are used to control and stem tidal erosion. See PiP Enjoy the weekend.

A view from our 2021 trip to Assynt in the far north west of Scotland. Here we see on the left the steep point of Stac Pollaidh and to the right Cùl Mòr. A peaceful small lake completes this tranquil scene. Enjoy full screen.

Back in Digley Reservoir country and as we see another rainbow we also come across this horse and trap. Two, local farmers it seems giving the horse some exercise and grandfather an outing. They seemed to have come across something interesting here? ps, I am reminded that this is a mule, not a horse! Enjoy the day