Herb Riddle's photos

See next photo for full description.

We are now in Northern Ireland and in one of its most historic and interesting cities. So we are walking across this amazing structure. The Peace Bridge is a cycle and foot bridge across the River Foyle. It opened on 25 June 2011, connecting Ebrington Square with the rest of the city centre. It is called the peace bridge because it was thought to help improve relationships of a once very divided community. The largely Unionist 'Waterside' and the largely Nationalist 'City Side' and the bridge joins the two side together over the river. Enjoy full size and enjoy the weekend

Welcome on this wall that encircles the old city centre. We see here the wonderful gem of the Guild Hall with its Tap House being the rectangular building on the left. Both buildings used by the merchants of Derry/Londonderry since its predecessor in 1689. See the cannons ready to defend the city. Pips shows street view and another canon from walls. Nice full size.

A view from the back of the lighthouse here at Blacksod in Ireland. See PiP for previous front view and description. Best viewed full screen. Enjoy the day -stay cool!

The Fairbourne Railway has been running from Fairbourne village to the mouth of the Mawddach Estuary, connecting with the ferry to Barmouth for over 100 years. It started as a two foot gauge horse-drawn tramway which was then converted to a 15 inch gauge railway in 1916. The line in 1986 was completely re built to a 12.25 inch gauge. Here we see the engine called Russell returning from the terminus with its popular cafe, back to the main station at Fairnbourne itself. In the background the the foothills of Snowdonia National Park with the Barmouth viaduct. There are five engines in total running on this line. RUSSELL unlike the loco on which it was based is a 2-6-4T built in 1979 by Milner Engineering originally as a scaled down copy of a Leek and manifold locomotive and named Elaine but was re-built in its present form based on a Welsh Highland Railway Hunslet in 1985 at Fairbourne. www.fairbournerailway.com Enjoy full screen

Well what a difference a week makes. This time last week I was traveling the 125miles + from my home to here where we took a short stroll and photo stop as a prelude to our short holiday about 12 miles south of here. A short time after taking this the clouds blackened and we had heavy rain for 24 hours which coincided with the realisation that my wife and I had both contracted Covid after years of avoidance. Alongside with the news that a close relative was in hospital seriously ill and then my car breaking down, the photos taken here were to be my only ones of this aborted five day holiday. We are back home now, and apart from the car, all is proceeding better, albeit slowly and still C positive, with our relative on her way to recovery. We are looking up the Afon Mawddach towards Dolgellau all within the Snowdonia National Park. Just behind me is the end terminal of the ever popular Fairbourne narrow gauge railway. Barmouth Bridge, or Barmouth Viaduct is a Grade II* listed single-track wooden railway viaduct across the estuary of the Afon Mawddach near Barmouth, Wales. It is 820 metres long and carries the Cambrian Line. It is the longest timber viaduct in Wales and one of the oldest in regular use in Britain. It was opened in 1867 and still allows tolled pedestrian access across its whole length. A wonderful walk that I have taken several times in the past. Barmouth itself is on the left side here. Last December it underwent a 30 million pounds restoration program. Enjoy full size and enjoy your week in safety.

After a lengthy mile hike along this wet shingle causeway to Davaar Island, most people need a sit down. We have already done the walk to here, and now after exploring this western half of the Island, it is time to walk back before the tide turns and cuts us off. The main coastline and sea is to the left of the causeway and the wavy track points the way to the far off road and houses. One has to be careful here and know the tidal times and conditions. In 2008 Len Bennet, the inhabitant of Light Keeper’s House, sadly died crossing this at night. Enjoy full size and enjoy your week in safety.

A trip to this Island is not complete without visiting its lighthouse. Unfortunately it is now a private holiday accommodation meaning a closer look was not possible. As can be seen, a very damp and miserable weather day and so the retro photo treatment seems to match the mood. The land mass across the water is the eastern coast of Kintyre. After visiting this we had a further walk to the craggy cave side southern shore before setting off back again in torrential rain along the mile long sand and stone tidal causeway to the mainland before the tide came back in. The lighthouse, listed as a building of Architectural and Historic Interest, is situated on the island’s northern tip. It was established in 1854 and designed by Northern Lighthouse Board engineers, David and Thomas Stevenson. Enjoy full screen. See PiPs for other views.

The view up the lane to the lighthouse. This is normally as far as one would go. For the adventurous, it did look like a grand view may have been had from the top of the hill on the right but a drone might have been more in order as everything was drenched with recent heavy rains. See next photo for alternative views.

Our walk today is called the Cross Loop walk. The big sign is for ‘The wild Atlantic Way’ that we are also on. The walk started at the other end of the bay and continued inland by Cross Lake. As can be seen, this is a quite part of the world with not a sole apart from us walking on this splendid beach. Enjoy full screen.

A long view from our holiday cottage garden to the north showing Kidd Island (on the top left) and Benween Head (top right) on our ‘Children of Lir’ walk done a few days previously. This stretch of the Atlantic is called Broadhaven. Nice full screen. Enjoy your weekend.

‘Bombus spp’, as seen on our garden Lavatera bush. Today, the bush’s many flowering blooms were full of them. Another chance therefore to try my macro lens again. The white spots are pollen seeds from the centre of these flowers that this bee has just rubbed itself over. These large, hairy bees are generally black with varying degrees of yellow banding. Look closely at flowering plants and you’ll probably spot several species. Common bumblebees include garden, buff-tailed, red-tailed, white-tailed and field bumblebees. They are social insects, living in colonies of up to 200 workers. Queens hibernate underground during the winter, emerging in spring to find suitable nest sites – for example, abandoned mouse holes. Each queen builds a nest of dried grasses and then lays about a dozen eggs that hatch into workers – sterile females. The workers gather pollen and nectar to feed later batches of grubs. New queens and males hatch at the end of the season and mate. The males, workers and old queens die; new queens hibernate. Bumblebees are not aggressive and will only sting if they feel threatened. They are important pollinators of many plants and fruiting trees eating nectar and pollen Nice full size.

Between Carradle and Saddell on Kyntyre, we stop for a relax and photo stop. A rather nice little bay with views here to Carradle and the north east coast of Kntyre. We did in fact walk around the small rocky headland that you see just across the bay here. The shoreline rocks have a lot of character as can be seen. Nice full size.

Another of our local walks and we are lucky to see more than our usual share of Summer wildlife. From top left: Grey squirrel, Young common frog, Field mouse and a Nuthatch (Sitta eurpea) Enjoy full screen.

Back on Kintyre, Scotland. This memorial bench situated just behind the ruined Abby. Looking North West here. (See preceding photo for more of the actual Abbey.) Enjoy full size and enjoy your week in safety.

Standing amongst a graveyard is this ancient Abbey. Building of the abbey began in 1148 and it is thought that the end came in 1493. We see here the remains of the north transept and choir of the abbey church. Nothing is left of the much larger nave and the south transept of the church. And almost nothing remains of the square of buildings surrounding a cloister that once stood to the south of the abbey church. more info: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/carradale/saddellabbey/index.html Enjoy full screen and have a great week.

Our trip to this end of the Belmullet peninsular gives us a look at the harbour (pip) and its unique castellated granite lighthouse. Through automation the lighthouse keepers have left but it is still open to visitors on appointment. A 150-year-old lighthouse, it sits resolute at the end of Blacksod’s working pier, where the catch of the day will always include wild Atlantic lobster. The area boasts jaw-dropping scenery and offers sanctuary for Irish whales and dolphins. In 1969 a man named Tom McClean rowed from Newfoundland to Blacksod Bay. He used the telephone in Blacksod Lighthouse to phone his sponsors, Gilette Razor Company. As part of his sponsorship deal he was to appear cleanly shaven when meeting the press at Blacksod Pier! www.greatlighthouses.com/lighthouses/blacksod-lighthouse Enjoy full screen.

A local walk testing a new-to-me 50mm lens brings me to share this blooming wild flower. These are always pleasant to see and are favourites for our wild bees. Enjoy full screen.