Alan Drury's photos

GWR 2800 class 2-8-0 2857 with 1G51 09.30. Bury -…

GWR 2800 class 2-8-0 2857 with 1G51 09.30 Bury - R…

Alan on Loughrigg Fell with Windermere beyond 1997…

16 Oct 2018 3 8 216
Loughrigg Fell is a hill in the central part of the English Lake District. It stands on the end of the long ridge coming down from High Raise over Silver How towards Ambleside, and is separated from its neighbours by the depression of Red Bank. The fell is surrounded by an unusual amount of open water. To the north the River Rothay flows through Grasmere and Rydal Water before bending around the eastern side of Loughrigg. On the southern flank the River Brathay runs from Elter Water and is also fed by the outfall from Loughrigg Tarn. The two rivers merge at Clappersgate on the south eastern corner of the fell, just before flowing into Windermere. The western boundary is formed by Red Bank (535 ft) on the ridge to Silver How. Unnamed becks fall north and south into Grasmere and Elter Water. Loughrigg has two subsidiary ridges on its eastern flank. Lanty Scar provides the obvious line of ascent from Rydal, while the spur rising over Todd Crag leads up from Clappersgate. There are many areas of woodland on the lower slopes, giving way to a wide expanse of bracken-clad knolls and small tarns on the top. The summit is on the western side of the plateau and is identified by an Ordnance Survey column. Many lower tops also decorate the fell, sometimes to the confusion of visitors. Despite the girdle of lakes only Windermere is visible from the summit. The vista is open to the south over the green and blue country of Furness, with many fells in view on the other three sides. The fell is easily accessible, being surrounded by roads on all sides. Ambleside and the smaller settlements of Skelwith Bridge, Elterwater, Grasmere and Rydal are all within reach, as is the popular double car park at White Moss Common. Many paths run over the fell including the well known Loughrigg Terrace, a level path with superb views of Grasmere, Helm Crag and the Fairfield group. Just beyond the eastern end of the Terrace are some quite remarkable caves, caused by quarrying. They penetrate about 150 feet (46 m) into the hillside and are often full of water; there are other small mines on the fell. The highest rocky knoll can be identified by an Ordnance Survey triangulation column beside a large cairn, both standing out from the turf. The view includes intimate views of the Langdale Pikes and the fells around Grasmere, together with the Fairfield horseshoe and the Coniston Fells. Elter Water, Grasmere and a large part of Windermere can also be seen.

Alan on the Crinkle Crags with Bow Fell beyond,Lak…

16 Oct 2018 1 2 177
Crinkle Crags is a fell in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria. It forms part of two major rings of mountains, surrounding the valleys of Great Langdale and Upper Eskdale. The name reflects the fell's physical appearance as its summit ridge is a series of five rises and depressions (crinkles) that are very distinctive from the valley floor. In Old English, cringol means twisted or wrinkled. The nomenclature of the various tops is very confused. Traditional guidebooks tend to rely on what the eye sees and therefore focus attention upon the five ‘crinkles’ of the summit ridge. These are generally referred to as the first to fifth crinkles, but Richards starts in the north, Birkett in the south and Wainwright employs both conventions, depending upon the direction of travel. For clarity in this article the first crinkle will be taken as the southernmost top. On this basis, the second Crinkle (also called Long Top) is the true summit of the fell. The only other Crinkle with a definitive name is Gunson Knott, the fifth. To the north of the Crinkles proper is a depression and then the outcropping continues over Shelter Crags. In recent times more systematic hill lists have been produced based upon topographical prominence and height, rather than mere visual appeal. Most relevant to Crinkle Crags are the lists of Hewitts and Nuttalls. These variously list the summit, the first Crinkle (Crinkle Crags South Top), and two tops on Shelter Crags (Shelter Crags and Shelter Crags North Top), but exclude the other three Crinkles. The ridge of Crinkle Crags extends due south from its higher neighbour, Bowfell. Between the two is the col of Three Tarns, named for the small pools in the depression. Depending upon recent rainfall there may be anything from two to five tarns in evidence on the ground. From here the rocky outcropping of Shelter Crags is quickly reached. Beyond the summit to the south the ridge descends over Stonesty Pike and Little Stand (a Nuttall) to the Duddon Valley at Cockley Beck. Two further ridges branch out from Crinkle Crags on either side of the summit, before turning south to run parallel to Little Stand. On the west, across the marshy trench of Moasdale is Hard Knott. To the east an initially indistinct ridge firms up on the traverse to Cold Pike. Between Cold Pike and Crinkle Crags, but generally included as part of the latter is the further Nuttall of Great Knott. The traverse of the summit ridge with its series of undulations is an exhilarating experience for the fell walker. The ridge includes the so-called "Bad Step", a steep declivity which catches out many walkers when travelling from north to south; however, the obstacle can be by-passed without too much trouble. The view from the summit is very good: there are airy views of Great Langdale, Eskdale and Dunnerdale, with the estuaries of the rivers Duddon and Esk well seen as they enter the Irish Sea. There is a very good view of England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, which lies just four kilometres (2½ miles) away to the north west. Shelter Crags gives extensive all-round views.

Russian Fishing Factory Ship at Ullapool,Loch Broo…

M.V. Hebridean Princess leaving Oban 24th May 1989…

16 Oct 2018 1 2 352
MV Hebridean Princess is a cruise ship operated by Hebridean Island Cruises. She started life as the MacBrayne car ferry and Royal Mail Ship, initially RMS then MV Columba, based in Oban for the first 25 years of her life, carrying up to 600 passengers, and 50 cars, between the Scottish islands. RMS Columba was the last of three car ferries built in 1964 by Hall, Russell & Company, Aberdeen for the Secretary of State for Scotland.The Secretary of State for Scotland ordered a trio of near-identical car ferries for the Western Isles. They were chartered to David MacBrayne Ltd and were all equipped to serve as floating nuclear shelters, in the event of national emergency.This included vertical sliding watertight doors that could seal off the car deck, immediately aft of the hoist.Columba was the last of the three to enter service. Columba took up the Isle of Mull service, replacing the elderly ships MV Lochearn and MV Lochmor. She continued on this route for nine years. Columba's interiors, and those of her sisters MV Hebrides and MV Clansman, were designed by a young Scottish designer, John McNeece, who was to go on to design the interiors of numerous cruise ships over the next 40 years. In 1968, additional buoyant seating was added on the after deck, boosting her passenger complement from 600 to 870. Cars were loaded via a forward hydraulic hoist.Below the car deck were sleeping berths for 51. She was the first vessel to make Sunday sailings, which started in 1972 and were combined with short cruises. There was some opposition to the innovation. 1972 was her last year on the Mull station. That winter, Columba relieved at Stornoway and then took up MV Clansman's roster at Mallaig. Night sailings to Lochboisdale and Castlebay only lasted one year and in 1974 Columba only had the light Mallaig – Armadale, Skye roster. On the withdrawal of the veteran King George V, Columba was restored to Oban, serving Coll and Tiree, Colonsay, Iona, Lochaline and Tobermory. In winter Columba became the regular relief at Uig and, until 1979, of MV Iona on the Outer Isles run. Columba continued in service after her sisters, MV Hebrides and MV Clansman. Even in CalMac operation, she gave special cruises, including St Kilda and Kishorn Yard as destinations.From 1985 she was the last dedicated hoist-loading vessel in service. In 1988, she was acquired by a new venture, Hebridean Island Cruises of Skipton to offer luxury cruises. She underwent a major refit at George Prior Engineering in Great Yarmouth in 1989, emerging as the cruise ship, MV Hebridean Princess. She began operating on 26 May 1989 and provides cruises around the Western Isles of Scotland. More recently, itineraries have been extended to include Ireland, the Orkney and Shetland islands, the Norwegian Fjords and the Isles of Scilly. Initially, she retained a car-carrying capability, giving the option of leaving at intermediate ports. Within two years the car-carrying capacity was removed and additional cabins constructed to allow a dramatic increase in the crew-to-guest ratio. By 1997, a crew of 37 was serving just 49 passengers in considerable luxury. From 21 July to 29 July 2006, HM Queen Elizabeth II chartered Hebridean Princess for a holiday around the Scottish Islands to mark her 80th birthday. The Queen reportedly paid £125,000 for the use of the ship.[14] In June 2009, All Leisure Group, which also owns the Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery lines, purchased the company.The company name was changed from Hebridean International Cruises (used when MV Hebridean Spirit was operating deep-sea itineraries), to its current name, but the ship continues to operate as it did before the take over. In 2010 HM Queen Elizabeth II chartered Hebridean Princess for another holiday around the Scottish Islands, sailing from Stornoway on 23 July for two weeks.

Derwent Water and Skiddaw from Ashness Bridge 6th…

A.D. on the climb to the CMD arete 16th May 1994.

Russian Trawler in Loch Broom,Ullapool 22nd Septem…

Steve crossing the Waters of Nevis after completin…

Steve on summit of Sgor an Iubhair a Warm day on t…

The Fall`s of Rogie 24th September 1998.

08 Oct 2018 3 6 216
Rogie Falls (Gaelic: Eas Rothagaidh) are a series of waterfalls on the Black Water, a river in Ross-shire in the Highlands of Scotland. The falls are about 2 km north-west of the village of Contin, next to the A835 road. They are a popular tourist attraction, with several forest walks. Rogie Falls and footbridge The bridge will support a maximum of five persons at one time, with a narrow and sharp set of steps at its end. Access to the bridge requires limited ability with footpaths being well kept, however not wheelchair accessible by any stretch. Photography from the bridge is possible although either evening time when fewer people are around and using the bridge or in sunnier conditions when shorter exposure times are possible, due to the high degree of wobble. As of December 2011, some building work is being performed on the far side of the waterfall which limits access to the top side of the waterfall; it is not possible to use the temporary walkways to obtain a better view, although it is possible to reach all areas with some creative walking.

Beinn Spionnaidh and Cranstackie 22nd September 19…

08 Oct 2018 3 6 195
Beinn Spionnaidh is a mountain of 773 m in Sutherland, the northwestern tip of the Scottish Highlands. It is a Corbett located west of Loch Eriboll and northeast of Cranstackie and Foinaven. It is like its neighbours in that the top, a 1 km long whaleback running southwest to northeast, is covered with loose, broken quartzite. A steep spur to the northwest, Cioch Mhor, provides one route to the top, and good views of the Kyle of Durness; the gentler slope to the southeast is tiring due to the loose rock on the upper section. Cranstackie is a mountain of 801 m in Sutherland, the northwestern tip of the Scottish Highlands. It is a Corbett located west of Loch Eriboll and northeast of Foinaven. Like Foinaven and Beinn Spionnaidh to the northeast, its top is covered with loose, broken quartzite. The slope is much steeper on the west side than the east, but neither approach is easy due to the covering of loose rock.

The Skye Bridge and Cuillin beyond 18th May 1996.

Loch Garry and the Mountains of Knoydart May 1996

Sunset over Loch Ewe from Poolewe,Ross-shire 23rd…

Kirkham Priory over The River Derwent 28th August…

28 Aug 1994 5 4 149
The ruins of Kirkham Priory are situated on the banks of the River Derwent, at Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England. The Augustinian priory was founded in the 1120s by Walter l'Espec, lord of nearby Helmsley, who also built Rievaulx Abbey. The priory was surrendered in 8 December 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Legend has it that Kirkham was founded in remembrance of l'Espec's only son who had died nearby as a consequence of his horse being startled by a boar. The area was later used to test the D-Day landing vehicles, and was visited by Winston Churchill. The ruins are now Grade I listed and in the care of English Heritage. The Gatehouse of Kirkham Priory, built c. 1290–95, is a specimen of English Gothic medieval architecture. It is a rare survival of such a gatehouse, comparable to that of Butley Priory in Suffolk. It has a wide arch of continuous mouldings with a crocketed gable running up to the windows, with sculptures of S.George and the Dragon on the left, and David and Goliath to the right. Above the arch is Christ in a pointed oval recess, plus two figures below of St. Bartholomew and St. Philip, in niches. There are also many escutcheons with the armorials of the various benefactors of the Priory, including the arms of de Ros, Scrope, de Forz, Vaux, FitzRalph & Espec (3 cart-wheels, each with 6 spokes).

The Red Burn, Ben Nevis 10th May 1993.


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