Suspicious!

Anyone watching us could easily have thought we were casing the joint or doing something equally suspicious. We were two ladies and two collies, so not exactly your criminal types. However we were looking around very intently . . . and we had cameras!!

By now, anyone who looks regularly at my journal will have guessed what was going on. Read on and see if you are correct.

It promised to be a lovely day, blue skies and sun over the fell tops. And no new snow! I had to be in Carlisle, so I decided to take up the other challenge I set myself - searching out the remainder of the forty decorative plaques incorporated in the Carlisle flood defence wall. ** Marpaul had a little spare time so would come with me.

We met up in Bitts Park, Carlisle, together with two collies, Bonnie and her friend. It was indeed a lovely sunny day, although very, very cold. We walked through the park and by the river and soon came upon the two plaques we had found previously. We then followed the defence wall to find some more. We were disappointed, as we could not find the two I wanted. Then we reached some flood gates and there were two plaques - but different ones. At this point a chap stopped by, assuming we were lost. We explained and his comment was - "I've seen these but had no idea what they were. The things you learn." Indeed!

We continued following the wall in both directions - to no avail. Then we decided to look on the other side of the wall. That's when we realised we were looking a bit suspicious and that there were CCTV cameras around!

We were not to be beaten by this. So we retraced out steps again - no! We went different ways - no! Finally, we came upon another plaque, but not one I had expected at all.

This is it and it depicts the Civic Centre. The picture shows the plaque, the Civic Centre itself, the flood defence wall . . . and the blue sky! The Civic Centre is significant because at the time of the 2005 floods this part of Carlisle was under water. The Civic Centre was inaccessible.

We will return!

** For more information about the plaques, look here.