Morning crossing

No dawn or dusk fireworks today, just the milky light and subtle, subdued colours of early morning in late Autumn. And while I love the fiery colours of sunrise and sunset, I think I prefer the early morning diffuse light. This was taken as I walked to the train for Manchester. That isn't my train on the viaduct or else I would have missed it. Yesterday's sunset blip was taken from the other side of the viaduct at Sandside. This view is across the Kent estuary to the limestone hill of Whitbarrow at the southern end of the Lake District.

The Arnside Viaduct was built in the 1850's and the line which connects Barrow and Ulverston with Lancaster and the West Coast mainline was opened in 1857 by the then Ulverston & Lancaster Railway. The construction of the viaduct ended the passage of boats up the Kent estuary to the wharfs at Sandside and Milnthorpe. The obstruction in the Kent channel also disrupted sediment patterns in the estuary leading to its filling up with sediment, which ended Arnside's time as a fishing village. The little posts in the foreground have featured many times in this journal, and I think represent the remains of a small jetty long since disappeared. The channel is constantly on the move, and smaller channels like the curving one seen here, are frequently appearing, then disappearing again.

The decking of the viaduct has been completely replaced this year, with some strengthening of the piers. We used to be able to hear every train rattling over the viaduct from our house half a mile away. Now it is nearly silent.

The Arnside station is a priceless asset in a small village and means I can get a direct train to Manchester in the morning. That's where I was today for a meeting. Arnside is a great place to come home to.