Ribblehead

This has been a really good week's break.

The last two days we have been staying in a converted corn mill sitting besides the River Bain - England's shortest named river. I asked if we could see the water wheel before we left this morning, and our host kindly showed us around, first letting some water in from the river so the big wheel started turning. This in turn, via various cogs and gears, set in motion various mechanisms elsewhere in the building. Our ancestors invented green forms of power long long ago, and very clever they were too. The extra is one set of turning wheels.

Via Swaledale and Wensleydale we turned south over the hills towards Clitheroe. The blip is the majestic railway viaduct at Ribblehead. Sadly no train obliged by crossing it for the very short period we parked up to look at it. Nevertheless it is a magnificent structure, made more so by its wild moorland setting.

Earlier, crossing the heather moorland from Reeth to Leyburn, great to have close views of grouse and snipe, as well as displaying curlews. Oh, and we have seen our first lambs today.