Lovely weather for the time of year!

We awoke to beautiful morning and decided to bring forward a business trip to Kirkby Stephen, and make a day of it.  By the time we had sorted a packed lunch and got the evening meal into the slow cooker it had clouded over a bit.

We still set off intending to get the business out of the way in the morning and then do whatever seemed the best for photographs and enjoyment.  The buying trip went well and we had lunch and decided our first visit would be to Kirkby Stephen.  While in the car park Clickychick suddenly said "That was two parrots flying past!"  I was a little sceptical and anyway the description sounded more like Macaws.

We had a walk round the town and popped into the church looking for possible shots.  In conversation with a member of the clergy we discovered that they had been Macaws!  There are a number of birds which were kept free flying by a gentleman who left provision in his will for them to be looked after.

As we left the church there were a few hailstones falling so I suggested that if it began to hail hard we would shelter under an arch at the end of the path.  Sure enough it began to increase in intensity.   We stood under the arch watching the world go by and chatting.  Suddenly the heavens opened.  If you look at the gable end of the building in the distance you can see hailstones pouring off the roof nearby.