Kielder

Saturday 22nd May 2021

In a change from the coast we decided to go over to Kielder Water. The drive over was glorious, all through the Northumberland National Park. 

One thing about lockdown in the last year, I'm not really used to keeping an eye on the fuel gauge, it has generally lasted weeks. I gulped a bit when we were on top of the moor in the middle of nowhere and the fuel light came on! The satnav said 27 miles to the petrol station in Kielder, being the nearest, and the car said it could manage 45 miles. I had visions of having to coast down the hills! Thankfully, after a while, we saw a sign to another petrol station 3 miles in a different direction. We found it and filled up!

On to Kielder Water. We made a few stops at different parking areas to check out the views. We stopped for our picnic right next to the water and were joined by friendly Mr & Mrs Chaffinch, who hopped on to our picnic table. When they discovered I even had bird seed with me they went and got their friends. They were happy to come very close. 

After lunch we went to the Bird of Prey Centre and enjoyed meeting the different birds. We were then treated to a wonderful and lengthy flight display which meant I could practise my in flight captures. The little owl took a liking to mum and tried to make an impromptu stop on her shoulder! Unfortunately it decided to rain quite a bit in the middle of the display, making some of the photography difficult, but then it stopped again. 

We enjoyed our drive along the full length of Kielder Water and then back through the National Park. We both came home with rather a lot of photos to sort through!

I've put another favourite in the extras and also a fun shot which makes it look as though the chaffinch was on mum's camera, he wasn't actually. 

Extra treats today:-

31) Seeing the big vista of rolling countryside of the National Park
32) Watching the lambs skipping in the fields
33) Having the little birds so close at lunchtime
34) Seeing the birds of prey