Prospect Stile

Wide Wednesday: The view from Prospect Stile

"So I expect you got a bit wet" said Cathy over dinner this evening. She's a big tennis fan and has an annual booking with Wimbledon on the TV (assuming that she hasn't been able to secure tickets to actually go to Wimbledon in the lottery).

"More than a bit wet, it started raining as I began to climb the hill and didn't stop for more than 10 minutes for the rest of my walk" was my response.

The day started out rather promisingly.  I had gone into Bristol for an early morning eye test (I'd been putting it off but recognised that its probably safer now than it will be for a while).  Afterwards I rewarded myself with a coffee at the independent place near my former office.  As the car was parked in the multi story near Waterstones I also took half an hour to wander around taking iPhone shots of books I want to research.  I find it difficult to shop for books on line - it really helps me to see them physically.  But I also like to then check up the reviews on line to see what people think of them. I may buy them anyway, but the process has saved me from wasting money  on books that I wouldn't enjoy.

But then at lunch time I received a message from Incredibish re the flight of 10 Puma helicopters which would pass close to us.  The weather forecast suggested that there was a 50% chance of rain shower at the time they were due over but they weren't forecasting persistent rain.  It was worth a gamble.  So I decided to climb up the Lansdown escarpment which should give me a great view of them coming in over Bath.  

It started to rain persistently 45 minutes before they arrived (as I climbed the hill).  I took some shots in the rain, because that was why I was there, but the most I could see were pairs of helicopters as they passed through a gap in the clouds.  There may have been 9 or 10 of the things, but I couldn't be sure. The pictures are uniformly uninspiring - one pair of grey misty choppers photographed through rain is much like another.  

So instead here is a wide shot of the view at Prospect Stile, taken during a brief lull, the Kelston Roundhill is on the left.  On a good day, I understand that you can see the Black Mountains of Wales in the distance, but probably not today.

I rewarded myself with a pint in the garden of the Old Crown at Kelston, sheltering under the table umbrella before making my way back home. Not at all what I planned, but I've added another 8.5 miles to the muddy walking boots. They do need re-waxing though.....once they are dry.