Shankendshiel Viaduct

Yesterday it was time to leave the photographic beanfeast at LPH and head for home. I decided to go across country through Hawick and Duns as on a glorious sunny day there might be the odd chanceof a blip. Leaving the M6 at Carlisle I headed up the A7 to Longtown and then bore right at Canonbie along the B6357 which is an alternative route for Hawick along the Liddesdale. It is a gentle rolling countryside with a mixture of of pasture and moreland. At one point it touches the Kielder Forest but for most of the route the trees are very mixed and in their spring colours were absolutely beautiful so I had to stop at least three times when my eye caught a particularly interesting group of trees. At one point I passed a rather splendid looking railway carriage which seemed to be parked in the middle of nowhere and I wondered how it got there. However, a bit further up the road Icame across a heritage museum which is obviously dedicated to retaining some mementos of the railway history of the long defunct Borders Railway Line. A few miles further up the road at a hamlet or rather a farm called Shankendshiel I came across this lovely viaduct and decided it was very blippable despite the high wire fence which protected the land at this point.

At one point on the journey I passed three Ferarris in a row going the opposite way so I don't know if they were heading for a Ferarri convention. Then as I came up towards Hawick I passed a load of people on the horseback. I thought it looked a bit odd that there was such a mixture of youngsters and older people then realised as the horse traffic became more dense that this was the Common Riding. Fortunately I managed to to get through town before the traffic was totally snarled up.

The rest of the journey was relatively uneventful apart from a minor diversion which I took but just riding through the countryside on relatively quiet roads in glorious sunshine is a tonic in itself.

The dogs , of course, gave me a big welcome when I arrived home. Baxter is still limping a bit with his sore pad.

Whilst putting my photographic gear away away I tried out the camera and lens combination which crashed to the ground and in good light it seemed to be working well. I will have to give it a good test later in the week.

Thanks for all your comments this week and I am sorry I have not been able to reciprocate but LPH just keeps you so busy. Still I will have the welcome opportunity to catch up with your journals this week.