The Solway Firth

Thank you so much for all the comments on my 2000th blip yesterday and the kind words regarding The Mother, much appreciated.

She was a little better today and asked a couple of questions but slept for most of visiting time. It will be later in the week before a decision is made regarding her discharge.

When I left the hospital we had a drive to the coast and headed for Bowness on Solway. I was hoping we would see a nice sunset over Scotland: we were to be disappointed.

The structure on the left is the remains of a single track railway line which was completed in 1869 to carry iron-ore from West Cumbria to Scotland. By 1921 it was closed. After its closure gates had to be built to prevent the Scots walking over it to England on Sundays to benefit from our less strict licensing laws. Not that we Cumbrians minded the trade from our neighbouring Scots but several lost their lives making the return journey in an inebriated state.

It was finally demolished in 1935. Had it remained it would have been blipped against the setting sun many times.