One man went to mow...
Mowing my grass in Keswick, this isn’t really a lawn but the wildflower meadow effect didn’t work either; was it the birds or was it the rabbits which nibbled the flowers?
I’m hoping that will have been the last cut this season. There have been showers and rain all summer keeping everything green and growing. As the nights get longer and the air chilly, growth in the garden has at last slowed down, though there’s still plenty to make tidy. The shrub on the left of this photo with lots of fresh shoots was next for trimming after I’d finished the grass.
Agat safety principles apply of course (all the gear all the time).
Mosedale, Mungrisedale and Caldbeck - Lake District National Park
Riding tracks around Mosedale, Mungrisedale and Caldbeck towards the northern boundary of the Lake District National Park.
The sun’s low now and air temperature is getting chilly so the thermal lining back is in my riding suit - although riding rocky roads soon warmed me up.
More photos: Mosedale, Mungrisedale and Caldbeck - Lake District National Park
Haute Vallée de la Clarée - Alpes-de-Haut-Provence
Hike in the protected upper valley of the River Clarée in the Alpes-de-Haut-Provence on the border between France and Italy. This upper tributary of the Durance has avoided exploitation because of its remoteness, lack of viable downhill skiing and insignificance as a trans-Alpine route.
More photos: Haute Vallée de la Clarée - Alpes-de-Haut-Provence
Cols de Granon (2404 m.), des Cibières (2525 m.) and de l’Oule (2546 m.)
Mont Pelvoux (3946 m.) and glacier
Continuing my photographic hunt for glaciers, those slow moving but ever more remote quarry. Our hike from the Col de Granon (2404 m.) gives great views both to the Écrins and to the Savoie Alps. The geology is tortuous because the views are across colliding tectonic plates as well as the action of the glaciers, wind, rain and frost.
More photos: Cols de Granon (2404 m.), des Cibières (2525 m.) and de l’Oule (2546 m.)
Route de la Bonette (2802 m.)
A cracking morning on the highest paved through-road in Europe, the brilliant Route de la Bonette, which gets to 2802 m. as it runs round the Cime de la Bonette between the Alpes-de-Haut-Provence and the Alpes Martimes.
Cold but clear at the top, ice warning on the dash; motorbikers, sports cars and just a few doughty cyclists taking in the views from Savoie to the Mediterranean Alps.
The road was crowded out at one point with a swarm of three dozen bikes from the BMW Moto Club France. #BMWMCF
The Way to Do it - 2
Two big bikes loaded in a van on their way back to Niederösterreich from the Provence Alps. This is a high-top, long-wheelbase van. Each 250 kg bike was wheeled up the ramps using the bike’s drive and strapped in to the van’s fixing points. The paniers were reinstalled after fixing the bikes. Note the bracing bar across the rear door for strapping down the ramps and further items.
Glacier Blanc & Glacier Noir - Parc national des Écrins
Glacier Blanc
Glacier Noir
Hike in the Valloise valley in the middle of the Massif des Écrins to see the Black and the White glaciers. Climate warming means these glaciers have retreated to approximately their extent in Roman times; it’s now a major hike to reach the ice of either. The valley floor is reminiscent of Yosemite with its pine trees. We saw almost no wildlife - no birds, no mammals - although this is a protected area within the national park.
More photos: Glacier Blanc & Glacier Noir - Parc national des Écrins
Purple stain
Nothing says “End of summer” more clearly than fingers stained from picking blackberries from the hedgerows in Sussex on August Bank Holiday Saturday. We picked just enough for bramble jam for our own use and left plenty for the birds.
Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. (Poggio Landi) 2012
One of Italy’s finest wines, and one of the few Italian wines which improves with cellaring beyond a couple of years. Our bottle of Brunello di Montalcino 2012 from prestigious producer Poggio Landi is now ten years old and ready to drink in the evening cool after this weekend’s summer heat.
Read more: Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. (Poggio Landi) 2012
