Saturday 1 October 2011

Saturday Morning Bike Ride

Up bright and early this morning I wait till the rain stops before starting out at about 8am. As you will see, we have none of your blue sky heatwave nonsense hereabouts. Big sigh...

I pedal up the long hill out the village through the dripping tunnel of trees. It's always a pleasure to reach the top, it seems a different world up here - so peaceful and with a wonderful sense of spaciousness.

Behind this pretty young cow you can just make out the clouds lying along the strath. I was looking forward to photographing these not too far along from here, but I stop to collect some more brambles and by the time I've filled my tub the clouds are all around and it's raining gently.

I am aware of the folklore warning about picking blackberries after Michaelmas Day. It is claimed that any unpicked berries after Michelmas belong to the Devil. Allegedly, when Lucifer fell from Heaven he landed in a bramble bush and was so angry that "he then cursed the fruit, scorched them with his fiery breath, spat and stamped on them and made them unfit for consumption". In reality this story stems from the fact that as Autumn progresses maggots and early frosts will likely have spoiled many of the berries. In actual fact this lore relates to Old Michelmas Day which is the 10th Oct (as opposed to the 29th Sept), so I'm fine and the berries looked much the same as when I picked my first tubfull two weeks ago.

Rain soaked fields.

Beautiful twisty bare trees.

I like the contrast of the long yellowing grass in the foreground against the emerald greens of the rest of the landscape.

These sheep were trying to avoid getting their photograph taken.

Hawthorn berries, each adorned with a gleaming raindrop.

Tree mounds arched by silhouetted branches.

Another lovely tree silhouette. The red gate post is now visible again, in the summer it is hidden under a leafy blanket.

A solitary thistle.

I'm heading up a steep hill (so steep I actually walk a little of the way, the shame...). I've not been this way since just over a year ago, I'm sure I was able to cycle all the way up the hill back then.

Pylons descend into the mists.

Nearly at the top...

...made it! I'm at Kaims Reservoir (here is a link to how it looked last Sept)

A moss topped stone wall...

...curves round the edge of the reservoir.

Beautiful, peaceful...

...and wet. It starts to rain quite heavily and the ground is already waterlogged so I decide not to follow the track round on this visit.

Back down the steps to the bike.

A last soggy view before heading for home. The rain becomes torrential. I make sure my camera is tucked away safely in my bar bag and take the most direct route which is along the cycle path. I end up soaked to the skin. Each time I press a foot down on the pedals I can feel water squelching up through my toes. Water is dripping from my elbows inside my jacket. What a pleasure it is to reach home and get dry again.

I check the bramble haul. There are fewer millipedes and no spiders this time but there are quite a few of these teeny tiny snails, now removed.

13 comments:

Rebecca said...

Looks like you had a lovely peaceful time! I'd happily swap your weather for ours, it has been ridiculously hot here and it's not even cooling down in the evenings! x

Mining Oil said...

goed beeld, I love it.....
Oil prices today

Grateful4Crochet said...

For some reason I always seem to read these posts when I am feeling unmotivated to go for a morning walk, and they never fail to inspire me to get out of my pajamas and go walking and discover beauty!!!
So thanks

June said...

Great snaps as usual. It has been boiling hot here all day and I had to work which wasn't good!
June

Meredith said...

There is something about rain that cleans the earth, The smell of the rain and dark blanket of clouds is so beautiful. So happy you shared your ride with us, but even happier you arrived home safely.
Meredith

Lyn said...

I enjoyed the trip thank you, glad you got some blackberries before they were spoilt
xxx

VintageVicki said...

I'd also swap the heat for some of your cooler weather. Too hot for me at the moment - and the heat is making my bad leg very puffy :(

Am missing my bike so much - can't wait till I can ride it again.

Claire said...

Oh your Saturday morning bike rides are always so enjoyable, whether it be sunny or wet.....although you may not agree about the wet !!

Love the pic of the 'tree mounds' and the Hawthorn berries, but all the photos have a beauty of their own.

I'm sure you enjoyed drying off and warming up once you reached home. Hope you get a little bit of sunshine and warmth over the weekend.

Claire

Rattling On said...

Well, it was 28 degrees here yesterday and blazing sun. Today it's back to usual with pouring rain! Nice while it lasted.
I haven't really seen any brambles round here, in the past I've picked them for jam. Love your little snail friend...

Mrs. Micawber said...

I love the teeny tiny snail and the twisty trees and the yellowing grass shot and the tree mounds and the reflection with raindrops on the water...

Glad you made it home with no spills on those wet roads.

Simone said...

You really do have a good eye for taking photos. I would welcome the rain down here. I actually have a heat rash!!!

...Nina Nixon... said...

I think the rain makes everything look even more beautiful.

Beautiful pictures,

Nina x

Julie said...

We had similar low cloud and rain on Saturday too and really heavy rain yesterday. Bet you were pleased to get dried out.
Didn't know about brambles after Michaelmas Day (and got a bit worried since we picked some on Saturday too) so pleased to read its okay after all! Juliex

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