What a day! Almost wall to wall sunshine. We decided to go for a walk in the local area and headed off towards Acorn Bank, the local National property. The sun was really warm, it was windless, and the air was pleasantly cool. As we walked across the fields we noticed large numbers of redwings and fieldfares. Catkins were growing on trees at the edge of the field, another sure sign that Spring is almost with us. We could see the Pennine hills clearly. Acorn Bank had been closed for the winter but will open again soon. Walking past the iron gates, we tried to work out whose initials were displayed. There were huge swathes of snowdrops in the woods beyond the house.

We made our way towards Crowdundle Beck and continued through some sodden patches. After a short while we walked under the railway viaduct, constructed from local sandstone (which is a very common building material in the area). A couple of goods trains sped above us on the Settle to Carlisle Railway line, a very special line for railway enthusiasts. There were no steam trains today but we are hoping to see some later in the year when there are quite a few special steam engines travelling.

As we walked further along the banks of the Crowdundle Annabel spotted a dipper, a bird often found near or in water and renowned for its up and down stance. We couldn’t see any moles but they had certainly made their presence felt in the fields. Further along we watched the water flowing rapidly over rocks and through numerous bends. Back in the village, we walked across the green and were delighted to see clumps of snowdrops and crocuses.

Overall, a very pleasant expedition; we felt very relaxed and well pleased with such an enchanting and interesting walk. I felt an intense feeling of well-being.