Pie and Mushies

The Black Dog

Time to break away, I think. the old County Borough covered quite a lot of ground and I haven’t covered anything like all of that yet, but since 1974 the borough has included a rural hinterland of moorland and sheep pasture as well as the old town of Dalton and the substantial old mining communities of Lindal, Ireleth and Askam.

High up on isolated moorland roughly equidistant between Dalton, Askam and Lindal is the Black Dog, which may be a strong contender for the title of the best pub in the borough of Barrow-in-Furness. It has coal fires, which you don’t see too often these days and they may not sit too well with the wind farm across the road. There’s always a good range of independent cask-conditioned and hand-pulled beers and the food may not be haute cuisine but it’s good and filling.

Boats on the Channel (again)

We’re still on misty, romantic old Christmas Eve. I never tire of the boats and the conditions were perfect.

Walney Bridge again

Another view of the Walney Bridge, this time on a misty Christmas Eve.

I will be emerging from my post-Christmas torpor any time now!

Christmas on the Channel

When my dad gave me my first camera for Christmas 41 years ago today, he told me never to take pictures directly into the sun. So being an awkward sort of child I did anyway, and the result was, as often as not, very pleasing. So I’ve been doing it ever since.

Here’s the Walney Channel looking South-ish on a mild, bright and still Christmas Day, and very lovely it looks and feels too. I’m guessing from the number of unattended buoys that many boat-owners have taken their craft away for the duration.

Let me raise a glass of this rather nice Rioja to you and wish you all the compliments of the season

A Message from our Sponsor

Do I need to add more? Oh, all right. Today is one of those perfect winter days: misty, still, not too cold. So I went up yo Walney Beach to send a message to all my net friends, wherever you may be.

Dormer

I spotted this original Victorian dormer in a house in Hartington Street. All the other dormers in the street have been replaced long singe, many with wretched UPVC units. I think this one is rather lovely and it’s just a shame that it hasn’t been kept in good condition.

Note the non-functional streetlight…

Duke Street

Looking South-ish on a dark and gloomy December afternoon. That’s about all I have to say, really. I’m feeling as dark and gloomy as the afternoon…

Messing about in boats

I’m not sure what’s going on here.

In the summer there is powerboat racing on the dock, but I don’t think these guys are actually racing so much as enjoying themselves in powerful boats on the water. I think it’s those security patrol guys getting bored again.

I Saw Three Ships (again)

Remember the Sultan of Brunei’s bath toys? The ones he wasn’t satisfied with because they were over-specified? And were sitting in Barrow docks awaiting a buyer who didn’t mind crew quarters designed for small Sarawaki sailors?

Well, they’re still here. Every so often one of then goes off for a test drive around the Irish Sea, but always comes back after a few days. This is a close-up view after I took a stroll down Cavendish Dock Road this afternoon.