Scozmo's Photery

Yep, genuinely amazed. What by? Where?

It’s February 7th and it’s dreich, sorry, I’ll try not to mention that word too often but, it is a vital part of my tale today.

Let me show you something.

On January 19th I took a walk at Backwater reservoir and was a little shocked to see the water level had barely risen and, yes, the sun shone! It’s been a while. The water level was just over 27 metres at the tower; it had been just below that before Christmas.

So the object of today’s walk was, after ALL the rain we’ve had, has the level risen yet?

It was dreich and flippin’ chilly up there.

Holy ……!!!! It’s almost full! I seriously could not believe it, I was standing next to another guy who was cycling up this way and we were both amazed by the rise which, only goes to show how much rain we’ve had in the last month. I can only remember two, possibly three days when the sun shone, sometimes only for a short while but ………. to refill a reservoir this size in a few weeks!!!???

WOW.

Compare the shot above to my first one and look at the tower levels.

After a short chat, I headed up the usual track, fully wrapped up, hat and gloves on.

There had been only one car in the car park, no surprise really and that was my reasoning for a walk up here on a weekend, not something I usually consider but, given the weather, good call. You can just see the distant road heading up the hillside, that’s the relatively new logging road as they clear all the mature and fallen wood from the hillsides and today ….. what the heck? It’s Saturday, they won’t be working in this weather so, I’m heading that way, for a change.

There’s a pretty steep and constant climb up that road but it has levels every now and again, time to catch my breath.

I decided to get as many shots as I climbed to try to show the hill, track and the view of the reservoir so, looking back then looking up the hill ahead.

This was the first back shot that showed the usual track leading away towards the dam and car park.

Farther up the hill, looking back and if you tap or click to enlarge the first shot, you can just make out a couple of people on the low road, another shot looking ahead and up the slope.

You can also see now why I started with dreich! These are all phone pics by the way, it was too wet for the cameras, there’s a constant “smirry” rain going on and, blowing into my face at the moment.

I was keeping an eye on possible views down onto the water, there’s a lot of new growth pine between me and the reservoir.

I was actually really enjoying this walk and the climb, the fact that the reservoir had refilled and so quickly just amazes me. Nature! Wonderful but, for how long if we keep screwing with the planet?

Another look back and I hope you can see the low road getting smaller 🙂

Two more shots of the track ahead, in the first one you can see where I am headed, that distant clump of trees end where the track passes.

Here come the panos! I was imagining how that would look with the snow and blue sky with scattered clouds.

Another look up the track ahead.

And back down the hill.

Another break in the trees to my right ….

I had been waiting to see if the water had filled all the way back to the top and it has!

The full width view from up here, the dam being way back to the right.

Another couple of shots ahead, you can see now how low the cloud base is, it was getting pretty brisk up here, chilly misty rain blowing into my face but, beautiful. The track ahead runs to the right of those trees.

Ahead and back, almost at the top.

In that pano you can just make out the low road in the trees below, that’s just around the picnic bench area.

I am now standing at the highest point on this track, the trees to the left are those that I mentioned a few times as I was climbing.

11:50. I had set off to climb this track at 11:08 so not bad at all.

Down below lies the low road, I normally walk up to those trees just past the track end and turn around; my Eagle encounter was slightly to the left. All the water you can see there, was mud a few weeks ago!

Looking due North from the highest point.

Remember I said there wouldn’t be anyone working on a dreich Saturday?

There was someone up in those trees centre shot with a machine, working away! Overtime? 😉

I carried on down the slope past the vehicles

Why leave that little stand of skinny pines?

There are many, many piles of cut wood on the trail, the logging trucks will be kept busy once the weather clears a bit, that also means we have to be a little more aware driving on these narrow country lanes! When those things trundle round a bend taking up a LOT of road, quick reactions are required!

Only me! I soon realised that the numbers sprayed onto these piles was the wood length!

No shortage of cut timber here; I have seen trucks from different companies coming up, I guess they have orders for their wood requirements? You may also notice to the right, there’s the reservoir again, I had come back to the top end, my usual turn-around point.

Looking back up the hillside, you can see that stand of trees I asked why about 🙂

Almost at the end of the new logging road.

Looking ahead at the gate and the reservoir, on the right bank is the track I usually walk up and today I would be walking back down.

Looking back up the track and at the hillside I had crossed earlier.

I walked through the two gates, both open for the first time in ages.

I walked down to the trees and stepped under cover for a few moments, cover from the wind and rain and a few moments to reflect on the difference on the water, amazing!

Back on familiar ground, I walked back down the track, round to the second gate …

Looking down at the water and back up the hillside, all the water you see was mud a few weeks back!

Don’t know whether you noticed but, I have not shared one shot of a bird! Mainly because I didn’t see any, well a few Carrion Crow …. until now.

This turned out to be a flock of around 18 birds! On to the first gate, reverse order today 🙂

This field will be full of Meadow Pipits, Stone & Whinchats in a few months 🙂

And so, on to the picnic bench.

There wasa couple with their dog walking up towards me as I sat and looked around me, quick snack and a drink but not for long, it’s COLD! We had a good chat when they arrived and we went on our way.

It was here that I spotted the only other bird of the day.

A hungry Kestrel was quartering along the hillside. I’d carried two cameras today, thinking I might get some landscapes & birds but too cold and wet for the most part.

I stopped at my usual photo spot to get another panorama back the way I had just come.

The dark smudge of distant trees to the right of those trees on the left is where I had come out of the logging trail.

Around the corner and back to the start of that trail.

I had taken the track on the left all the way up to those dark trees just right of centre and it will be a great walk in better weather but, I had loved it today, very invigorating.

There only remained that final comparison.

Have a close look at that colourful image from January, just over two weeks ago, then compare with the next two! This entire reservoir has refilled in two weeks. That’s the weather we’ve had, hence dreich 😉

This had been a very cold, wet and windy exploration walk, the whole point of my visit was checking the water levels. I think I was smiling the whole way round, just over 5 miles, a great walk.

Stay safe and well all