Swan Lake again

Since we 'discovered' Swan Lake back in summer, it's become a favourite spot to head out for a short walk, so we thought it was time to share it with our grandson.

Somehow we'd remembered the paths as flat and easy, but pushing a buggy up an old railway bank proved us wrong.












Other than that little blip, the paths were easy as many of them are cycle routes so require a good surface

As we started out, the sky was blue and the sun warm (considering the time of year)













but as we wandered further the sun disappeared behind clouds

and the crisp autumnal leaves were replaced by the murky water of the old canal - suitable spooky for Halloween!

Returning to the car park by the lake, we encountered a feeding frenzy. The birds here expect ALL visitors to have brought food and this time they were in luck.











Seagulls were being the noisiest and making most fuss, but the Canada geese look more determined! I hope something was left for the smaller birds - ducks and coots - but I suspect not.

Autumn sunshine at Shipley

We've had some gloriously sunny days this week, almost like summer, and it seemed a shame to stay inside, so with eldest daughter and grandson in tow we headed out to Shipley Country park.
















First the smallest member of our party checked out the toddler play equipment - swings, slide, and a sit-on bouncy thing - then we pottered along the keepfit track. It's not a long route but it's very pretty at this time of year with leaves turning red and gold, and at various points along it there's gym-style equipment - rowing machines, a lift-your-own-weight seat, benches for sit-ups, bars for chin-ups etc.











You're probably supposed to run or at least take it quicker than at our pace, and take the exercises a bit more seriously, but no one else wanted to use the equipment so we had some fun - and I was pleased to find I'm still the best of us at sit-ups (though still useless at anything involving hanging from bars by your hands)

The route takes you past Osborne's Pond where the assorted waterfowl were hoping we had food for them. Sorry, birds, not today.












Among the common mallards and coots, we spotted some curiosities ...

a mandarin duck

and a stripey sort of duck that I can't identify at all. Fortunately Twitter came to my rescue, saying it's a Muscovy duck.

No swans nor crested grebes this time, but I'm sure they'll be back