Forth and Clyde Canal

I'd noticed these locks on customer visits in the past and this week had opportunity for a couple of hours fishing them and the surrounding area on Wednesday evening. I didn't get a bite but did get some useful info from a friendly local lure angler

Ilkley Moor Sunday walk

Scott Walker

Majorca

Zed

This was not only my first zander but the first I've ever seen. I've fished for forty odd years but not seriously for fifteen plus. The spread of this species in the Midlands canal network was something I wasn't aware of until very recently. With 'the light nights' imminent and regular trips to Leicester in my diary there is certainly chance to do some serious towpath bashing. Now, where's my new OS Landranger sheet 140, "Leicester, Coventry and Rugby"?

Spring lambs

Is it just me but are the local lambs really late appearing this year (and thin on the ground too)?

The shadow of your smile

All things must pass

One of my gurus passed away recently and as is  often the case we learned at the funeral that there was much more to the deceased than we could have imagined. We all knew Frank was a family man and a highly knowledgeable expert in his professional field, but I didn't know that he was a very competitive sportsman, or that he taught himself to play the guitar as a 59 years old. A full church on a miserable grey Peak District morning was a very good indication of the high esteem he was held in with a broad range of people R.I.P Frank Welch

Sprung

National pie week

Billed as a "Traditional Yorkshire pasty" and a very decent accompaniment to a half gallon of local ale last night in the Swan

Norwood forest dog walk

Stef and I went over to Norwood forest today to meet Anji and Ash, plus our Tussock who's been staying with them for a while because we've been busy, and Archie,  Walter, Doric and Zuki. The weather was much better than predicted and birds were everywhere including singing skylark, meowing buzzard and cronking raven

Like a ship . . . (without a sail)