ABC Wednesday - B

B is for Black Combe

My local mountain, or possibly hill as it is only 1,969 ft. Here is the view from Kirkby Moor with a piece of farm machinery, not sure what its original use was for. I am a generation away from my farming roots.
I can't resist a rusting building so here we are moving closer on a beautifully sunny day.
And here closer still from Skelly Crag on the Duddon estuary. This was a very breezy day so the washing at the end house would not take long to dry.

It is a popular walk to the top of Black Combe and can be approached from many directions. You are sure to meet at least one person on the way up, down, or on the top. They are usually walking but depending on the time of day there will usually be someone running. The local fell running club could only be called one thing the Black Combe Runners and there is usually a race at some time of the year here.
Popular also with cyclists, although they are fewer in number. Here is one going up from the north west side which has a lot less distinct path than the wide path from Whicham church. He is heading for the top.
Now I have, somewhere, pictures of the view from the top taken with my old film camera. They are hiding from me. On a clear day it is a fabulous view, out to sea to the Isle of Man and mountains to the north and the Coniston range to the east. I can't find one on the net so this is one taken by stridingedge.net of the trig point on the flat top. This is a good place to shelter from the wind and is a popular place to eat sandwiches and chat to whoever else is passing.
Being near the Irish Sea Black Combe does tend to attract the clouds and there is a saying "If you can see Black Combe it is going to rain, if you cannot see it, its already raining".
It appears and disappears depending on the air quality. This is a hazy view taken yesterday with the north end spit of Walney Island just visible under the hill and the Duddon Sands beyond. It was not visible at all today because, torrential rain, and more forecast tomorrow.

Now a hill like this, that stands alone on a flat plain, does not have only one saying about it, but two, but this one is of an older origin and is "nothing good ever comes round Black Combe". Which could mean our West Cumbrian neighbours, no just kidding, it probably refers to the Scottish raiding parties down from the borders commonly known as the Border Reivers.

For bags more Bs take a trip to ABC Wednesday