ABC Wednesday - Gateway

The gateway to the Kirkby Stephen Parish Church, whose byname is the Cathedral of the Dales. A sturdy, small and pretty church, the gateway was built in 1810 with money from the will of John Waller a former resident and leads through the cloisters to the entrance of the church which stands on an old Saxon site. One of the things the church is famous for is its possession of a Viking carving called

the Loki Stone. It features the horned figure of Loki who from Viking stories was sometimes on the side of the gods and sometimes he plagued them for he was a trickster.  At the end he went too far and killed the son of Odin, the result, eternal punishment, which is why this stone shows him bound. And just to add that little bit of detail is is with the entrails of one of his sons.  A serpent drips poison, which his wife collected in a bowl. When the bowl is full she had to pour it out and the poison then dripped on Loki, his pain as he writhes and cries out in pain causes earthquakes. Gosh I feel like a walk to clear my head after that thought.

maybe through this gate on a path lined with gorse. Or perhaps a walk in a country garden

 Tatton Park

with a cool archways of trees. On second thoughts although today has been spring like, no shade required yet,

the gritters are out again tonight.  Only for ice, all our snow has gone.  Wooden gates need a bit of upkeep

 Lancaster near the River Lune

not this one, the building is due for conversion into flats or redevelopment. Sometimes things have gone too far

when lichen and rain have worn away its purpose. Standing propped against the wall is its replacement.

Go to ABC Wednesday where there will be lots more words starting with the letter G