swords into ploughshares or birds not bombs

Sunday was a voluntary ranger patrol for the North York Moors National Park, http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/. I was on the coast north of Scarborough and although I could see the sea fret far out to sea, where it should always stay, on the cliff tops it was sunny, and, out of the breeze, hot. As I walked first south and then back north I was accompanied by the screams of the gulls and the more melodious song of the sky larks, heard but not seen. Near the sewage treatment plant, looking like a mixture of old and new farm buildings, there were masses of what I think were swallows and house martins. This is a fascinating section of coast, several places where the intrepid can descend to the shore and a curious flat series of rock formations along the beach, formed I believe by differential erosion of the different rocks.

not the best example of the
rocks, but the best I can do!

Then came the subject of the title, an old coast guard look out and its brick mine shelter (they would have had to move fast to get into it!) now converted into a look out for a local bird watching group to watch for migrating birds. How wonderful I thought, a relic not just of the 2nd world war but also of the cold war, now converted into a marvellous peace time use. What a pity that the monstrosity at Fylingdales can't be treated in the same way, or even all done away with.



from war time to peace time



the mine shelter on the left, the bird 'hide' on the right

For the last half hour of my patrol the sea fret blows in and out, first of all obliterating the view, then just as suddenly blowing back to sea again, a ghostly meteorological feature.

Coasties tomorrow, with the National Trust, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/yorkshire-coast, and then straight to see my grandsons, a flying visit, but soon one will be at pre-school so I must make the most of it whilst they are still both at home.

Talk in the national press of 'better off' pensioners losing or paying for their bus passes. Really I would rather pay more tax, the bus pass is not just a 'ticket to ride' but keeps cars off the road and for socially isolated pensioners can be a life line to company. However if all pensioners had a proper level of pension then we wouldn't need any perks at all.