From London I rode a packed train (even pre-rush hour) up to Nottingham, and the following morning (before dawn, which still comes early in these parts) was off, by car, up the A1. Even that early the left lane of the highway was filled with lorries (trucks) moving steadily North, though as the sun rose, so the number of cars increased.

We reached the land of the Prince Bishops early and so sat and walked a little on Waldridge Fell , overlooking the original Washington. Looking over the site of the mine - now undetectable -

that used to be there , the sky now has a line of wind turbines to the East as well as the couple to the West overlooking the original Washington. That far away they were not that noticeable, but closer up their presence is very evident. Maybe that is why there were none to be seen further south.

This morning there was a major headline and article in The Independent on the battle over Drax the largest European generator of electricity from coal. Naturally there is a considerable difference between the view of the plant and that of the protestors. As the family gathered I found that one of us, now renamed Winder, works in the renewable energy field, and our personal discussions today, mirrored in some way the row over the power plant. Somehow it seems that the advent of the TV series has created this idea that technology can solve technical problems in two weeks (for a three-part episode). This is completely unrealistic but yet, the protestors seem not to recognize that the 7% of the UK's electricity needs will have to be replaced with some other solution (which might include conservation - but even that will take time). Time to achieve a purpose is an ongoing part of our discussion here at TOD. If you need to drill 300 wells to meet a target, yet have only 100 rigs to do it, rather than the planned 120, you might still drill the wells and achieve the production, but it is going to take significantly longer time than originally planned to reach full production., with only partial production being reached within the anticipated time frame.

Another short break now - as we, her children, take a beloved blacksmith's lassie finally home, across the Roman Road, and up through Dumfries and Castle Douglas to the bend in the valley of the Ken.
(Note - this was written last Thursday and delayed due to lack of Internet facilities).