It’s strange how little you know of your own area sometimes, isn’t it? Countless times I’ve ridden the bus along Seal Sands Road, with my nose in a book, blotting out the ugliness. It’s a highly industrialised area and holds little appeal, apart from the seals that inhabit Greatham Creek.
I was unaware of the Brine Fields, where saturated salt was once extracted and processed by the local Cerebos company. Nowadays the resulting salt caverns are used for storage of liquid gas for the process industry. A forbidding sight, complete with warning notices.
If you look very closely you might spot a grey head bobbing along in the water. The seal is apparently oblivious to the stormy skies and forbidding landscape. For humans those skies mean it’s time to get a move on home. Always assuming they have a home to go to, of course.
Paula is asking for interpretations of Forbidding on Thursday’s Special this week. This is mine. If you come along on my walk next Monday I’ll tell you a little more about the area, and we’ll go and find those seals. Bit of a change from butterflies, isn’t it?
restlessjo 
Schöne Wolkenbilder, der Boden respektive das Landgebiet gefällt mir aber nicht. Es wirkt nicht einladend, dort zu wandern
Grüsse Ernst
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Es ist sehr hässlich und potenziell gefährlich, Ernst , aber die Dichtungen scheinen nicht in den Sinn. 🙂
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You’ve captured ‘forbidding’ in your words as well as your photos. The ugly parts we see in the world are all down to human activity😢
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I absolutely agree with you there, Carol, but happily some of us create beauty too. 🙂
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I kept my focus on the sky…stunning, Jo!
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Good plan, Jill! 🙂 You’ll be delighted to know that the rain clouds missed me 🙂
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You definitely manage to create beauty wherever you go darling. Just like you I do my best to ignore the ugly that the industrial market creates and I love those skies! Definitely my type of weather. Gorgeous captures! 😀 ♥
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Thank you so much, Sonel. I didn’t really expect you to like this one let alone share a link so huge thanks, and hugs too. 🙂
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And why wouldn’t I? There will never be anything about your lovely captures that I don’t like Jo and you do know that stormy skies, mist and fog are my favourites, and like I said, you always see the beauty in everything around you, so it’s always great visiting and going on your lovely tours. 😀
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🙂 🙂
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The world is the way it is, but very well captured – in it’s own way very fascinating… 🙂
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Can’t do pretty every day, can I, Drake? The normal me will be restored soon (I hope 🙂 )
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A huge change from butterflies. It’s hard to notice ugliness and remain nested in optimism about life. And impossible to counter it, I fear.
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This one almost has a happy ending, Meg, if you can tune out the ‘dark side’. 🙂
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Very moody pics – those skies definitely add a sense of foreboding…
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We JUST made it back to the car, Suze 🙂 🙂
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WOW! What a contrast… amazing photographs. Thank you dear Johanna, have a nice weekend, Love, nia
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It’s a funny old world out there, Nia, isn’t it? Something for everyone, if only we look. 🙂 Thank you, darlin’. You too!
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Very moody and stark Jo, sometimes it suits our moods to post something a little darker and out of the ordinary. What a great post.
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Oh, I definitely have a dark side, Miriam, but I mostly keep it hidden. Thanks a lot for your lovely appreciation. 🙂 Hope you’re having a good week.
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We all have a dark side, don’t we? Might have to show mine tonight in a post. 🙂
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ok, i’m waiting for seals and story on Monday!
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Okey doke 🙂 🙂
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Beautiful post about a “raw” site and dramatic skies … there is beauty everywhere it’s only that we can’t see it – but you truly done it here. Fantastic post.
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Thanks, sweetheart! 🙂 How funny- I was just in the process of backtracking to your site through Suzanne’s Hoover Dam. 🙂
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Jo, you know where to find me …. *smile It’s a while since I paid you a visit.
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Since living in a Consett in the 1970s I’ve always found beauty in industrial landscapes because of what they represent. Look what happens when they are destroyed – very topical at the moment.
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Indeed, Anabel. There’s a lot more to this story than meets the eye. 🙂
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Excellent contribution, really!
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Thanks, Anna 🙂 A little different from my usual.
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Quite a departure indeed Jo…..I always feel a little sad around industrialised landscapes like this….there is a stunning stretch of coast not far from us which has been blighted by a cement works and a nuclear power station!! It means big stretches are closed off and inaccessible. 😞😳
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Very much the same with this stretch, Seonaid, and I do normally keep my head in a book. There is a whole other aspect to this area, which I want to share on Monday. 🙂 Thanks for sharing my gloom.
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I’ll look forward to seeing the Monday post….meanwhile that’s enough gloom….I’m off for some sun and green spaces! 😆
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Very different, but I really like it. I’ve got a post coming out this evening highlighting how we generally all write lovely positive stuff with pretty pictures, so love the fact you have done something ‘forbidding’ 🙂
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I did think it was a bit extreme after the butterflies, but I don’t want my blog to be bland and boring. I was feeling quite moody and broody when I went out but the skies really lifted my spirits. (and we just avoided the downpour 🙂 )
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Somehow don’t think anyone could ever describe your blog as bland and boring, how could we when it is your trips and travels. Do like the change though: especially as you avoided the downpour.
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Thanks for the vote of confidence 🙂 🙂
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Very different but also interesting compared to the butterflies. Just as you say, you hide behind a book so you won’t see the ‘ugliness’. 🙂
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Thanks a lot for commenting, Ineke. I didn’t know how well this one would go down. It’s not everyone’s choice of a place to spend time. 🙂
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Still it is worth writing and showing some photos.
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Definitely forbidding, Jo, and quite a departure from your usual happy images!
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It was a totally impromptu walk yesterday, Sue. Beauty in ugliness? Not too sure, but I loved the skies, and there’s a happy ending coming. 🙂 🙂
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Oh good, I like a happy ending!
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Me too! 🙂
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You are a flash this morning Jo 🙂 How was your Easter? All three captures are stunning. Well done, you! And thanks a lot! 🙂
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A very moody walk, Paula, and totally unplanned. I left the house with no sense of direction and ended up here! 😦
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I like walks like these, impromptu walks 😀 Lucky me for your impetus.
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