The Stroll Part5 three

 

Layla is a bit of a pathfinder, which can be very helpful for me. In this case there really was no room for doubt as our path took us alongside Doncaster Jail and right into the centre of the town.

The Stroll pt5 two

The route also ran by the river Dearne, which used to be surrounded by pits of the Barnsley coalfield. These days it looks positively bucolic.

The Stroll pt 5

Stage five of The Stroll took place on Friday (my last day before two days stuck indoors for Open Studios). I took the train to Bolton upon Dearne which is a typical (ex)pit village near Barnsley, and walked on the Sustrans route back to Doncaster. It was a good day and a great walk, passing the Earth Centre (failed Millennium project, now by the look of it a hotel), Connisbrough castle and many amazing railway viaducts and bridges. 

The first part of the walk was through wetlands of the Don Valley, made wetter by mining subsidence that allows water to collect. Saw the first swallows of the year, as well as egrets.

YOS is over

York Open Studios has been and gone. The usual mix of lots of interest, lots of chat, sales, future sales etc. This year the Elmet book outsold the Wolds one for the first time, which I was pleased about; a lot of people returning for Elmet, having enjoyed the Wolds book. For the first time I was showing with Gail Fox, a collage artist, and it we worked really well together. This shot is of Gail's display at the window end of the studio.

 

The Stroll pt4

Knaresbrough is one of the more picturesque towns in Yorkshire. It reminds me of a French town, with its river (the Nidd) and steep streets and snickets leading up from the gorge to the market square and castle. The boats were looking smart for the new season. From Knaresbrough I got the train back to York.

The Stroll Stage Four - Viaduct

 The muddy tracks took us to this beautiful viaduct on the current Leeds to Harrogate line.

The Stroll Stage 4

This weeks part of The Stroll was from Pannal (to the south west of Harrogate) to Knaresbrough. It was a windy day, with promised rain unable to show up, which lead to a great walk via Harrogate on bridleways and old railway tracks. 

This shot is of Crimple Beck as it flows (pretty abundantly) through Pannal.