Rosedale 3

 

You really have to go and visit the whole project to feel it. This is a mere sketch of what is an incredible experience.

Rosedale 2

 Photographing sculpture is not an art. The art has been created by the sculptor, the photographer in such cases is merely a recorder. Which is a good job, as it is almost impossible to catch the magnificence of most of Goldsworthy's art.

Hanging Rock

Rosedale 1

We went up to Rosedale in the North York Moors to experience the Andy Goldsworthy art trail. Words cannot describe this brilliant project that involves a 10km walk up the valley to the Moors and back, visiting 10 barns that have been each restored and contain a work by the artist. It might sound pretentious but it is just fantastic. So this is the trail with a marking stone and an iron lozenge to tell you that the right direction is being followed.

Death & The Penguin

In Book Group we discussed Death & The Penguin by Khirkov, the contemporary Ukranian author. Nataliia had given me the book for my birthday last year. It was written before the Russian invasion, and was a great surreal tale. A good one for the group to discuss.

A portal on the Trans Pennine Trail, from the Trundle.

Trundle 4

Friend Victor came up to stay over last week. He bought his synth with him, and we had a bash at creating synth / guitar music. Fair to say it is a work in progress, but a lot of fun. He is from Wakefield and so the next stage of  The Trundle was from Wakefield to York by way of Sustrans tracks by the river Calder and along old industrial railway lines. I love the route, and had a really good ride. This shot is of the Chancery Chapel on the old bridge over the Calder in Wakefield, both date from the 14th century.

 

Tour d'Elmet 4

An old railway line that used to connect the pits of Garforth and Allerton Bywater to Castleford. Now a much used green corridor.
 

Tour d'Elmet 3

This track runs through what was part of the Selby Mine super pit. 5 pits connected underground for coal to emerge here at Gasgoine Wood. All now shut.

Tour d'Elmet 2

This was once part of an open cast mine and the biggest slag heap in Europe. Now it is St Aidans RSPB reserve crossed by many a bridle way. A great place to cycle around. And all within sight of Leeds.

Tour d'Elmet 1

 Last week I rode my Tour d'Elmet off road route. 100km right through the heart of Elmet on a beautiful day. This old track running towards Sherburn in Elmet is a favourite part of the route. Wheat to the left of me, oats to my right.

Walking

 We walked with friend Emilie at the weekend, then had lunch in the garden sunshine - very pleasant. This shot is under the road bridge by the river Wharfe in Tadcaster.

More Paris

One final shot from Paris, another Louvre shot.

Paris

Quite a building, the Louvre. Surprised it is not more famous.

Tree News

About seven years since we had our deciduous sequoia tree felled, on account of its roots threatening the house. It was a sad loss, so finding this sister tree in the nearby park was pleasing. It is well sited so should stay there for a while.

New Forest 2

Taken in the New Forest. One day this will all be trees. Can't wait.

 

New Forest

In our music bookgroup we discussed Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, which has a strong opera theme. General view was it was OK but not a classic.

 We went to the new York Community Wood, know to us as the New Forest. It is going to be great, a whole swathe of farmland converted to a forest with plenty of tracks and full public access. Early days but it still a good walk. It will eventually connect up with a converted tip at nearby Rufforth. So good work by the Council.

Weekend

We had a good long weekend together. Thursday I collected Layla from Louise, and some photographs that had been on exhibition at Ampleforth monastery. Friday we visited Hatfield Moors for the first time since February (no dogs allowed during the summer for the protection of ground nesting birds). Saturday we had a great meal with friends Rob and Liz, using the tandem to get there. Sunday, a great relaxing day at home.

All glad to be back

 

Back Home 2

 We had gazpacho at the restaurant in Paris, so when the greenhouse provided us with tomatoes and a cucumber upon our return home, Danielle made our own gazpacho for the hot day that greeted us back in Yorkshire. Delicious. 

Back Home 1

Everyone happy to be back home and good trips away.

Layla's Trip

Whilst we were in Paris, Layla was having a great time with Louise, her dog Pasha and son Seb. Here she is in the sea at Saltburn pier.

Paris 6

It looked like out train would be delayed from Paris, but in the end the whole journey home was fine. All's well etc. Here are three shots from our Paris stay.

We got to know Groslay station well.

Taken from the Paris (much better) version of the New York High Line, converted railway line.

A Westfield shopping centre in Paris. Does not seem right.

Paris 5

Tuesday Rowan left for Toulouse where she stayed with school friend Geronimo before going to Bordeaux to meet up with London friends to go and watch Olympic womens football (Brasil v Spain). Despite their support Spain won 2-0. 

Meantime Danielle and I survived the heat of Paris by enjoying the shade of the Luxembourg gardens.

 

Paris 4

Monday we have tickets for the women Rugby 7s at the Stade de France at St Denis. This is near our flat, and is the main Olympic Stadium where all the athletics will take place. We see six games and all the teams in the competition. A full stadium, great atmosphere and some great games. Canada impressed me the most, and they went on to get the silver medal the next day, behind the ruthless Kiwis.

The view from our seats.

Paris 3

Sunday we went to a restaurant recommended by Danielle's friend Ashanti. It was just perfect for us, busy, small, great food, locals eating there, spot on. I had to nip out onto the street to get this shot through the window.

Next up was a trip to the Louvre. The queue is quick, our anticipation high. I had got tickets for the wrong day, we could not enter. Oh well, it will be there next time.

Paris 2

We get the train to Gard du Nord then the metro to Bastille where we get ready for the women and men's cycling road time trial. It is raining, but it is warm. The race is a fantastic experience, we all enjoyed it. First Anna Henderson came second in the women's race for GB, then Remco won for Belgium in the men's race which was really impressive. 

We got talking to Mikkel Bjerg's parents during the men's race; the Danish rider came 10th which is a considerable achievement.

Paris 1

Sorry about the long radio silence. Hope to be back up to speed now, the 20 year blog anniversary is in two months time, so I can't stop now.

Thursday last week. I deliver the dog to Louise who is looking after her for a week whilst we go to Paris. Then Danielle and I get on the train for London where we are meeting Rowan and (for the first time) her boyfriend Jamie, then we are all going to see the Richard Hawley musical in town. At least that was the plan. Our train stops at Peterborough "I didn't think we stopped here?", "We don't". Someone has killed themselves on the track at Stevenage, leading to our train being cancelled, a long wait at Peterborough and our therefore missing both the meal and show. Three hours late we get to our B&B in Russell Square, get some food from Waitrose and have a somewhat different meal to the one we expected.

Thursday we all meet up at St Pancras to get the Eurostar to Paris for the Olympics - we even get to see Jamie who has come to try and say hello across the anxious Eurostar crowd. Why anxious? because we all have the information that our train will be heavily delayed and run on a "classic" line to Paris because of protest sabotage of the track at Lille. We get to our flat in Paris two hours late, where our host could not be more helpful as she shows us to a really nice flat in Groslay. On the train we hear of people who have had their Air B&B cancelled as they are en-route to Paris for the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Not good.

Our apartment is on the 5th floor (no lift) which is fine when the staircase is as beautiful as this.