Off Road Yorkshire Loop

I rode one of my favourite routes last week. 110 miles, mostly on old railway lines and canal towpaths, connecting York to Doncaster, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds then back to York. It is an incredible journey.
First off is a ride along the old East Coast Mainline to Selby. This route was abandoned in the 80s when a diversionary line was created to avoid the then new Selby coalfield. It means you can cycle where Mallard steamed at full tilt back in the day. From Selby the route crosses a World War II bomber command airfield that is now [very very] slowly reverting to agricultural use, then follows a series of canals and disused coal pits across the flatlands to Doncaster.
An old railway line skirts Doncaster then picks us the River Don in the beautiful Don Gorge which is followed past the failed Earth Centre [Millennium funding, no clear purpose] to the Dearne Valley where there are bird reserves and wetlands where before was all industry.
Skirting Barnsley the route follows lovely old canals shaded by trees up towards Wakefield. The River Aire is then followed before reaching Leeds and striking north through Temple Newsham park and a great route on bridleways back to York. What a day. Totally exhausted but happy.

The photo is of one of the disused railway viaducts over the Don.

Clematis

My Mother would always gently suggest that I "get a bit more colour into the garden", as she looked at our swathes of green. Unfortunately it is just not our priority. Anyway I have done my best, and here is a clematis that has just come out.

Chess

The sun was shining in through the blinds onto the chess set this morning. If you look too carefully you'll see cobwebs on some of the pieces, which is, I am afraid, a reflection on how often I play. I always liked the idea of having a classic game on the go, like Philip Marlowe, to ponder over a coffee. It very rarely happens.

Church Bar

St Johns Church in York has been converted to a bar; so even though it was morning we thought we'd better check it out.

Skipworth

Last week I cycled across Skipworth Common which used to be an airbase in the war, and is now reverted to heathland. It is a timeless place, and these longhorn cattle give it a bit of a Jurassic Park feel too.

Churches in York

It was raining last Friday so Robert and I decided to visit York churches on foot rather than cycling in the rain. We discovered all sorts of amazing places and, just as importantly, helpful people who wanted to show us round. At the Methodist central church in St Saviourgate we were shown up to this amazing upstairs gallery dating from when the church was built in Victorian times. The church could hold a thousand; current average congregation? 40.

The New Manchester

I took this shot of a new bridge over the Irwell in Manchester on Monday as well; an example of the new feel to the city, particularly around the rivers and canals. It is just as uplifting as the beautiful old Victorian parts of the town - in a different way for sure, but still positive.

Manchester Victoria

I took this photo on Monday of Manchester Victoria Station. It made me smile with its list of places served that ranged, as you can see, from Southport on the one hand to Belgium on the other; a perfect example of the mix of great city with no airs or graces. When I was a kid Victoria was this huge dark grim smokey hell hole of a station, now it has been transformed into a light airy space whilst keeping the heritage of the original architecture of the Lancashire & Yorkshire railway which built it.
The bomb outrage was right next to this building, but I do believe that Manchester will remain strong despite this adversity.

King King Again

Danielle, Paul and I went to see King King [third time in a year] again at Fibbers in York. What a great band they are, up to standard and wildly received by all there [except Paul].
Then back over to Manchester for the new work. Even the River Irwell has been cleaned up a bit now; the city used to turn its back on it.

I wrote this having walked with joy from Victoria station past the Cathedral in the wonderful regenerated Manchester that is a great inspiring place. Then this morning I woke to the news of the bomb that had killed and maimed in that very area. No words ...

Leeds - Triers

I took the car into Leeds for a service and had a walk around. This magnificent Victorian building is a wagon hoist from the old station. Although when it was in use I am sure it was given barely a second glance amidst the steam and smoke and noise, it stands now with all the solid dignity of the Roman gate at Triers; I admit it is a bit of a stretch of imagination but that is what imagination is for ...

RRRtB

Rowan sent us this video of her rowing at the University, she is in the white T-shirt, second from the camera.

Idyll

I came across this scene in Harrogate; lovely May sunshine, an Oak tree coming into leaf, sheep relaxing in it shade. It is a great time of year.

Book Group - It Can't Happen Here

In Book Group we discussed It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis. This is a novel written in the mid 1930s by the Nobel Prize winning novelist. It is about the rise of an ignorant populist fascist President in the US; unbelievably prescient.

Whilst Danielle was in her meeting in Harrogate I took a walk in the woods and found these exposed tree roots.

Harrogate

On Sunday Danielle and I rode over to Harrogate Quaker Meeting House where Danielle had a meeting. It was a lovely day, head-wind out tail-wind back, which is the best way. Red Kites are two a penny in this part of Yorkshire, there were seven in the air at once over the showground which is where I took this shot.

Quarry

Next up on the walk was a huge quarry that was very active and not a little awe inspiring. The footpath on the map actually would have taken me over a 40 metre cliff, so the quarry is obviously growing.

Honey Hush

We had the first honey harvest at the weekend. Those girls have been busy - 10.2kg by May is pretty good going. Most of this honey comes from oilseed rape which flowers early and is grown all around York.

After the wind farm the walk took me across farmland and into the woods. The flat light made everything appear statuesque, even these woods.

Wind Turbines

I got a walk in on Friday. I went on a new route near Aberford, that took in this new wind farm with eight or son enormous turbines. It is a strange, magnificent, slightly menacing place.

I Shot The Sheriff

One of our number from Yorks Quakers, Jonathan Tyler is just finishing off being Sheriff of York for a year [with Brenda as Lady Sheriff]. They seem to have quite got into it all! Here they are today doing something connected with York City Walls. Good people.

Train to Lem

I aim to get down to Lem once a term to meet Rowan for lunch. So Wednesday was the day this term. For lunch we went back [literally] to The Drawing Board; mainly so we could use that pun, but also because is really good gastro-pub. It was a lovely spring day too.

Sky Arts

Recuperating in the garden in the May sun. I looked up and saw this lovely blue sky above the house [that ivy is the roof]. Better today by the way.

The Judge has Flu

I was a judge at a University art competition this week; enjoyed it a lot. The rest of the week I have been laid low with flu that has really knocked me out.

Rowan sent me this photo of a cycle track she uses for running on near Kenilworth; looks lovely to me.

Twilight Zone

This strange sight arrived on our street last week. It might look like a brick building, but it is actually a fibreglass cover for a substation with bricks drawn upon it. Don't ask me why.

Foster Home

While we were in London Milo was at one of his foster families; two little girls in the family like dressing him up.

Day Two

The Isle of Dogs from the Thames Path at Limehouse

Whilst Danielle was having her away-day I walked into town via the Thames Path to visit the Natural History Museum to see the Wold Newton Meteorite. I was to be disappointed; in a manner that would have had their Victorian founders grave-rolling the staff informed me that they could not tell where it was, and thought it might be in a gallery that is now shut until July. Not edifying. Still a good day walking in London though. In the evening we ate with Rob and Kath at Vanilla Black in Holborn.

First Night

The first evening we had a meal with Danielle's staff and trustees. In true east end style the walk back to the centre was through dark and dingy places such as this [good for photographs though]

Limehouse

Danielle was having an away day at St Katherine's settlement at Limehouse. It is a church venue which is really great; a real oasis amidst the city bustle. This is the view from our room, with statues and a Mistle Thrush busy on the lawn.

Naked Rugby

Open Studios can be a slightly unreal experience: endless people talking to you about the same things, time ticking on, days merging into each other. So when Jo and a punter called to me "Come and look through the window, there's a naked Rugby match going on" it all seemed quite normal. And it was.

TdY

This was the head of the race over the top of Garrowby Hill on the Tour de Yorkshire [with obligatory Yorkshire Flag in the foreground] last week. The estimates for total number of people watching the three day race was well over a million - pretty impressive.

Over

So we got the consultancy work, beating off a rival bid from KPMG which was most gratifying. Now we have to deliver ...
Meantime Open Studios second weekend is going well. Overall for both Jo and I sales were down but a lot of footfall and, as usual, a load of contacts.
When it was all over Danielle and I tandemed over to Rob and Liz's for a great meal and company with gin; perfect.

This shot, which did well in London, proved a good one at Open Studios too.