Lem in the sun

I went down for my termly visit to see Rowan in Lem. It was a ridiculously beautiful day. We went back to the Drawing Board (probably for the last time) for lunch, and had a lovely time.

Sprotbrough

In this beautiful weather I have visited Sprotbrough Flash for the first time, this is a nature reserve in the industrial Don Valley. An amazing place, with a mix of natural and man made beauty all around, as seen in this shot of a viaduct that is now a Sustrans track.

In A Pickle

Danielle's latest experiment is this Rainbow Pickle containing Beetroot, Carrot, Fennel, Red Peppers. To be eaten soon.

Ladybower

We walked around Ladybower Reservoirs - a great example of large scale civil engineering delivered with real architectural style. It came on stream in 1945, having taken two years to fill it after ten years of building.

The Peak

Danielle and I went down to the Peak District to collect my Strat from the guitar man Jon. We combined the trip with a walk in the hills on a really beautiful February day. If you look carefully you can spot Milo in this shot.

Viaduct again

Another shot of Holborn Viaduct, looking down to Faringdon Street.

Train Driver as Angel

I was lifting my bike into the train guards van. I heard a noise. "It can't be anything to do with me, my bike has no loose bits". I walk to the coach. "Hey, I think you might need this!" It is the train driver, he has my pump in his hand. Profuse thanks result.
The guard tells me there will be someone at Retford to open the guards van for me to get my bike. There is not. There are no staff within 100 metres. This is the express non-stop from here to Kings Cross. I shout, no response. Except from the driver, he sees my plight, gets out of his cab, walks to the van, I get my bike. I am thankful once more, he passes the fruit bowl awaiting first class passengers, "fancy an apple?" I accept. A great man, no doubt about it.

I then cycle through the peatlands back to York, the same route as a couple of weeks ago, a great ride. At Epworth I take time to look at the Wesley vicarage. It is pretty amazing that from this small isolated town two brothers created something so big as Methodism. Now it is almost irrelevant to modern life, but back in the day it was of great importance, particularly in this area.

Shoe Dog

Milo collects our shoes, then uses them as personalised pillows as he lies in front of the fire.

More London

Back in London, to meet up with Alan a philanthropist from Australia who I last saw in a Sushi bar in Melbourne. It was work for Danielle, but good to catch up with such an enthusiastic and interested person. I also got to see Andy who I worked with in Islington and have not seen properly for years.

One of the things I like about walking around London is the mix of old, not so old and bizarre. This great little cut through and staircase is from the Embankment up towards Temple.

Sheep

I hadn't seen this statue before, in the City presumably something to do with sheep markets long ago.
Had a good dinner party with Rob & Liz, Jo & Ashley at the weekend. Relaxed and fun.

Turbary

This is Epworth Turbary. Epworth is in the Isle of Axholme and is where John Wesley was from. A Turbary is where commoners could exercise the legal right to extract peat from common land. This one is now a nature reserve, and very beautiful it is too.

Axholme

The next book is going to be about my vision of Elmet. This is going to include part of the old West Riding, the Isle of Axholme which was drained in the 17th Century by Cornelius Vermuyden, a Dutch engineer. As with the Wolds, it is unknown and unloved by most, but full of beauty, mystery and history.
This shot is of two of the early dykes built to drain the land, under heavy mist.

Justice

There was a touch of sun in the sky to brush the top of the Old Bailey last week.

Barbican

I walked through the City to meet Mark for a pint at a brewery/pub at the Angel. Then back down to have dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant on Caledonia Road with Danielle and Emma.
Walking through the Barbican is usually a rewarding experience, catching the differing lights on the water gave me this shot.

London

I always like finding myself on Holborn Viaduct, it is such an interesting bit of London architecture. Now it has this pretty spectacular building overlooking it as well.

Reflections

Crisp winter sunshine, old walls, reflections. Just another York day.

Guitar Maintenance

Saturday I went to Hope in Derbyshire for a one day Guitar Maintenance Course with Jon Shuker. Three of us took a couple of guitars each to Jon's workshop. We spent the day sorting out frets, necks, intonation and other such things. He pitched it perfectly [the course that is] and we all really enjoyed it. The day flew by, and I returned through the rainy Peak District with a couple of well set up guitars. Jon also does a week-long guitar building course - you emerge at the end of it with a complete guitar that you have built. Might be a bit much for me I think.

Here are a couple of gargoyles from York Minster.

Trent

My route followed the Trent for a good while. A placid waterway on a still day like this.

All Power

My ride took me along the Trent Valley, passing a couple of the large power stations that, together with the Aire Valley nearer home, provide a huge chunk of our power. A certain beauty I think.

MTB

And here is the muddy bike from the ride yesterday. I prefer to ride on this mountain bike even if on the road. I have narrow tyres on it, and it whizzes along nicely.

Cycle Ride at Last

At last I got out on my bike; first ride for weeks and weeks. I got the train to Retford and cycled back on bridleways and tracks and roads. A great ride.
The photo is of when I stopped for a break, turned my back on my bike, turned back to see this lovely horse sniffing at my samosas in my bag. He managed to slobber over my cycle-computer but no real damage done.

Hovingham

We went a walk with Sue and Eddy at Hovingham, where there was a great little Saturday market. A lovely day to tramp over the many bridleways and paths in the Howardian Hills.

Snow

Well we had a little bit of snow which has hung around in freezing conditions for a few days. This shot is in full colour; the path to the pond.

Amazon Best Sellers

You'll have to forgive me posting this screenshot of the Amazon photographers chart for yesterday.
One for the scrapbook, probably a one-off, but made me smile.

The Press

The local paper did a really good job on this article which was the centre-page spread today in the York Press.