Rowan

 Rowan sent us this picture from the wedding she went to in Avignon last month. 

Back Home

So when I got home I went to a book of the railways of Scotland, that I had not looked at for a while. Found this 50th birthday dedication inside, from a 9 year old Rowan.

Highland Tour 4

The final leg of the ride was from Forres to Aviemore, where I got the train direct back to York the next day. Plenty of dramatic bridges today, railway viaducts and this 1926 road bridge over the river Findhorn at Tomatin.

 

Highland Tour 3

 I cannot think of many better cycle tracks than this one. From Aviemore to Boat of Garten through the heather in the sunshine.

Highland Tour 2

 The first day took me from Pitlochry, through the pass of Killecrankie up to Drumochter pass then down to Dalwhinnie and Kingussie. The route is nearly all off road, much of it on the old A9 which is now a cycle path - a brilliant project. 

Dalnaspidal

 

Highland Tour 1

I took my bike on the train up to Pitlochry. 17 years ago Danielle, Rowan and I cycled from Glasgow to Pitlochry on a Sustrans route. It was a great trip. So now I was using a long weekend to cycle up from Pitlochry to Kingussie, onto Forres via Aviemore. Then back over Slochd summit to Aviemore, where I hoped to get the train back. So here is my train at Pitlochry on a beautiful highland afternoon; the weather for my whole trip was perfect, sunny and warm with not a drop of rain. Back south it rained heavily, but up in Scotland it was sublime.

Hatfield 2

Enter through the light, then walked four hours and more without seeing a soul (apart from the souls of deer and the dog). Crisp, bright and still. Pink footed geese overhead in wave after wave. And then I stepped into this landscape; it felt unreal, and I do not know which version of it reflects that unreality the best.

 

Hatfield 1

Eight in the morning, and Hatfield Moors is waking up. Who could resist stepping into the light on a day like this.

New Waffle

My old waffle iron, bought in Harrods in 1987 has served me well over the years. The trouble is, it was not an iron, but an alloy. So when we got an induction hob I was dismayed to realise it would work no longer. 

Danielle ordered me a cast iron waffle iron from China and eventually it turned up. Hesitant seasoning and concern about it ever proving usable were swept away when this most natural of kitchen implements worked like a treat to serve up great waffles.

Stroll again

 The band played last week. Great to just play together; nothing better than making music with others. 

The beach at Filey from last weeks Stroll

Stroll

In woods on top of the soft cliffs south of Scarborough. 20 years time and this might well be at the bottom of the cliff.

The Stroll

The latest leg of The Stroll took me from Filey to Scarborough along the east Yorkshire coast: a rapidly eroding coastline that has an increasingly temporary feel. Last time I walked here I listened to the live Parliamentary debate before Tony Blair took us into war against Iraq, it was dispiriting. This time I listened to the Anthony Seldon book on the Liz Truss prime ministership. This was both depressing and entertaining; its title How Not To Be Prime Minister was totally appropriate.

Anyway the walk was great, with gannets and gulls keeping me company.

Anniversary

For our 28th Wedding Anniversary we went  for a meal at a pub run by Tommy Banks at Byland Abbey. Had a really good meal in a nice relaxed revamp on what had been a pretty run down pub.

Chat

 While Mark and I were in Bradford, Mandy explored York then the four of us had a meal at home. Lots of chat as usual.

Carlisle

 Then at the weekend Mandy and Mark came up from Wimbledon. Saturday Mark and I went to watch the hapless Carlisle lose 2-1 at Bradford City. It was actually a pretty good game (in League Two) and a good atmosphere. 

Van

 Friends Paul and Kelly called in to say hello. Good to see them. They (and seemingly many many retired people) have a camper van. Not my thing, but it looked nice inside.

The Stroll - Yarm to Dinsdale

 Been a busy week. Monday was the next leg of The Stroll, from Yarm to Dinsdale, along the river Tees. It is a beautiful valley, with a very little used path alongside the river.

Hard to imagine that the world's first steam railway was built here; The Stockton and Darlington is just a couple of fields away. All the excitement and the industry is long gone.

Read the Sign

Taken in our local park. This sign has been there a long time.

 

Rosedale 5

 OK, last one from Rosedale. This counts as a photograph; a mysterious woman walks in a dark stone building.

Rosedale 4

 

Everyone who visits, must take this shot. So I claim nothing for it. But those rocks stacked to form the window are incredible to find in this dim barn.