Hatfield Moors

 

Twenty five years ago this area was still being stripped of all vegetation, then the peat plundered for commercial use. That is now long gone, although signs from Fisons are still occasionally found scattered around the moors. It is now a beautiful boggy mess of a place with silver birch responding first to the need for plant regeneration of the degraded land.

A Family Trip to the Moors

 

We all set off early on Boxing Day for a walk on Hatfield Moors. It was a really beautiful crisp day, with many of the pools of water frozen. A very low sun meant this shot is big on atmosphere, low on clarity.

Stroll 48 pt2

The river Don, a road bridge, a rail bridge. Brake lights reflected in the water. A mile from Sheffield Station.

 

Stroll 48 Chapletown to Sheffield

 I got a good walk in last week, despite chaos and packed trains, all of which passed by with no problems for the dog and I. A misty day but a good walk on paths I had trod many a time back in the day when Rowan was training for High Jump an Netball at the English Institute of Sport.

This is the dramatic suspended cycle track that goes through the arches of the railway viaduct that takes the line into the old Sheffield Victoria station. A fine way to arrive.

Christmas Time

 Christmas Eve was good, a walk with Emilie and Alfie the dog, then mulled wine. Then I went off to see friend Paul at his event in St Paul's Square.

Christmas Day was the three of us, with our usual disaggregated Christmas Meal (smoked salmon, bucks fizz for breakfast. Main course for lunch, pudding for tea, then port and cheese for supper). A great vege wellington produced by Danielle and Rowan for the main. 

Danielle taking a break.

Happy Christmas

 

Family visit

Niece Sarah, Markus, Rosalind, Felix, Laurance and Clara (yes that is just one family) came to stay at the weekend. Rowan is back for Christmas as well. Layla took to her role as the post patted dog in town very well.

Book Group Party

 It was our book group Xmas Party last week. We have been at it for over 20 years now, still going strong. 

A Cycling Life 6

The following year I was cycling in Europe again, with a woollen Francesco Moser shirt given to me by Italian friend Achille who was a big Moser fan from Milano.

 

6 Years Old

Layla is 6 years old. Brought a lot of joy to the family.

 

Melbourne

Went a walk on a lovely sunny Saturday morning. The Pocklington canal was completely flooded in the lower Derwent valley so we had to go a little further north at Melbourne. 

 

Nataliia Returns

Nataliia, our Ukrainian guest of a couple of years ago came back to York for the weekend (from Cambridge where she now lives) and stayed with us. Lovely to see her again, Layla was very pleased to be reunited with her friend.

 

Stroll 47

 

Two shots that I might show at next years York Open Studios.

I will print them out, stick them on the wall and decide which work and which don't. Time will tell.

Stroll 47 Hutton Cranswick to Nafferton

The route took me to the headwaters of the river Hull which I had followed all the way from Hull via Beverley. It was a lovely stream through peaceful meadows. 

Such a card

This was my birthday card from Sue & Eddy. Ha ha ha.

 

Bradford - The Tower of Us

 Commissioned for the City of Culture. At first I thought this was a kitsch too far. But I think the restrained color helped to quite like it after a bit of thinking.

Birthday

On the day itself Danielle had arranged a small tea party here at home, with people bringing home made cakes. Really enjoyed it. It's not rock 'n roll but I liked it.

A picture taken via the shiny floor which was part of one of the Turner shorlist artist's work.

The Day Before

 The day before my birthday we went to Bradford City of Culture. When we went to Hull City of Culture eight years ago there was a real buzz about the city; we arrived at the station and were surrounded by very helpful and enthusiastic volunteers who showed us where to go, how to get there etc. The vibe was infectious, with people proud of the event and of their city.

Bradford. Not so much. Absolutely nothing at the station when we arrived. In the central library  - "Do you have a map and leaflet about the City of Culture?" The reply " Er, I think there might be something round the back of that leaflet stand, not sure though". It was not the ideal welcome. I asked where the loo, was, got directions and went upstairs. En route to the loo I saw a photography gallery with a whole exhibition on photos of the people of Bradford. It was brilliant, loved it. The staff member had neglected to tell me about it when we asked. Blimey.

Anyway, we had a great day, met up with Sue and Eddy, saw the Turner Prize short listed artists at the Cartwright Gallery in Lister Park, chose our favorites and had a thali for lunch in a cafe nearby. So, still worth the visit, but a little sad.

Sue, Danielle and Eddy, at the Turner Prize exhibition.

London 3

A favourite route via the Crick Institute from Kings Cross to Euston. It was good to take some street photography again.

I met up with Mark at the Cannonbury Tavern, our old stomping ground when we lived opposite it in Cannonbury Place. I saw Wendy T up at Highbury Barn, and Mark E in Smithfields - since I last saw him one of his authors has won the Booker prize, which counts as very good news.

 

London 2

Post Office Tower (it is still there) peeping out behind one of the refurbished St Pancras gas holders. Always great to be walking through London.

London 1

 I went down to London to see people. I stayed with Rowan in Islington, she was knocked off her bike by a red-light-ignoring e-biker on her way to work on Monday. She went to A&E and got well checked over, and is taking it easy for the rest of the week. So it was good to be around for a couple of days.

Taken on the Regents Canal nearing Coal Drops Yard at Kings Cross. These three runners totally photo-bombed my shot of the narrow boats in the basin. But it works, I think.

Stroll 46 final

One last shot from last week's Stroll, a flooding river Hull to the north of Beverley

 

Stroll 46 pt3

It is strange that a drainage ditch across a man-created pancake-flat landscape can appear dramatic, but get a sun-clouded sky and it all comes together.

 

Stroll 46 pt2

The changeable winter weather lead to some great light.

Saw plenty of interesting birds on the walk: a pair of Great White Egrets, Kingfishers and plenty of ducks and geese.

Stroll 46 Beverley to Hutton Cranswick

A walk across the wetlands of the Hull river. This is part of the Humberhead wetlands area that stretches both south (Thorne and Hatfield moors) and north (the Hull river and the Derwent river) of the Humber. Layla is posing next to one of the many drains and dikes that make the land fit for farming and for walking.

 

The Return

 

Rowan is safely home, Danielle is seeing her tonight in London. Here is a picture from her trip, a group en route to a volcano I imagine.

Birds on a Wire

Taken by the canal in Hyde last week, Cormorants enjoying the view from a high pylon.
 

What Goes Up

 One of the things Rowan has been doing on her trip to El Salvador and Nicargua is go up a lot of volcanos. How do they come down, you might wonder. Like this.

    

Stroll 45 pt3

The Peak Forest Canal is a great one to walk on: contouring along the valley side with various post industrial sights, including this one which tended to a little menace in its looming presence. 

 

Stroll 45 pt 2

I don't like this as much as yesterdays, but it gives a glance of the rural beauty to the canal from with the dark tunnel.

Stroll 45 Greenfield to Marple

 

A beautiful day walking on the Huddersfield Narrow and the Peak Forest Canals to Marple in Cheshire. This shot was taken near Stalybridge in a very urban section of the canal. There are more rural shots to follow, but I think this one is pretty good. 

Nicaragua

 Rowan is on holiday in central America. Last week was El Salvador, now she is in Nicaragua where this photo was taken on the roof of Leon cathedral. In the background is a volcano; she has already been a couple on this trip, with more to follow.

Back to the Moors

 Back out on Hatfield Moors last week, usual day of wonder. Saw no one.

Egret is Back

The Hob Moor Egret is back, looking more magnificent still. This was taken in the beck at the bottom of the garden.

 

A Cycling Life 5

 Next year 1980, I was climbing my first col in the Alps. It has featured a couple of times in the Tour since then.

A Cycling Life 4

 

1979 I think, Ro & Pete and I with bikes, taken at my parent's house in Kirtlington. I am holding a bike I bought with money that Great Uncle Charles had left me. It was a five speed Puch with flat bars, I think it cost £70. I have my Rock Against Racism badge on my shirt. Not sure what Pete's badge is.

Wood Shed

Stefan built this open wood shed for us earlier in the year. Keeps the wood dry, looks good lit by a torch.

Full of Beans

The runner beans provided a good green crop through the summer. Now it is time to use the beans that have grown in the remaining pods. Autumn soup time.

70.

 

We went by tandem to Sue's 70th birthday do at a wine bar on Bishopthorpe Road. Good to see people, and good wine too.

Stroll 44

 Further up the river the Hull turns from tidal mud to pastoral beauty. The shimmer on the water in this shot is from the light and not from some mercurial pollution.

Stroll 44

 I walked from Hull to Beverley via the river Hull and across the common land. Hull still has a real industrial feel. There might be footpaths named the Wilberforce Trail and such like, but you are left to cross highways with no crossings for pedestrians. It was an interesting walk though, with the river being tidal much of the way.

Tidal mud and industrial engineering past and present.

Evening

 Band practice today. Just the three of us jamming basically. A lot of fun and very relaxed. 

The evening sky on the moor the other day was pretty magical.

Rail works

The last two weekends have seen York Station effectively shut apart from the dreaded Bus Replacement Service. This photo shows why, the track into the station from the south is being completely overhauled, look in the lower left and you can see sparks flying as rail is aligned.

Weekend visitor

Rowan came up for the weekend, always good to see her. We all went to Skosh on Friday evening, then spent most of the time at home. Danielle has damaged a tendon in her ankle, so is off running and walking too much for a month. 

Up on top of the moors, about to start the descent towards Marsden.

 

Stroll 43

 I started in Greenfield in Lancashire, and walked back along the canal and then over the Pennines to Marsden in Yorkshire. It was a great day to be up on the moors.

My path followed the Huddersfield Narrow Canal up through Saddleworth to the Stanedge Tunnel under the Pennines. The railway which superseded the canal strides across it to great effect.

Stroll 42

Once over the bridge the path followed the south bank of the Humber to New Holland (named after the Dutch drainage engineers from the 18th century). This is the view of the Hull waterfront.

Stroll 42 - The Bridge

I took the train to Hessle where the Humber bridge joins the north bank of the river. I walked across the bridge which is a great experience, and one that was being enjoyed by a fair number of people. The bridge was closed to pedestrians and cyclist a few years back because of the suicide risk. This was plain daft, and I am glad it is now fully open again.

Stroll 41

Last picture from Stroll 41. This is the now defunct lifting bridge across the Trent at Keadby. It carries the main line to Scunthorpe, and the main road as well. Magnificent but redundant.