A busy weekend. Friend Katie came up for the weekend as she was visiting an ill relative who was in York Hospital. Friday evening Louise and Mike, who I had met at Open Studios this year, and who had a lot of interest in Elmet, came over for some wine and a lot of chat. Good to get to know them. Sunday there was an consultation walk by a group trying to develop a history trail along the river. We went with a few friends and ended up having lunch at a Thai restaurant outside in lovely sunshine.
I walked from Brough to Hull, along the Humber. It was a beautiful light, and a pretty still day. This meant I could get a few photos that I liked. First off is the Humber bridge. Usually the way to get a good shot of the bridge is to use an odd angle (like from underneath the bridge etc). I got this conventional shot, which I like because the light is so weird on the mud. I would never exhibit it, but I am pleased with it.
At the weekend we cycled on the tandem to a party at Emilie's. We timed it to perfection, absolute downpours for both rides, soaked to the skin. The party was fun, had a coincidence pop up. Friend Adam told me he had lived in Rome, working for an arabic tv station.
"Oh, I had a friend who worked in Rome on an arabic tv station in the 90s" We established it was the same station, and that my friends Chris and Zarin were known to him long ago. It might not sound much, but it is quite the coincidence.
The wind behind me and the weather fair all day, it was a good time to walk aside the Humber from Saltmarshe to Brough. A real wilderness area that necessitated a bit of mild trespass. I saw avocets, yaffles and a hobby amongst other birds. This shot is looking south across the Humber.
From Market Harborough I rode to Oakham in Rutland. The Sustrans route was a real joy, it is great country to cycle through. I had time to ride round Rutland water, the largest reservoir (by area) in the UK. I had heard of the cycle track all around the lake, and had wanted to ride it. A great place to ride, with a cafe at the nature reserve, where I sheltered from a heavy shower.
I had always wanted to cycle through Milton Keynes (really), to see what the many bike tracks were like. I enjoyed it, there was then a great Sustrans route to Northampton. It is ten years since I did some work in Northampton and I noticed an old railway line that ran north to Market Harborough across lonely hills. I always fancied riding it; now was my chance.
Heavy rain led to a muddy track, but it was worth it. Someone told me that there were a couple of tunnels on the route. They were quite something. Pitch black, dead straight, not a soul in sight. Using my phone I pushed into the void. Halfway along the solitary ventilation shaft brought a gloomy light into the dark. The care and craft that had gone into the brickwork by the Victorian workers was something to see. Back in the day barely anyone would ever have seen them in the smoke filled tunnel.
As I rode east I passed through the intensive civil engineering works going on in Buckinghamshire where HS2 and the new East West Railway (recreating the Oxford to Cambridge line) intersect.
Rowan project managed our wedding anniversary for us this year. Thursday evening she came up to dog sit from Friday to Saturday. Meantime we went down to London, stayed in Rowan's flat in Islington Park Street, then went out to eat at Plates, a really brilliant vegan restaurant on Old Street that Rowan booked for us. It all went well, and the food at Plates was really amazing.
This is one of few bridges over the lower reaches of the river Aire, at Beal. Just round the corner is the site of Kellingley pit, the last deep coal mine to operate in Britain, closing in 2015.
Friends Rob & Kath came up for the weekend. With Rowan being here as well we all had a good time. I cooked a curry for Friday, and we got fish and chips from our local on Saturday. Saturday morning, Rowan, Kath and Danielle went to the wild swimming place near York (Pool Bridge) that is extremely popular. Rob and I had a coffee.
