Return to the Moors

 

What with the Stroll I have been getting to Thorne Moors less than usual. Both I and the dog (by the look of it) were delighted to be there last week. The water levels are slowly rising after the summer drought, and the moors look all the better for it.

Stroll 86 iii

 

The Leeds Liverpool canal is a contour canal; following the lie of the land as the contours twist along the valley side, avoiding the use of locks where possible.

Stroll 86 iii

 

More of those stately Wigan beech trees.

Stroll 86 ii

 

Only saw one boat on the move all day. Quite a few were obviously occupied though, including this one just south of Chorley.

Stroll 86 Chorley to Wigan

 It might not sound the most attractive of legs of the Stroll, but this route through Lancashire on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, then into Wigan via Haigh Hall was a gem. The autumn beech trees that seemed to follow the whole route were magnificent, even Wigan town centre seemed pretty nice.

Haigh Hall Woods. Wigan

The Traveller Again

Another photo by Rowan, from her trip to Bolivia. At about 4000 metres, the flamingoes of the salt flats.

Her next stop is Colombia.

 

Fixing the Track

A lot of track improvements on the railway at the moment. No trains between Leeds and York for 10 days, which is a major disruption for many. Including me and the dog on our Stroll. Should be able to get going again next week. I took this shot as we walked back from going out to Adrian and Cathy at the weekend.

 

The Traveller

 

Meantime Rowan has moved on to Bolivia. This is taken on the salf flats at over 3,500 metres in the Andes. Looks an amazing place.

Weekend pt2

 

Sunday Paul, Emilie and I went to see Knats at the Crescent. Danielle was unwell. Knats are a young jazz band from Newcastle, who were nominated for a Mercury prize at the Mercury Awards last week. They put on a great show, really impressive and a great sell-out atmosphere. 

Weekend pt1

Saturday evening we had a meal with Adrian and Cathy and a couple of their friends. A particularly good evening. Gazpacho and Fish Stew, can't go wrong.

 

Wales 6

 

The Welsh Highland Railway (a steam narrow gauge line from Port Madoc to Caernarvon) ran right through our cabin site. We did not manage to go on it, but it was good to see.

Wales 5

 

I walked up Moel Hebog, a mountain right behind our cabin. Views all around to Snowdon, Cardigan Bay and more. A great day too. Danielle and Layla went a walk in the forest, and came to meet me as I made my way home.

Wales 4

I had not been to the Anglesey coast for over 60 years. It is where we had family holidays at Rhosneigr when I was very young, I still have some memories though. We walked first on the beautiful dunes and forest at Newborough then went on to Rhosneigr, which was pretty much how I had kept it visualised in my mind.

 

Wales 3

 

Lucky to have a bright light on this field of autumn grass with the fir trees behind. It was a wet day but in between the showers we got a few walks in.

Wales 2

Day 2 we explored the forest on its many tracks and paths. Here Danielle and the dog are walking towards the light.

 

Wales 1

This is our third year of staying a week in a Forest Holidays cabin. North York Moors, Strathyre in the Highlands, and now Beddgelert in Snowdonia. A new area for me, the location is fantastic, with beautiful rivers, mountains and forests. 

Day one, we walked into the village of Beddgelert on a great path. This shot is of the church yard in the village.

Rowan News

 

After 7 years at BlackRock, Rowan has left and will start working for Oracle in the new year. Meantime she is on a trip to Latin America. She started off at Lima in Peru, and has just completed a five day trek to Machu Picchu.  

Upstairs

Portrait Chair, Prolific Chillies, King of the Mountains Cube, Stool, Amp, Guitar. Sunshine

 

In Museum Gardens

When I moved to York in 1998 this footpath in Museum Gardens had just been opened. Its twists and turns made it ideal for Rowan to play on as she grew. So it is good to see it still in good nick, and the plants growing strong.

 

Stroll 85 iii

Passing through the potteries there were plenty of derelict mills and kilns and factories. Very hard to get a good shot of a bottle kiln, but I loved this.

 

Stroll 85 ii

Iron rich groundwater makes the Trent & Mersey canal look like a theme park, as it enters the two Harecastle Tunnels.

 

Stroll 85 Congleton to Stoke on Trent

Probably as far as I am going down this part of the Stroll, for a while at least. Walked on the Macclesfield Canal and the Trent and Mersey. This shot, which I think could be in next years Open Studios, was taken south of Kidsgrove. The canal disappeared into Harecastle Tunnel and my path took me around Bath Pool. The image is called Heartbreak.

 

Delines

After the party I went to Leeds with Paul to see the Delines at Leeds Variety Hall. Great venue with perfect sound, and a fantastic band. Really enjoyed it.

House Guest

Fair to say that Althea and Layla got on OK.

 

Party

Althea from Chicago came to visit us again. As ever, a real pleasure to have her with us. We went to Emilie's party on Sunday. Althea, Danielle, Emilie and Renee. America 3 UK 1.

 

Daughter Time

Rowan was up with us for a few days. Monday she came with me to Thorne Moors on a beautiful autumnal day. Tuesday she helped me clear out the garage - a long time coming, I needed a helpful shove which she provided.

 

From the Smoke3

The Olympic legacy seems to be real, the park is a vibrant place with plenty going on.

 

From the Smoke2

The V&A east is quite a location and quite a building. Even the cafe was good.

 

From the Smoke1

Taken in London, somewhere between Islington and the V&A East in Stratford. Quite happy not to remember where it was exactly.

 

London 2

The next day I met up with Andy, Katie and Anne. We had all first met 50 years ago when we began our time at Liverpool University in October 1976. Half a century. We went to the Earl of Essex in Islington then to the Tamil Crown round the corner to eat. Earlier in the day I had revisited The Music is Black exhibition at the V&A East, with Katie and Anne. Good to meet Andy's partner Ren as well.

 

London 1

Down to London I went once more. Met up with friend Victor at the Guinness brewery in Covent Garden. A good time as usual.

 

The Unexploded Bomb

We missed the excitement, but there was an unexploded bomb found up the road. The army experts took it to the middle of Hob Moor where they blew it up and disposed of it. Always something going on.

 

Harvest Time

It has been the best of tomato harvests this year. Risottos, salads and sauces. I even tried some in my dal recipe this week, and it worked well.

 

Stroll 84 Saxilby to Lincoln

 Lincoln has really benefitted from the establishment of the University there. It feels a buzzy place to visit with plenty going on. The route followed the oldest canal in the country; the Fossdyke was built by the Romans and makes for a pleasant walk with few people around.

Stroll 83 Haltwhistle to Hayden Bridge

The Stroll route is now completed to Haltwhistle. A good walk along the South Tyne and up into the hills around Allen Banks. The cattle are interested in the dog, not me.

 

Trains

 

Often an interesting train in the sidings as I walk over the footbridge to the Mount in York. The shiny one on the right is a 50 year old HST, used for measuring track movement. The one on the left is an express arriving from London Kings Cross.

Friends

Friends Paul and Coral were in York, so we met up with them and other friends at the cafe at York Art Gallery. We had a pretty joyous time.

 

Hob Moor

Autumn still feels a long way off on the beautiful Hob Moor

 

Skosh

One of the dishes from a meal at Skosh. Salmon.

 

Tea Time

Sunday tea, courtesy of Danielle. Tasted as good as it looked.

 

House Guests

Mark and Mandy came up for the weekend. We went to Skosh for lunch on the Saturday and had (as ever) a great meal and a great time.

 

Stroll 82 pt2

Layla cooling down in a lovely pool on Newbrough Burn, a tributary of the South Tyne. So we have crossed the line from becks to burns: Scotland looms.

 

Spot the Bug

Taking the dog a walk there is always something to catch your eye. Like this ladybird in the flowers.

 

Budapest

Rowan found this old picture from when we went to Budapest, an incredible nine years ago. I can't believe how time has passed so quickly.

 

Stroll 82 Hexham to Haydon Bridge

 

This magnificent bridge over the Tyne is Hexham was built in 1793 after three failed attempts. I headed west up the South Tyne valley for a varied walk along the river, then high up to the north before dropping down to Haydon Bridge.

Lit & Phil 2

After a while my gaze turned up to the ceiling, with these amazing skylights. It felt like a giant owl was looking down on me.

 

Lit & Phil

Friend Robert, who died last year, had told me about the Literary & Philosophical Library in Newcastle. Known as the Lit & Phil, it was founded in 1793, just down the road from the central station. Robert had said I had to go and see it. So I did, sadly without Robert, but I immediately saw why he loved it so. You can just go in, sit down amidst these amazing stacks of book, have a think, write some thoughts down etc. A secret special place.

 

Stroll 81 Newsham to Ashington

 The route took me through a real mix of post industrial landscapes. This railway bridge is now in use on the new line from Newcastle to Ashington, as well as having Drax bound bio fuel freight trains trundling over it. A rare sight in the UK, a girder viaduct.

Stroll 80 South Shields to Newsham

The Stroll route heads north out of Newcastle, aided by the newly reopened railway line to Ashington. The first leg involved crossing the Tyne on the foot ferry, and walking the coast through Whitley Bay up to Blyth. 

St Mary's Island, seen from the coast path at Seaton Sluice

Stroll 79 Ilkley to Harrogate

 This was the longest leg of the Stroll so far, walking 20 miles today. I followed the Dales Way route from Ilkley to Harrogate, a really good walk over Denton Moor, through Timble Woods, along the Haverah valley, past Harlow Carr (a RHS garden) then down through Valley Gardens to Harrogate. A great walk. Both man and dog were tired out.

The path through the heather on the moors.