Stroll 64 pt3

 

And here is the beautiful viaduct, stepping out across Batty Moss. Perfect fit of landscape and industry.

Stroll 64 pt2

Inglebrough is a great mountain. An iron age hill fort used to be atop it, and it now dominates the landscape around Ribblehead viaduct. I arrived at Ribblehead station with over an hour till my train was due. Not a bad place to wait, made even better by the excellent cafe that was there to serve walkers and rail travellers. Perfect.
 

Stroll 64 pt1

 I took the train to Garsdale, high in the Yorkshire Dales. From there I walked south to Ribblehead. It was a high level route with views like this one down to Dentdale. Jet fighters trained by flying beneath us down the valleys very fast. Layla, who is terrified of hot air balloons was totally fine with the supersonic weapons of mass destruction that swept past us.

Sheffield 2

 Walking on, I crossed the upper reaches of the river Don. It was the kind of fast flowing rocky river that is tailor made for dippers and grey wagtails. Sure enough both popped up, as soon as I looked over the bridge.

Sheffield 1

 I took the car in for its service in Sheffield. Whilst it was being done I took a walk through the past history of this great city. Walking through woods and old industrial sites, there was plenty of interest. I was listening to The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, and as the plot the got more creepy and gothic, so did my route, until I found myself in a totally abandoned cemetery, which has been left to the elements. No one even trying to look after it. A real Victorian curiosity, much like the novel.

Stroll 63 iii

The path I took, took me away from the fairly numerous groups of walkers. This lot were on the summit ridge looking purposeful.

 

Stroll 63 ii

 

Atop the moor is a Neolithic stone circle (known totally inappropriately as The Twelve Apostles). It is an impressive site with views all around. In this shot Drax powerstation, which is 56km to the east, can be seen clearly on the horizon.

Stroll 63. Ilkley to Saltaire.

I walked from Ilkley, over the moor, to Saltaire in the Aire Valley. The moor starts straight out of mundane Ilkley, and for a while it has a whiff of municipal park about it. This shot is quite a way up towards the top of the moor, but the benches of remembrance belie the links to the town below.

 

High School Reunion

 Rowan went back to her high school for the 10 year reunion of her class graduating. She made some very good friends there, and they all seem to keep in touch too.

This is a shot of some of them at the event.

I'm Back!

 Big long gap. Combination of being knackered after Open Studios, and having a busy bank holiday weekend. Anyway, normal service should be resumed hereafter. Friday Danielle had her cocktail club, me and the dog carry out a collection service at the end of the session. Saturday we went to Goole with Peter and Shin-Sook to see the Goole 200 exhibition (it was shut, despite being advertised as open) and then had a good lunch in a vibrant small town called Howden, just down the road. Sunday we met up with John and Katy in the Wolds for a rained-of walk and a pub lunch. All good.

 

Goole - the place to go for a good bench.

Gig Time

Went to a gig in Leeds with Paul, Emilie and Danielle. Nubiyan Twist are a hip Jazz band formed in Leeds, now in London. Fantastic venue, great crowd, vibrant gig. We all loved it.

 

YOS continued

I asked visitors to pick their three favourite images from those that I was exhibiting (65 in total). This is always of interest to me. The top ten so far (half way through) is an interesting mix of old favourites and new shots. Number one at the moment is this piece of beautiful Barnsley history - an old packhorse bridge. 

Line of Beauty

YOS Weekend 1

The first weekend of 2026 York Open Studios is over. It went well, with plenty of visitors, sales pretty good, and interest high. I had little time to photograph things, but here is a shot.

 

Stroll 60 Sheffield to Hathersage

The path from the centre of Sheffield up to the Peak District is a great experience. Leaving the pleasing city centre up on the hill, the path goes through the University, then the marvellous botanical gardens before following Porter Brook through, first a formalised park, then a wilder public space, before leaving it and climbing to the moors. That is where I found this beautiful track across the peat bogs. Right up my street.

 

Stroll 59

From the same canal, this house had a bit of a creepy feel.

I have been very busy getting ready for Open Studios. Treating the wood on the front of the house, trimming the hedges, sweeping the yard. And doing the labels, putting up the signs etc.

All starts tomorrow.

 

Stroll 59 Congleton to Macclesfield

Tuesday was a spring day. First Shorts Day for me too. Just perfect for a walk on the wonderous Macclesfield canal through Cheshire lands. Plenty of people getting their boats ready for the summer too.

 

Stroll 58 Sunderland to South Shields

 

I walked along the North Sea coast to complete the section of my stroll from Middlesborough to the Tyne in  Newcastle. An amazing walk, the beach and rocks at Sunderland never fail to surprise me with their drama and beauty.

Easter

 Rowan came home for Easter, a very pleasant time. Adrian and Cathy came for Sunday lunch, and we had Alfie for the night as well. 

We walked at Escrick, you can see Danielle Rowan and Alfie to the left, with Layla cooling off in the beck.

Stroll 57 pt2

 

There is no doubt about it, having Jarrow Abbey surviving in this most unpromising environment is a thing of wonder.

Stroll 57 Newcastle to South Shields

 

I took the path along the south side of the Tyne. A pretty amazing route past old industrial units, repurposed shipyards, abandoned collieries and Jarrow Abbey home to the Venerable Bead.

This shot is of a strangely unreal horse staring straight at me and the dog as we walked past.

London 7

 The Tuesday I got the North London Line (now renamed the Mildmay Line) from Highbury & Islington to Richmond. One of my favourite journeys. Then I walked along the Thames to Olympia, and got the train back in time to meet Danielle at Kings Cross. Danielle was running a work event on the Wednesday, so we walked to the hotel at Farringdon, then met Rowan for a meal together. The next day, I got the train home, with Danielle arriving later on after a successful event. Emilie had been looking after the house and the dog. Phew. 

Down by the river

London 6

Monday Rowan was off to work, whilst I took the train to Ally Pally then walked through old haunts to see Rob's widow Kath at her house in Crouch End. She is doing pretty well, and has friends all around her. I then walked through Highgate woods, and Waterlow Park before meeting up with Rowan in town. We had something to eat in a vegan place on Wardour Street then went to the Totally Football live show off Leicester Square. This was my Christmas present from Rowan, and we both really enjoyed the podcast-derived show.

 

London 5

Sunday Rowan and I went another walk, then watched Arsenal lose to City in the League Cup final. Rowan's friend Adday, and her Dad (who lives in Yorkshire of course) joined us upstairs in a very civilized pub on Upper Street. As you can see the women are Arsenal supporters - so not the best watch.

London 4

Saturday Rowan took me on the New River walk, that is now open to the public way beyond the few miles that used to have access. This is up at the reservoirs near Manor House. Lovely to walk it with my daughter who does seem to have inherited the urban discovery bug.

 

London 3

 

Friday evening I met up with Victor and we watched his daughter sing at the Frontline club in Paddington. She has a really good voice. 

London 2

Next day I walked by the river Wandle from Wimbledon to the Thames, where I took this shot of Chelsea Harbour, I then continued along the river into the West End, where I got a tube to Rowan's flat in Islington where I spent the next four nights.

That London

Down to London last week to have a wake for Rob. The funeral parlour was called Exit Here which was a nice touch.

I stayed with Mark and Mandy. Also in the picture is Rob's daughter Lily, who was fantastic in keeping it all ticking over, and Danny who was in Red Dwarf.

The Rhythm Section

Peter and Robert looking solid.

Stroll 54c

 

I got the train back from Prudhoe, by which time the Tyne had turned from industrial artery into a most beautiful rural river.

Stroll 54b

 

This is one of the always-welcome Sustrans marker signposts on the cycle network. It is a fantastic achievement, to create an alternative way of getting around, all over the country.

Stroll 54a

 I arrived at Newcastle expecting to get the train to complete the Middlesbrough to Sunderland route. The train was cancelled. So a quick ponder, and I decided to head east along the Tyne. It is a great path, a Sustrans cycle route right by the river for the most part. The weather was beautiful and all was well. The path drops down steeply from the station to the Tyne gorge, where the path goes under a couple of the Tyne bridges.

Stroll 53 pt3

The path reached Horden, which was in the paper the other week as an example of a village that was built for its pit, but the pit is long gone, and the people are not. Walking to the station was a pretty grim experience. So different from Seaham where I started. Both used to depend on coal, one has moved on to be a desirable place to live, one has not.

 

Stroll 53 pt2

 

The path followed the cliff top, until it was interrupted by a series of deep steep valleys. The railway line, built to ship the coal to the world ran near the coast the whole way. An amazing construction achievement which a local told me was completed in 1905, which is late, and probably a reflection on the need to get the coal to market as cheaply as possible.

Stroll 53 pt1

 The next day I headed south on the Durham coast from Seaham to Horden. It was a beautiful day, with the port at Seaham looking mill pond flat. 

Stroll 52 pt2

 The Durham coastline is surprisingly dramatic, and eroding away fast. The path I followed is part of the King Charles Coast Path, which has a grand name but very little in the way of signposting IRL. A good thing though. I finished off the day at Seaham.

Stroll 52

 The weather was set fair for the week, so I got a rail rover ticket (4 days in 8) and set off to Sunderland to walk the north sea coast to Hartlepool. First day took me past the town hall and through a very pleasant park. Good start.

Danielle and Jasmin

Tom took this picture of Danielle with Jasmin last weekend.

 

Memories

 

A picture of Mark, Rob and me watching the football. Looks like England are losing to me. I think it was taken in about 1982. Here is a link to lots of people's thoughts on Rob (including from me and Mark).

https://reddwarf.co.uk/news/2026/03/06/rob-grant/ 

Week End

 Friday we saw the Phoenix Dance Company perform Interplay at the Theatre Royal. They are a Leeds based contemporary dance company. It was fantastic, really enjoyed it. Then Saturday we went over to Glossop to see nephew Will and Alex and Jasmin their baby, with the bonus of nephew Tom also being there. We met up in Glossop Market which is a great venue in the done-up old market hall. A good place to meet, drink and eat. We were in an unofficial "big dog corner" and all was well.

Stroll 51e

 

And so to Boro, where the transporter bridge is sadly shut to all traffic including pedestrians. It is such a great structure.

Stroll 51d

 

Where once pollution had totally degraded the coast, there are now nature reserves and a flourishing harbour seal colony. I was glad that Layla could not get near the seals to say hi.

Farewell Rob

It is fifty years since I met Rob on my first day at Liverpool University. This week he died; it was a real shock. Rob & Kath stayed with us for a weekend last summer, and it is good to have such rich memories. Rob gave the speech at Danielle's and my wedding, thirty years ago. This photo is of us heading off to the Quaker Meeting house ahead of the wedding all those years ago. I shall miss him.

 

Stroll 51c

 

Heading towards the Tees, I am not sure what the scrap in the foreground is, but the white towers behind are part of the flourishing wind turbine manufacturing in the area.

Stroll 51b

 

Next I walked through Seaton Carew, where the obligatory information board told of how it had developed as a 19th century seaside resort for wealthy Quakers. Not so much now. A lot of effort has gone into making it an attractive place to spend time. These beach huts were all in use, and looking all the better for it.

Stroll 51 Hartlepool to Middlesborough

 

Walking from Hartlepool to Middlesborough is probably to visit the most industrialised bit of the whole coastline. From the now derelict (pits, iron works etc) to the more recent (chemicals, chemicals) to the just about hanging on (shipping, nuclear power station) to the future (wind turbine manufacture) there is a lot of stuff being made and going on.

First off I followed the coast south where coal dust still appears on the beaches, with offshore turbines adding drama.

Cliffords Tower

I nipped into York on the bike to get a few things yesterday. Walking past Cliffords Tower, in full daffodil bloom I just had to stop, look, photograph and admire. It is a good place to live.

 

York Open Studios 2026

                                                         YORK OPEN STUDIOS APRIL 2026

Friday April 17th 18.00 to 21.00

Saturday April 18th 10.00 - 17.00

Sunday April 19th 10.00 - 17.00

Saturday April 25th 10.00 - 17.00

Sunday April 26th 10.00 - 17.00

I am exhibiting at York Open Studios (yorkopenstudios.co.uk) in April 2026 

in my studio at 60 Hob Moor Drive York, YO24 4JZ. 

Please join me to see my new work, my best work and details of my third photo essay. Cards and books for sale. A Prize Competition. A Sale rack.

I am pleased this year to welcome Shona Leslie, who will be showing her unique, handmade, nature inspired silver jewellery with me in my studio. See her work at www.mckinleyandmoth.com 

You are invited to the preview evening (Friday April 17th) from 6pm to 9pm where there will be wine and nibbles and a first chance to see our show.

I shall be putting new photos on my website (www.palmour.eu) Facebook (simon.palmour), Blue Sky (@palmour.bsky.social) and Instagram (lenoirlenoir) through March to give you a taster of the show.

Plan a Visit - Spread the Word

A rare visitor. Mr Sun

Saturday was the first beautiful day for a long long time. We made the most of it and took Alfie (friend Emilie's dog who we are fostering for a few days) and Layla (who you can see in the far distance) to Escrick for a good walk. 

In the evening we watched Laura, a 1944 film noir directed by Otto Preminger, which I had not seen for nine years or so. Never my favourite I had it down as 3 stars, which I would confirm after this latest viewing. Danielle had heard about it on Radio 3 so we decided to watch it. I generally have splurges of interest in film noir every few years, and then enjoy them all over again.
 

Stroll 50 g

The train back was packed: standing room only. Except that is for the exhausted dog. No way was she standing up. Very understanding humans.