Far and wide

Once you get to the top of the 5 Rise Locks on the edge of Bingley, you suddenly feel very aware of 'place'. The useful signpost says it's 111 miles (by canal) to the port of Liverpool on the west coast, only 16 or so to Leeds at the eastern end of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Then you realise that to get from here to the actual east coast (the North Sea coast itself, not the Humber estuary) that's about 80-90 miles from here, so we are, almost but not quite, in the middle of the country. (By boat, you'd travel onwards along the Aire and Calder Navigation from Leeds to reach the North Sea.) 

I'd only walked 2 and three quarter miles from Saltaire but I'd to do the same on my return leg, so it's near enough a 6 miles round trip from home. 

From the elevated position at the top of the locks, there's a rather good view (below) across the fields and up to the St Ives estate on the hill. It looks very green and rural but that's a bit deceptive. The railway line and two roads are hidden in the valley. There are many more houses and industrial units than those two terraces that you can see. The other buildings to the right are the sprawling site of Bingley Grammar School. 

Signs of the times

A sign of the times in one of Saltaire's shops, due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. It is very sad that businesses are having to close; hopefully some will survive and re-open when they can. Many are trying to innovate to keep going. Some of the restaurants are now doing take-aways and deliveries. I took this photo on a short walk I did, simply to get some exercise, in the late afternoon. There weren't many people about. The sun was low and there were some golden reflections in the shop windows.

Another day, on the outskirts of Shipley, I saw this sign at the gates to a factory. The company, Carnaud Metalbox, manufactures machinery for the production of beverage, food and aerosol cans. It looks like they are continuing to work, though obviously with some stringent checks on anyone entering.

Both these photos were taken before the announcement on Monday night that we in the UK are on pretty much total lockdown, so these measures may also be changed now. We are only allowed out to shop for food (as infrequently as possible) and once a day for exercise. Some people are still allowed to go to work in vital roles, obviously. I'll bet there will still be people who try to get round the rules. As for my photography, I'm sure I can take a few quick phone snaps when I'm walking for exercise but it's all going to be a bit boring and parochial for a while, I'm afraid.

Three little pigs and other stories

Every now and again I realise I've amassed a few photos that, for one reason or another, I quite like but that don't really 'fit in' anywhere. Like the three sleepy pigs that I spotted in Wales....

and the other one with a hat on...

Or the litter shouting out from the side of the footpath...

And this is somewhere I've always wanted to visit, ever since I came to live in Bradford.... Idle is a district in the city and lends its name to many things that end up being mildly amusing. I was invited by some friends to a function in the church, followed by a reception at the Working Men's Club. I did notice that the list of past vicars at the church was entitled 'Vicars of Idle' rather than 'Idle Vicars'!

It puts me in mind of one of my favourite quotes:

'How beautiful it is to do nothing and then rest afterwards.'

Have a good day! 

It took me a while....

I was a bit flummoxed by this sign outside the Old Glen Tea Rooms up on Shipley Glen. 'Surely', I thought, 'that's a bit of an odd thing to say if you're advertising your wares....' 'There are better home made cakes than the Glen Tea Rooms.' Doesn't it need a 'no' in there somewhere? It was only after a minute or two that I twigged that the little chap illustrated is Pinocchio, famed for telling lies... Doh! I'm a bit slow! I guess the advert worked, up to a point, as I certainly took notice of it. I didn't try the cakes though, so I can't say one way or another whether the claim is true or not.

Getting old?

I had to smile when I saw this juxtaposition of signs - but then I sighed. I think I'm definitely getting old... More or less every day these days I seem to think 'what on earth is that?' or 'what is the world coming to?'.

The shop in Shipley, selling e-cigarettes, was open for barely a year. There's a message on their FB page saying 'lack of trade and large overheads' made it unviable. I'm pretty sure (although it means nothing to me as I'm neither a smoker nor a 'vaper') that there are at least two other dedicated 'vaping' outlets in Shipley's small town centre anyway.

I'm sad for so many reasons. Sad (and bemused) that I find it harder lately to keep up to speed with modern developments (technology, as well as things like vaping). Sad for the future, as every positive advance seems to be matched with a dozen seemingly less positive ones. Sad that large overheads seem to make so many businesses in our town centres unviable; sad that our small town centres hold little more these days than charity shops, betting shops and vaping shops; sad for the people wandering round in such poor shape and for whom drugs, smoking, vaping, drinking are all part of trying to make life a little better. I'm sad - and then I'm angry too.

Saltaire signage

I don't think I've shown this new(ish) Saltaire sign on my blog before. It was erected when the Victoria Road 'environment' was improved a couple of years ago, with the felling of some huge trees, new street lighting and some alterations to the road surface outside the Victoria Hall. It has been placed at the entrance to the Caroline Street carpark, which is fairly central in the 'touristy' part of the village. It's an improvement on the sign that was here before (see here) and is matched by a similar board opposite that tells the story of the now demolished Sunday School building that at one time occupied the space where the car park is now.

I'm sure the sign is necessary now, since the staffed Tourist Information Centre in Salts Mill was shut down due to budget cuts. There is currently only an unstaffed information point in the Victoria Hall, where you can pick up a few leaflets about local attractions. I think it rather a shame that a World Heritage Site is so low on information. Some sites that I've explored have excellent visitor interpretation facilities. There is a small exhibition in Salts Mill about the history of the Mill but that is provided by the Mill's current owners and is not very obvious to visitors.

In addition, they have closed the only public toilets (again due to Council budget cuts. Blame the Tory government.) That seems very short-sighted since I gather it has reduced the number of coach tours visiting the World Heritage Site, which therefore reduces the revenue coming into the village.

Devon: Doone Valley

Lee Abbey is situated on the edge of the Exmoor National Park. Our third day's programme saw us exploring the area of Exmoor known as the Doone Valley, around Malmsmead and Oare. Malmsmead is a picturesque hamlet with a ford and an old packhorse bridge over Badgworthy Water, the river that forms the boundary between Devon and Somerset. I loved all the place names displayed on the signpost. There was lots to photograph, including some patient horses.

The Doone Valley is named after the famous Victorian romantic novel 'Lorna Doone' by R D Blackmore. It's set in 1685, the the tale of a local farmer, John Ridd, who falls in love with the adopted daughter of a band of outlaws, who lived in a hidden valley near Oare. It is said to be culled from real-life, based on tales of a band of Stuart sympathisers who fled Scotland for Exmoor, where they preyed on travellers.

Blue note

A canal boat moored up for the winter made a picture that pretty much sums up how I feel at this stage of the year. Blue, dull, scratchy with slight glimmers of bright yellow here and there.

I know I shouldn't complain. All the rain and snow we've had means we're certainly not short of water like some places. The nights are beginning to get shorter again and there are bulbs peeping up through the soil - even in my garden! (I actually got around to planting some tulips and crocus in tubs, quite an achievement since I do not possess a single green finger, though I love gardens.) I've been planning a summer holiday, which is fun and escapist, but I'm longing for some dry days so I can go out and explore and to take some more photos.

Lost in translation

It took me ages to work out the name of this boat, moored up by the Hirst Wood Locks. 'Nofe Ixta Boad'. At first I thought it was a foreign language! But no...  obviously someone enjoying their peripatetic lifestyle on board.

Welcome to Saltaire

This colourful sign, welcoming people to Saltaire, has been outside the rail station for some time now. I've taken a few photos of it but never got one I was pleased with. This isn't brilliant either but it'll have to do! There are obstructions to photographing it square on, so the only possibility is this rather oblique angle - but you get the idea...

The sign has been designed by students, Massimiliano Belli and Giada Dambra, from Bradford School of Art, taking inspiration from the Italianate architecture and layout of the village to show the key points of interest. Formerly there was just a blank, black screen, the reverse of a station signboard belonging to the rail operators. It looks much, much better now.

Saltaire's saltire

Looking up on a bright sunny day I noticed aircraft contrails making a saltire, St Andrew's cross, in the sky. The flag of Scotland, I am hoping it is a herald of Andy Murray's triumph at Wimbledon 2017... If not, it's not for lack of me cheering him on. Come on Andy!!

A sign

New signboards seem to be springing up all over the place, part of the various agencies' attempts to improve the visitor experience for people coming to the World Heritage Site of Saltaire. This colourful board was designed by pupils at the nearby Saltaire Primary School. It has been erected adjacent to the lock at Hirst Wood, to commemorate the bicentenary of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. It depicts the famous Five Rise locks a little further along the route at Bingley, as well as the lock basin and lock at Hirst Wood. The colourful flowers at the bottom are reminiscent of traditional barge decoration. The Canal and River Trust have also erected a new information board nearby, which tells the history of the lock and the area around it.

Imagine... create... dream... become...

Spotted in a dusty window in Hebden Bridge, this seems a particularly 'Hebden' sentiment. The town has for many, many years been a magnet for creative types, with a strong streak of non-conformist, bohemian - even eccentric - creativity and a rather 'new age' vibe. It all adds to its charm, individuality and strong community focus.

Oh, hi everyone!

I spotted this little fellow grinning through a window in Saltaire. It was above the butcher's shop, so I suspect he is a signboard that normally stands outside the shop.

Route 696

Not quite Route 66 but National Route 696 is still significant. Also known as the Airedale Greenway, it is a cycling and walking route that connects Shipley to Keighley along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal towpath. There is the odd muddy puddle but on the whole it's a well-maintained route with a good surface and only gentle gradients. Sharing the towpath between cyclists (some of whom ride at a cracking pace!) and pedestrians can be a bit of a nuisance but most people are considerate of other users. I sometimes feel I need a sign on my back that says 'deaf' as I don't hear cycles or their warning bells coming up behind me; I've learned to walk on the edge of the path! But if I was a cyclist I'd feel far safer on the Route than on the roads. Added to which, the scenery is interesting and attractive.

Since I took this photo I noticed the post and sign have disappeared... Considered a hazard for cyclists,  perhaps?

New Year resolution?

I will make this one of my resolutions for this year. I made a good start by buying a couple of books in my local store.

British weather

We had a sudden and unexpected flurry of snow across parts of the country on Boxing Day. It didn't amount to much down here in my valley but higher up and in other areas it was enough to cause a certain amount of disruption. We're talking a few inches rather than feet - but the UK never seems to cope with even a minor amount of snow. Few people have their vehicles fitted with winter tyres and we don't have the equipment to handle it, unlike those places where winter snow is a more usual occurrence. Add in engineering works over-running their schedule on the main railway line from Yorkshire to London, causing all trains to be cancelled into and out of Kings Cross station, and it was hard for anyone to get anywhere just after Christmas. Thankfully I've been cosy at home and my family had a safe journey back to London; the motorways were clear by the time they needed to set off.

I think it must be the unpredictability of British weather that causes it to be such a talking point in this country. If you pretty much know it's going to be hot and sunny, or cold and snowy, day after day then I suppose it ceases to be of interest. I spotted this rudimentary weather-forecasting tool up in the Yorkshire Dales some time ago, but never found a chance to show it on my blog before now.

Another photo walk?

The bliss of the long Easter weekend was made even more blissful by some fabulous spring sunshine, though it is still rather chilly. So... chores forgotten, do you fancy another country walk?  We'll go to a place I have long had on my 'must visit' list - Arncliffe. It's not that far - about 30 miles (50 km) and very near to some of the places I have visited quite often - Kettlewell and Kilnsey.  But, in common with most visitors to the Yorkshire Dales, I have always followed the road up Wharfedale and I have never branched off into Littondale. The smaller Dales are for the most part just as attractive as the better-known areas and have the advantage of fewer visitors. Though there were quite a lot of cyclists and walkers, there tend to be fewer cars. Just as well, as many roads are single-track with passing places.

I certainly felt welcomed when I arrived!

Recycling children

A sign of the times, perhaps?.....

Blue sky and dreams

Meanwhile, back in Saltaire, we've had blue skies when we most needed them... notably on the Bank Holiday weekend, when the 2013 Arts Trail took place at various venues, including in some of the residents' Open Houses. The sunshine made wandering around the village even more delightful than it usually is. There was a wealth of beautiful arts and crafts to see, to admire - and to buy if you felt like it. If I was rich(er) I would buy investment pieces; there are some good deals to be had, from both up-and-coming and established artists, most of whom are fairly local. I love the exuberant paintings of Kate Lycett, the breadth of work produced by photographer Ian Burdall is stunning and some of the work on display really made me smile, like the penguin ceramics produced by Beverley Gee. I can dream... but I had to be content with buying a few greetings cards. Some of my friends and family are going to enjoy getting their birthday cards this year!