Welcome to a new week folks! There’s been little time for blogging today I’m afraid. Dawn, my wife, is on holiday this week so my focus has shifted somewhat. Today’s been  a day for household chores and catching up with paperwork more than anything else – although I did have chance to edit and caption a whole selection of pictures from last months Eurostar press trip from London to Amsterdam. You can find the shots in this gallery on my Zenfolio website.

Afterwards we decided to make the most of the spring-like weather as the forecast claims it’s all downhill for the rest of the week. The pair of us enjoyed a lovely walk from where we live on the side of the Calder valley through Scarr woods, then down a steeply cobbled road to join our local canal (the Calder and Hebble Navigation) for an easy walk along the towpath through to Sowerby Bridge. It’s a route we often take as it beats sticking to the shorter but less scenic route via the main road.

It’s funny how, despite visiting a place on a regular basis, you still pick up on something new. Today it was the fact that the Goth clothing shop which had only been open for about 6 months had closed and morphed into (yet another) barbers. There’s a market research deficit on both counts here. OK, the chance of making a living out of selling Goth clothing was pretty slim even though they had no competition, but another barbers? We counted 12 on the main street. So, if you’re hirsute, like eating out and drinking – then Sowerby Bridge is the place to come, otherwise – jog on! Variety ain’t the spice of life here. Being me, I couldn’t help wondering how a bonanza of barbershops will fare in a place where the population is ageing and balding…

I eschewed the chance of a haircut to do some food shopping before we popped in for a ‘swifty’ at the Hogshead Brew-house, one of the latest editions to the drinking dens of Sowerby Bridge and well worth a visit. It’s a spacious, single room bar that brews a variety of beers on the premises. It’s dog and child friendly, with a real mix of clientele – and furniture! One thing that amuses us is their range of crisps. We love the Roast Ox flavour ones, which are certified as suitable for vegetarians!

Suitably refreshed we walked back up the hill to home for a quiet night in. Whilst Dawn’s cooking Tuna steaks I’ve had time to pen this little missive, tomorrow I’m hoping to tell you about that Eurostar press trip…