• About

Paul Bigland

~ Blogging on transport, travel & whatever takes my fancy.

Paul Bigland

Tag Archives: spring

12th May picture of the day…

12 Monday May 2025

Posted by Paul Bigland in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Gardening, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, spring, West Yorkshire

It’s the start of another week here in West Yorkshire, where the weather’s gracing us with wall to wall sunshine – as it did over the weekend, although we couldn’t take full advantage and our plans to go walking changed as Dawn wasn’t feeling her best. I was going to say she was under the weather, but considering what the weather was like I thought better of it!

However, we did still manage to get out and I got the opportunity to stock up on summer annuals from a garden centre which we’d not tried before. I finally managed to find trailing Lobelia, which has been noticeable by its absence from our usual outlets. With plants aplenty, Sunday was spent clearing away the debris and dead plants from the terrace at the back of the cottage. Winter hadn’t been kind, causing me to lose many old established garden occupants, so I took the opportunity to rejig what we have and replace many of the smaller pots and troughs with ones more likely to survive the hot, dry conditions we’re seeing this year – with rain in very short supply (and likely to be for the foreseeable future). I’ve still got some work to do, but the terraces and troughs are looking much better. Hopefully, the new planting will provide sustenance for the occupants of our two nesting boxes, where we have both birds and bees!

Today I’ve been busy editing and captioning pictures from Friday’s HS2 and Midlands media trip, you can find which galleries they’ve been added to by following this link. I’ll have the HS2 collection done tomorrow as another day working from home beckons. Hopefully, I’ll get out with the camera again later in the week as the forecast is excellent for several days yet. I’ll leave you with a picture from today, which was taken on this afternoon’s stroll around the valley when I was looking for alternative photo sites.

The Wainhouse Tower dominates the horizon and looks magnificent against a cloudless sky.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Back from the Easter break…

01 Monday Apr 2024

Posted by Paul Bigland in Food and drink, Musings, Photography, West Yorkshire

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

easter, family, Food and drink, holiday, holidays, Musings, Photography, spring, West Yorkshire

S’cuse the lack of blogging recently but I’ve taken time off over Easter to concentrate on other things. However, the break is almost over, so normal service is about to resume. The pair of us have stayed at home over the holiday. Partly because we’d only just got back from a few days in West Yorkshire, but also because getting away over Easter can be expensive and a pain in the arse! Instead, we stayed local, but we were hardly inactive as we’ve been out and about in our local area and indulged in some good food. On Friday, after Dee had finished sorting out the end of the financial year for her work the pair of us walked into Halifax in order to get some exercise and explore. Despite it being the holiday, the place wasn’t as busy as we’d expected, but this became a common theme through Easter. Saturday saw us pottering around at home before the pair of us got ‘dressed up’ for meal with my in-laws over in Honley, near Huddersfield. It’s a pretty little village with a variety of places to eat/drink. We’d booked early evening at Punch, a tapas bar we’ve frequented several times before as the food’s always good. The place was packed when we first got there but by 20:30 it was almost deserted, which really surprised us. Staff didn’t even bother resetting the tables as they had no second sitting booked. Is this a new phenomenon nowadays – people coming out earlier rather than later, then going home afterwards? We enjoyed our night regardless as the food was plentiful and tasty.

Yum! Prawns to the fore…

As the weather remained good on Sunday we decided to stretch ourselves physically by walking all the way from home to the Robin Hood pub in Cragg Vale, high above Mytholmroyd. Normally we’d eat there after our exertions (the food’s fab) but with it being Easter we decided to be flexible and take sandwiches instead.

The cosy bar…

It was a wise move as the restaurant area was busy as was the bar, with a constant stream of dog-walkers passing through. By the time we’d walked back along the canal and uphill our Fitbits told us we’d completed 33,000 plus steps (or over 15 miles).

Industrial heritage and ruins along the Rochdale canal at Luddenden Foot

Such a stroll meant we’d earned the lamb shanks Dawn had put in the slow-cooker before we left, which we enjoyed with a healthy selection of vegetables. Well, if you can’t have lamb at Easter…

Today the weather’s been typical for a bank holiday. Miserable! We’ve had rain and low temperatures for most of the day. You couldn’t even see the other side of the valley for most of it. So, our plans – which originally included various home and DIY tasks became more of a ‘duvet day’ – at least for the first part! Now, with the bank holiday almost over it’s time to prepare for another hectic week. I hope my readers who’re celebrating Easter have had an equally enjoyable time.

Next week sees me resume my travels around the rail network as there’s a lot to catch up on. A tak made easier by the fact the clocks have changed with the days getting longer. Expect a few more rolling blogs and pictures. But for now, good night!

Recent Posts

  • Rolling blog. Christmas carolling…
  • 17th December picture(s) of the day…
  • 15th December picture of the day…
  • TRU update. Batley to Ravensthorpe.
  • 9th December picture of the day…

Recent Comments

ramakrishnanaidu400's avatarramakrishnanaidu400 on London, HS2 and home…
Paul Bigland's avatarPaul Bigland on London, HS2 and home…
Steve Ashford's avatarSteve Ashford on London, HS2 and home…
Chuckster's avatarChuckster on Rolling blog. More Manchester…
ramakrishnanaidu400's avatarramakrishnanaidu400 on Shropshire sojourn. Part …

Archives

  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • June 2013

Categories

  • 'Green' madness
  • 'Think Tanks'
  • 144e
  • 2005 London bombing
  • 2017 General election
  • 3 peaks by rail
  • 3 Peaks by ral
  • 51M
  • 7/7
  • Abandoned railways
  • Abu Dhabi
  • ACoRP
  • Adam Smith Institute
  • Adrian Quine
  • Advertising
  • Air Travel
  • Aircraft
  • Airports
  • Airshows
  • Allan Cook
  • Alstom
  • Amsterdam
  • Andrea Leadsom MP
  • Andrew Gilligan
  • Andrew Haylen
  • Andy Burnham MP
  • Anti Hs2 mob
  • AONBs
  • Arambol
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Australia
  • Avanti West Coast
  • Bali
  • Bangkok
  • Bank holidays
  • Barrow Hill
  • beer
  • Belgium
  • Bereavement
  • Berlin
  • Bigotry
  • Birmingham
  • Blists Hill
  • Blue passports
  • Boris Johnson MP
  • Bradford
  • Brazil
  • Brexit
  • Brighouse
  • Brighton
  • British Railways
  • British Railways (BR)
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Buses
  • Byline media
  • Calder Valley
  • Calderdale
  • Cambridge
  • Cambridgeshire
  • Canals
  • Cardiff
  • Carillion
  • Carolyne Culver
  • Censorship
  • Charities
  • Cheryl Gillan MP
  • Cheshire
  • Chester
  • China
  • Chris Packham
  • Claire Perry MP
  • Class 08
  • Class 155
  • Class 180
  • Class 313
  • Class 314s
  • Class 317
  • Class 319
  • Class 320
  • Class 321
  • Class 323
  • Class 365
  • Class 455
  • Class 456
  • Class 507
  • Class 508
  • Class 60s
  • Class 91
  • Climate Change
  • Communications
  • Community
  • Community rail
  • Community Rail Network
  • COP26
  • Corbynwatch
  • Coronavirus
  • Coventry
  • Covid 19
  • CP5
  • Crap journalism
  • Crazy anti Hs2 campaigner of the week
  • Crazy kippers
  • Crewe Hub
  • Crossrail
  • Cuba
  • Cumbria
  • Customs
  • Cyberattacks
  • Cycle India
  • Cycling
  • Dame Bernadette Kelly
  • Dawn
  • Democracy
  • Denmark
  • Derbyshire
  • Desiro City
  • Dewsbury
  • Diary
  • Dispatches
  • Doha
  • Donald Trump
  • Doomed
  • Dorset
  • Down memory lane
  • Duxford
  • East Lancashire Railway
  • East Midlands Railway franchise
  • East Midlands Trains
  • East-West rail
  • Easter fairy stories
  • ECML
  • Economic illiteracy
  • Economics
  • election2015
  • Elon Musk
  • Engineering
  • Environment
  • Essex
  • Eurostar
  • Euston
  • Extinction Rebellion
  • Fake News
  • Festivals
  • Film and TV
  • Flag shaggers
  • Flooding
  • Flora and Fauna
  • Food
  • Food and drink
  • Foot in mouth
  • Gardening
  • GBRf
  • GCRE
  • General election
  • General election 2019
  • General election 2024
  • Georgetown
  • Germany
  • Glasgow
  • Glossop
  • GNGE
  • GNRP
  • Goa
  • Goole
  • Grand Central trains
  • Grant Shapps MP
  • Great Western Railway
  • Greater Anglia franchise
  • Greater Manchester
  • Greece
  • Green issues
  • Green madness
  • Green Party
  • Grok
  • Gt Missenden
  • GTR
  • Guido Fawkes
  • GWML
  • GWR franchise
  • Gwyll Jones
  • Halifax
  • Hampshire
  • Harvil Rd Hs2 protest
  • Harz railway
  • Heathrow 3rd runway
  • High Speed 1
  • High Speed UK
  • History
  • Hitachi
  • Hong Kong
  • House of Lords
  • HS North
  • Hs1
  • Hs2
  • Hs2 Bow Group
  • Hs2 petitions
  • Hs2 Phase 2B
  • Hs2 to Crewe
  • Hs2aa
  • HS2Rebellion
  • HSUK
  • Huddersfield
  • Humberside
  • Humour
  • Hurricane Ophelia
  • Huw Merriman MP
  • Hypocrisy
  • I love my job
  • Imperial College London
  • Imperial War Museum
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Infrarail
  • Innotrans
  • Internet
  • Iolo Williams
  • Ireland
  • Islamophobia
  • Istanbul
  • Jacob Rees Mogg
  • jakarta
  • Jeremy Corbyn
  • Jeremy Corbyn MP
  • Jo Johnson MP
  • Joanne Crompton
  • Joe Rukin
  • John McDonnell MP
  • John Poyntz
  • Johnathan Bartley
  • Journalism
  • Kanchanaburi
  • Kemi Badenoch
  • Kent
  • Kuala Lumpur
  • Labour election
  • Lancashire
  • Laos
  • Law and order
  • Lazy journalism
  • Leicestershire
  • Levelling up
  • Liam Halligan
  • libel
  • Lilian Greenwood MP
  • Lincolnshire
  • Liverpool
  • LNER
  • Local elections
  • Local elections 2018
  • Lockdown
  • London
  • London Underground
  • Lord Berkeley
  • LRT
  • M62 motorway
  • Major Projects Authority
  • Malaysia
  • Manchester
  • Manchester Airport
  • Manchester Victoria
  • MAPA
  • Mark Keir
  • Marketing
  • Martin Tett
  • Mediawatch
  • Melton Mowbray
  • Memory Lane
  • Merseyrail
  • Merseyside
  • Michael Dugher MP
  • Michael Fabricant MP
  • Mid Cheshire against Hs2
  • Miscellany
  • Modern Railways
  • Monorails
  • Music
  • Musings
  • Mytholmroyd
  • Natalie Bennett
  • National Rail Awards
  • National Trust
  • Nepal
  • Network Rail
  • Never a dull life
  • New Economics Foundation
  • New trains
  • New Year
  • New York
  • New Zealand
  • Newcastle
  • NHS
  • Nigel Farage
  • Norfolk
  • Norland scarecrow festival
  • North Yorkshire
  • Northern Powerhouse
  • Northern Rail
  • Northumberland
  • Norway
  • Nostalgia
  • Nottingham
  • Obituaries
  • Old Oak Common
  • ORR
  • Ossett
  • Our cat, Jet
  • Oxfordshire
  • Pacers
  • Paris terror attack
  • Parliament
  • Pasenger Growth
  • Patrick McLouglin MP
  • Penny Gaines
  • Peter Jones
  • Peterborough
  • Photography
  • Photojournalism
  • Picture of the day
  • Poetry
  • Politics
  • Porterbrook
  • Portugal
  • PR nightmares
  • Preston
  • Protest
  • Public Accounts Ctte
  • Pubs
  • rail ale
  • Rail electrification
  • Rail fares
  • Rail Investment
  • Rail Live 2021
  • Rail Live 2022
  • Rail Live 2024
  • RAIL magazine
  • Rail Moderinsation
  • Rail PR
  • Railfreight
  • Railstaff awards
  • Railtex
  • Railway Benefit Fund (RBF)
  • Railway preservation
  • Railways
  • Rant
  • Religion
  • Reservoir blogs
  • RFEM
  • Richard Wellings
  • Ride India
  • Rishi Sunak
  • Road accidents
  • Rolling blogs
  • ROSCOs
  • Royal Mail
  • Royal Wedding 2018
  • RSPB
  • Rugby Observer
  • Rushbearing
  • SAIP
  • Sarah Green
  • Scores on the doors
  • Scotland
  • Scotrail
  • Sheffield
  • Ships
  • Shrewsbury
  • Shropshire
  • Siemens
  • Signalling
  • Silly season
  • Simon Heffer
  • Simon Jenkins
  • Singapore
  • Sleeper trains
  • Snail mail
  • Social media
  • South West Trains
  • Southport
  • Sowerby Bridge
  • Spectator magazine
  • Sri Lanka
  • St Pancras station
  • Stafford
  • Stamford
  • Station buffets
  • StopHs2
  • Surabaya
  • Surrey
  • Swansea
  • Talgo
  • Teresa May
  • Terrorism
  • Tesla
  • Thailand
  • Thameslink
  • The 'Beast from the East'
  • The BBC
  • The Big 6
  • The Cludders
  • The Daily Express
  • The Economy
  • The end of the line
  • The fog
  • The Grauniad
  • The Great Central railway
  • The Green Party
  • The Guardian
  • The Independent
  • The Labour Party
  • The Moorcock Inn
  • The Piece Hall
  • The PWI
  • The Railway Children
  • The Rodelblitz
  • The USA
  • The Woodland Trust
  • Tilford
  • Tony Allen
  • Torquay
  • Tourism
  • TPE
  • Traffic congestion
  • Trams
  • Trans-Pennine electrification
  • Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade
  • Transport
  • Transport Committee
  • Transport for Wales (TfW)
  • Travel
  • TRU
  • Turkey
  • Twilight years
  • Twitter
  • Twitter (and how not to use it)
  • UK
  • UK steel industry
  • UKIP
  • Uncategorized
  • Uxbridge
  • Vandalism
  • Victoria Prentis MP
  • Virgin Trains
  • Virgin West Coast
  • Vivarail
  • Wales
  • Walking
  • Warwickshire
  • WCML
  • Weather
  • West Yorkshire
  • Wigan
  • Wildlife Trusts
  • Wiltshire
  • Worcester
  • Work
  • World car-free day
  • World War 1
  • World War Two
  • Yorkshire
  • YorkshireStopHs2

Meta

  • Create account
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Paul Bigland
    • Join 465 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Paul Bigland
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...