I have to admit I’m rather behind with these as today we’ve sallied forth from West Yorkshire to Derbyshire and back in order to walk around the Derwent valley dams and more – but that’s tomorrow’s story.
We were out an about yesterday but stayed local. Having driven over to Southport recently we’d passed the reservoir at Booth Wood near Ripponden. We were shocked to see the state of it so sore to return to get some pictures. If you’re familiar with the M62 motorway you’ll know the famous stretch where East and West carriageways part around Stott Hall farm. Well, Booth Wood is in the valley below – although you may not notice it.
Normally, when we drive past the water is cascading over the top of the dam. Not any more. Here’s how it looked yesterday.
The famous farm is the white building to the right of the picture.You can see how low the water levels are by the fact that water would normally be cascading over the central (lower) part of the dam for much of the year. In the background is the notorious Scammonden Bridge which carries the B6114 high above the motorway.
Hving checked out Booth Wood we took off over backroads to a favorite and well-publicised location. Baitings reservoir gets a lot of publicity due to the old road bridge which appears when the dam is suffering from low water levels. I’ve featured it in several of these blogs. Only now it’s worse, with levels having dropped several more feet in just a few days. Having parked the car we decided to walk right around Baitings which was both lovely – and disturbing. Here’s how it looked.
Looking East from the road bridge towards the dam. Levels are dropping all the time.As the water levels continue to drop features like this which haven’t been seen for years continue to be exposed. Was this an old quarry?A few weeks ago there was still water under the old bridge. Not any more…Standing on the old bridge looking back at the new. Consider the fact that when the reservoir is full the water level is about a meter below the bottom of this bridge.
Tomorrow I’ll add pictures from today’s adventures (and more).
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Here we are at the end of another working week with the August bank holiday looming. It’s been an odd week here at Bigland Towers, the classic curate’s egg. I’ve enjoyed getting out and about to see the latest High Speed 2 railway construction milestone in Birmingham (a full blog and pictures to follow shortly). The weather’s been rather indifferent and the nights are certainly drawing in, heralding next month’s change of season. I’d have liked to have got out more but there’s been a lot to do at home, partly because Dawn’s had a tough week so I’ve been on hand to offer tea and sympathy. Oh, and breakfast lunch and dinner as required!
On the bright side, I’ve also booked a fortnight in Portugal for the pair of us, starting in the first week of September. This will see us exploring the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and the Douro valley, travelling by train. We’re both really excited about the trip, we just need to bottom out a few details – like where we’re actually going to stay! That will be one of the tasks this weekend as we’re not planning to go far over the bank holiday – although there will be some walking involved – somewhere.
Right now it’s time to sign off and relax. I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which is one I’ve been meaning to use for a few days. I have a 105mm micro lens which really doesn’t see much use nowadays (I’m hoping to put that right in Portugal), but I couldn’t resist digging it out when I saw this opportunity last week.
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I hadn’t intended writing a reservoir blog today. Far from it. We should’ve been at the Southport flower show, but yesterday I was stung on the lefthand by some flying critter which – unbeknown to me – had landed on my long camera lens when I was taking pictures at Deansgate. As I swung the camera up to grasp the lens I felt an electric shock, then saw something fly off in an erratic fashion but not before the little bugger has left me a present jabbed into the joint of my index finger. I thought no more about it as it stung but wasn’t too much of a problem – until I woke up this morning…
Overnight, my left hand had swollen up like an overstretched balloon, with the skin displaying some interesting if alarming colours and the centre of the sting looking very angry indeed. So, a trip to A&E it was! Calderdale Royal infirmary is a modern hospital with excellent staff, but waiting times in A&E can vary considerably. Today wasn’t the best day as we spent all morning there, however, the Asian Doctor who treated me was really very good, being both thorough and informative. The result was I came away with lots of good advice and reassurance plus a course of antibiotics as the sting was clearly infected.
All of this put paid to going to the flower show.
Instead we spent the much of the day pottering around at home. My arm was in a sling so I wasn’t able to do too much, leaving poor Dawn to bear most of the domestic burden. Dee’s been a star throughout, hanging around with me in A&E and driving me where I needed to go – as well as picking up on the jobs I’d normally be doing.
By late afternoon we’d both had enough as the weather was superb, so we decided to nip out for a while. At my suggestion we drove up to Baitings reservoir, just to see how things were going. The answer? Badly, as these pictures illustrate.
Looking towards the dam from the old road bridge which is normally submerged.I walked further along the dry reservoir bed to get shots of the two bridges together which shows how the stream that feeds the reservoir with water off the moors is reduced to a trickle. Looking at the old bridge I’d estimate that levels have dropped by at least 6 feet since our last visit. The parlous state of the reservoir. Yorkshire water reckon their reservoirs are around 42% full right now compared to the seasonal average of 75%. I’d suggest that Baitings is far lower than that. Give it another few weeks and I doubt there’ll be much left at all.
Tomorrow we might make another attempt to attend the Southport flower show. My hand seems to be responding to the antibiotics, antihistamines and Ibuprofen (even if I do rattle when I walk), but we’ll see how things are in the morning. My view is – as long as it hasn’t dropped off during the night…
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Yesterday the weather was perfect for an amble around another reservoir in another area that we hadn’t previously explored – only driven past. Widdop is one of a series of reservoirs on the moors above Hebden Bridge, heading towards Colne and Burnley. You really are on the top of the world here. The reservoir is in a valley surrounded by steep-sided hills with some interesting rocky outcrops along their crests.
Sadly, there’s no circular walk around the reservoir, but that wasn’t a problem today as the water levels were so low it was possible to walk along the dried out banks. Shrinking water levels have reduced the size of the reservoir by 50-60% and around 15 feet in depth.
We started out by walking across the dam itself before scrambling uphill to the ‘Cludders’ a ridge of gritstone crags with some fascinating stones, including one that’s perched precariously atop another. You can learn a lot more about the rocks and the surrounding geology by copy and pasting this link;
The scramble’s well worth it, as the view from the rocks (and the rocks themselves are stunning.
Looking North-West from the Cludders up the valley towards Lancashire. Looking back towards the Cludders from the South shore of the reservoir. Looking East towards the dam from the far end of the reservoir, which gives you an indication of how low it is.
We thoroughly enjoyed the landscape and have vowed to return to explore more as there’s an extensive network of footpaths across the moors to surrounding reservoirs. The only sad note is the fact that the one country pub in the area (the Pack Horse Inn, dating from 1610) closed down earlier in the year, so if you plan to visit, bring your own refreshments.
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Hi folks. We’ve had a busy weekend and it’s late so here’s a short blog encapsulating two hectic days. I’ll be writing more about Saturday and Sunday later as they’ve been very different in character and worth describing at greater length.
Yesterday we attended ‘Craggfest’ for the first time. It was a cracking event full of fun and music, showcasing some of the best the Calder Valley community has to offer. Here’s a couple of shots.
It’s not my horizon that’s on the blink – honest! The field that Craggfest is held in is typical West Yorkshire – less than flat! So, the marquee that holds the stage, bar and food looks distinctly wonky.Sadly, we couldn’t stay until late, but we did hear a variety of talented local bands, including this one, which featured younger musicians
Today (Sunday) the weather had picked up so we ventured out on another reservoir trip to a place we’d never walked around before. Widdop, on moors North-West of Hebden Bridge. Conditions were ideal, although the reservoir had shrunk to half its normal size. The ridges either side of the reservoir contain some fantasic rock formations.
This evening we’ve retreated back to Bigland Towers where I’ve been on cooking duty whilst Dee prepares for the week ahead. We fancied a dish I haven’t cooked for a while – cucumber curry, here’s how it progresses.
The basic ingredients, minus a few dried red chili’s abd a teaspoon of sugar.Step 2. On the right is the coconut sauce with the red pepper, cucumber, peanuts and Turneric. In the frying pan are the other spices, chilli, curry leaves, and garlic.The finished article
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Today’s been a good one here at Bigland Towers. Dawn was up early to travel to Holmfirth for a Reiki treatment whilst I stayed at home and caught up on some work, then gardening. The weather’s taken a change for the better here in the Pennines. Whilst we’re not back into heatwave territory the sun has made a welcome return, which has made all the difference.
This afternoon we decided to take time out and explore part of the area we’ve never walked before. This was the moors West of the Warley Moor Reservoir (which is home to the Halifax sailing club) onto Midgeley Moor, . The views up here are really good. You can see for miles in most directions. This time of year the heather is just springing into bloom which adds even more colours to the landscape.
Here’s a few pictures.
Looking East from Midgeley Moor. In the middle distance you can see the sails of yachts and sailboards on the reservoir whilst in the background are the wind turbines on Ovenden Moor.The footpath we traversed follows a catchwater drain which is crossed by several old stone bridges like this.Taking a break on the moors.
Having walked several miles we retraced out route back to the car to drive down the other side of the hills to nearby Oxenhope where we called in at the Bay Horse Inn, a lovely little pub which we’ve passed several times before but never visited. Today we put that omission right. They serve a great selection of well-kept real ales which you can quaff outdoors in their large seating area at the front of the pub. It’s a lovely sun-trap where you can watch the world go by.
Now we’re back at Bigland Towers, having a quiet night in and putting our (tired) feet up. Tomorrow’s weather’s looking good so we’re planning to catch up with a few chores before getting out again before the working week starts again. Watch this space…
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I’m slowly getting my mojo back. Today’s been a good day where I’ve felt I’ve actually achieved a few things and have lots to look forward to. Admittedly, not everything on my list was ticked off, but many of the major things were. That’s the problem with a long list! I’m reminded of an old boss from the days when I worked in Housing in East London. He used to say ‘if it’s an urgent file, leave it on my chair’. Within 6 months he had a second chair, one for him and one for the ‘urgent’ files! I’m not that bad (just don’t ask about my email inbox).
Having been busy at home all day I did manage to get out for a stroll this afternoon. All the shit and hassle recently has meant I’ve been lax at this – which has had an impact on how I feel. This week I’ve been determined to up the ante and hit as many targets as possible. Having picked up some shopping and nipped into my local pub for a ‘swifty’ my walk home took me past a superb crop of Blackberries which I couldn’t resist returning to pick. I’ve never known such a bumper crop this early in the season – especially as we’ve had such a dry year.
Tomorrow I’ll be up early to head down to Derby via Sheffield. Expect a rolling blog with lots of pictures – including previews of the biggest event that’s been organised to celebrate Railway 200.
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I’m sorry I’ve been absent for so long but the pair of us have had a rather shitty time this past week. I won’t go into details other than to say the worst is over and we’re gradually bouncing back. On the bright side, we’ll now have more time to devote to the things in life we both want to do and enjoy. In my case that means getting back to travelling and blogging, so expect a renewed stream of rolling blogs from my travels as well as wry and/or splenetic observations on the state of UK politics.
Oh, then there’s the weather. My absence has coincided with a change in the weather. We’ve actually had a few much-needed rainy days here in the Pennines, although it doesn’t seem to have made much difference to the levels in local reservoirs, which remain perilously low. I’ve visited some recently and have a new reservoir blog in the pipeline – if you’ll pardon the pun.
On Thursday I’ll be heading to Derby, so expect a rolling blog and preview pictures of a very important event in the railway calendar to help celebrate the 200th anniversary of Britain (and the world’s) railways.
Anyways, it’s good to be back. I’ll see you at greater length tomorrow. In the meantime, here’s today’s picture which is of a lovely meal Dawn rustled up using steak from the excellent Bolster Moor Farm shop. We both love Thai food – and this fiery Thai beef salad is a favourite.
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Today’s been a real mixture here at Bigland Towers. We’ve not had any rain today but the landscape remains damp and humid from the torrents we had yesterday, whilst heavy cloud prevents the sun from drying things up much. Whilst Dawn took it easy this morning I was busy pottering around whilst catching up on emails and planning future jobs – and sorting the cottage out ready for the impending arrival of our guest (Dawn’s Niece).
This afternoon we managed to get out, driving over to Huddersfield to drop off supplies at Dee’s parents – which included the latest batch of industrial quantity, home-cooked (gluten-free) Lasagne, which should keep them going for a while. After which we decided to go for a drive and clear our heads whilst exploring. We’d no destination in mind, we simply went where the roads took us – which was over the border from Marsden into Greater Manchester and the area around Uppermill and Greenfield. There was only one problem. It was raining cats and dogs over there – so we beat a hasty retreat back into Kirklees past Dovestones edge to Holmfirth, where the skies were much kinder. I’d have loved to have got some pictures en-route but the A635 is a bugger of a narrow road guarded by double yellow lines for most of its length. There’s nowhere to stop safely, even for a minute or two. Ho hum…
We ended up driving in a big circle before pitching up back in Slaithwaite (or ‘slawit’ depending on your particular pronunciation fetish) where we went for a stroll along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal before adjourning for a quick drink (and a slice of cake) sitting outside the Little Bridge, which is sandwiched between the canal and the river. To their credit, they serve beers from Empire brewing, a local micro-brewery a short stroll down the canal. I’d include a link, but it looks like their website’s been hacked, so here’s one from CAMRA instead.
Strangely, I didn’t use the camera once today. It wasn’t that sort of day and the two of us having quality time together was more important. So, today’s picture will have to be from another time. Slaithwaite’s a traditional old West Yorkshire mill town which has successfully reinvented itself as good tourist spot to visit for a drink or a meal. It also has a vibrant local community. It possesses a railway station on the Colne valley line from Huddersfield to Manchester, which cuts across the town on this rather impressive viaduct.
OK, time to go. Just as I was typing this Dawn relayed the news that Ozzy Osbourne, the lead singer of Black Sabbath has died at the age of 76. This brought back some memories. I saw Black Sabbath perform at the Floral Hall in Southport back in 1978. On that tour they were supported by a (then) unknown band called….Van Halen. There are two particular things about that gig that stick in my mind. Van Halen were amazing – and that my ears were still ringing two days after the event. The sound engineers must’ve though they were set up for a stadium, not some small provincial theatre!
To make me feel even older, I realise Dawn was 10 at the time!
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Sorry for the gap in blogging but the weekend didn’t quite go to plan. I was hoping to set time aside for writing but events got in the way. Some were good, others not – including the weather. Admittedly, I shouldn’t complain about the fact the weekend was a washout due to continuous showers – we desperately need it, but it did bugger up some of my plans and meant that my daily 5 mile walks went out of the window. Instead, I ended up pottering around indoors, catching up on chores and work. That said, we did manage to nip out on Saturday in order to spend a fortune at the Bolster Moor farm shop as we stocked up on various meats for batch-cooking, including Dawn’s fabulous home-made lasagne. Oh, then there’s their award-winning pork pies…
The delicious Bolster Moor pork pies get demolished in short order!
Sunday was a far less active day, but productive nonetheless, even if I was chafing about being stuck indoors and the inability to scratch my itchy feet. Still, it was chance for the two of us to spend some quality time together and recharge our batteries ready for another busy week.
Today, the weather’s taken an interesting turn. We’d had a yellow warning for thunderstorms throughout the weekend, but they didn’t amount to more than a single, desultory clap of thunder. Monday made up for that! Having been busy most of the day packed everything in so that I could get out for a decent stroll around the area and pick up some shopping. Initially, the weather seemed promising (although I’d packed an umbrella – just in case). Three miles in I was up on Savile Park when I saw the rain sweeping across open ground in wall of water. Deploying my trusty Siemens folding brolly I wasn’t too concerned at first as I hid under trees at the edge of the park and watched the rain bounce off the nearby road junction.
Then the thunder arrived and the intensity of the downpour increased to monsoon quality, overwhelming me. Thankfully, there was a bus shelter to take refuge in across the road where I could watch the deluge in relative dryness – although the torrent sweeping past me was worrying.
Thankfully, most car drivers weren’t idiots and avoided the torrent so I avoided a soaking.
Fortunately, the storm passed before I needed to seek higher ground. Within minutes – as if someone had thrown a switch – blue skies and sunshine rolled in, letting me start to dry out. Well, until I got to the supermarket, which had leaked like a sieve! Parts of the fresh veg aisles were blocked off whilst staff wielded mops and buckets to contain the leaks and clear up the mess.
Shopping done, I called into our local for a swift pint and sat in the beer garden to dry out in the sunshine. Well, on the outside anyway. As always, the range of beers had changed to include this example, which takes a (not so) subtle dig at the orange felon in the American White House.
Now I’m back at home, preparing for another day. Whilst I was out Dee’s cooked industrial quantities of Lasagne, some of which we scoffed tonight. Tomorrow we’ve another busy day, preparing for Dawn’s niece arriving as she’s going to be staying with us for a couple of nights. The girls are going to see Leon Bridges play at the Piece Hall, which will be a great break for Dee who’s been having a hard time of things recently. Me? I’ll be playing host!
Right, time to go. See you all tomorrow
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/
