A Walk Up Calderbrook

Spring is finally here and today was a perfect day for a brisk walk to take in some of that fresh spring air.  

As well as the air, I took in the views along my way and here are a few pictures of those very views.  Old farmhouses, sheep in the fields, dry-stone walls are all pleasing to my eye so I had to stop and take this picture.

There's always a church along the way and I love churches.  This is St. James', a Grade II listed building, on Calderbrook Road.  I'll have to go back soon and have a look round the graveyard.  I don't know why I didn't do that today because reading the headstones is definitely one of my favourite things to do.  I know, I'm odd.

There are some lovely old buildings around here and Handle Hall, another Grade II Listed building, ..

.. and its attached barn are among them.  This old building has obviously been stone blasted in the recent past and doesn't it look grand?

The view down a little side lane.

I had wandered quite a way, mostly uphill, by the time I spotted this little public footpath and as it was going downhill in the direction of home I followed it.

The path looked out over to the Pennines on the other side of the valley.

Now one dwelling I bet at one time this des res was at least three if not four cottages. Studying the frontage you can see where windows and doors have been blocked up.  The small stone plaque reads "Reconstructed by Harry Gumbley 1968".

Last picture shows Fothergill & Harvey's old and very derelict Rock Nook Mill.  Such a shame that lots of grand old buildings like these are left to fall apart, I always think they could make fantastic apartments.  Oh well, I really enjoyed  my walk today and even though the sky looks dull in the pictures it really was quite a bright and lovely day.

Until next time,

Colden and Heptonstall, West Yorkshire.

On a lovely spring day at the end of May last year William and I had a little outing to Land Farm Garden in Colden, a little dot on the map of a place way up on the hilltops above Hebden Bridge.  Land Farm Garden is a privately owned garden but is open to the public for a limited number of days throughout the summer.  It's a member of the National Garden Scheme.

Only a twenty minute or so drive away from our doorstep yet it was a spot we had only ever been to once before and that was many years ago.  So maybe that was why we got a little bit lost thus finding ourselves at May's Shop.

May's Shop turned out to be a little  gem of a place which sold all sorts of everything.  In need of a drink and something to eat we each chose a snack.  I chose a good old Sally Lunn to go with my cup of tea.     

Happily seating was provided so we ate and drank in the sunshine and consulted Google Maps.  Land Farm was only a short walk away but first we both needed to spend a penny.  Sure enough facilities were provided.  William went first.  He came back and told me the        facilities were clean but basic.

Behind the door on the right ..

was this.  Yep, Billy definitely wasn't kidding when he said the facilities were basic!

Moving on.

Suitably refreshed from May's Shop we hit the road and walked to Land Farm Garden, which was a treat.  

This wisteria on the side of the house was gorgeous. Wisteria just shouts country cottage to me.

Taking a breather before trudging back up the hill to the car.

And at the top of the hill stone cottages: this one covered by a clematis heavy with blooms looking splendid on this sunny day.

Heptonstall  was our next port of call. This is the main street running through the centre of this quaint old village.  Really this main thoroughfare is nothing but a cobbled, narrow lane. You'd never think cars could drive through here but they can and they do.  So do single decker buses!

Ruins of the old church in the village centre.

Sylvia Plath, the American poet, is buried in this graveyard.

A little back lane just off the main street.

I love the higgledy-piggledyness of Heptonstall.

And of course after all that walking and doing in the heat and sunshine another bite to eat and drink was very welcome.  So we called at The White Lion in the centre of the village.   A great little pub with lots of old photographs and information regarding the history of the village on its walls.

We also called at a wonderful small Alpine Garden Centre in Slack just a cock stride outside Heptonstall.

These mini container gardens really please me.  So pretty don't you think?

We found quite a lot to please the eye on this late spring day.

Until next time,