Yorkshire with Mum :: Part 1

Hello Lovelies,

I've been away again. This time with Mum for our annual weekend in Yorkshire. We set off on Friday morning and headed up the M1 to Wakefield.

Mum was keen to visit The Hepworth Gallery

No pictures of the exhibits were allowed but we both found things to love in the beautiful modern galleries. I loved this view out of the window too, you can see the building is right in the river Calder......

After lunch we headed further into West Yorkshire.
 Hebden Bridge is somewhere we have visited many times before, but it always charms.
It won't surprise you lovelies to hear I had a walk planned and Mum is always happy to sit and sketch for  a few hours. We parted company at the pretty train station. It was 2.15pm and we agreed to meet here again at 6pm.......

And I began following THESE directions. I followed a lane up through trees......

and was reassured to spot a  clear way marker.......

Soon I passed a pretty farmhouse........

and smiled at the stone cobbles under my feet.......

It was not long before I could see Heptonstall  church tower across the valley......

and Hebden Bridge nestled in the valley below.....

Hello pretty sheep.....

I walked past ruined barns.....

and smiled as the sun came out.......

These neat cottages looked so cheery......

and what a view they enjoyed....sigh........

This shed made me smile. Called "The Honesty Box" it was aimed at passers by, with free range eggs and farm made ice cream for sale. It also had a kettle, which you were welcome to use, and chairs to rest a while. Such a kind idea.

Hebden Bridge was the first Walkers are Welcome town in the U.K. and happy finds like this really did make it seem like a welcoming place.

This is the view from that shed........

Following more way markers I headed along this lane.........

And after a while caught my first glimpse of my destination. The Stoodley Pike Monument.......

Here I passed some very sad looking ruins and felt a bit alone.

it's an exposed and rather bleak landscape at times.....

Shopping trolleys, how did they get there?

At least I knew I was on the right track.......

This row looked much more well kept and there was a chap cleaning his car who said hello......

Cows behind a wall, just how I like them :0)

Here I decided to leave the way marked route and try to find a higher path along the ridge. I do like the mobile phone downloads you get with OS maps these days. It's great to have a little arrow pointing out exactly where you are on the screen. Reassuring for a lone walker especially I think.

Climbing higher......

Ah that's better. I love that "on top of the world" feeling........

LOVE those views......

Getting closer.....

and looking back..........

this simple, spring fed water trough made me smile......

And I loved the warm colours of the moor......

The last leg.....

and then I was there.......

Gosh it was windy.

I was ready for a little sit down and glad of somewhere to shelter.......

and munch my usual walking treat...a hot cross but, with butter and jam :0)

I was just enjoying the view when a sheep appeared over the hilltop......

and then another........

After my rest I had a little explore. There were a few other people around and I chatted with most. The chap in this picture gives you an idea of how big the monument is.......

As I walked around and looked down on Todmorden the clouds parted and lit up the village and the fields below.......

This landscape, with it's high moorland, patchwork fields and steep sided wooded valleys is what I grew up with so it's very easy to love. I do miss it, living in the midlands......

All too soon it was time to leave. Bye bye sheep..........

By bye Stoodley Pike........

For the return leg I walked along the Pennine way for a few miles.......

Any break in the clouds had me reaching for my camera :0)

Eventually I was back in a wooded valley........

and delighted to come across a pretty stone bridge.......

and a glittering beck.......

Then it was back to cobbled lanes and with another view of the village on the hill.......

How nice it must be to climb up to this bench ( about half a mile out of town) in all different weathers and seasons........

And look down on your home town......another sigh........

A little further down the houses were getting closer........

These tall house are actually "double decker" homes. With one family living in the bottom half, and another family accessing the top half from a higher road on the other side of the property. An ingenious solution to building in a steep sided valley......

Another steep valley sight......

Ideal for local cats :0)........

And then I was back at the canal......

It had plenty of jolly boats..... the greenhouse and veg growing on this one made me smile......

I got back to the train station only two minutes late. Not bad timing I thought....

All that walking had given me a good appetite and 8pm saw us enjoying a tasty meal at our hotel........

What a lovely start to our weekend away.
Jacquie x