The moor road from Oxenhope over to Hebden Bridge climbs steeply up from Airedale, over the watershed and down the other side into Calderdale, twisting and turning. It can sometimes feel fairly bleak and remote up there. It's not much fun in winter ice or snow, or the frequent fog banks that you find on the moors. It can however, be a delightful drive in good weather, with far-reaching views and good sunsets if you happen to be there at the right time. It was a bit early for sunset but the low sunshine was picking out the elephant mural that - for some reason - stands right at the top. (My grandchildren call it 'Elephant Hill' as a result, though its proper name is Cock Hill, I think.) Apparently there's another mural on the other side of the little building but that's not visible from the road.
I've always meant to take a photo of it but there are few places to stop and it's a dangerous road. It so happened that I wasn't being followed on this occasion so it was safe to pull up at the side of the road and take a quick snap.
The building is all that is left of a former RAF radio station, used as part of a navigation system that guided bombers during WWII, then later used as weather forecasting facility by Bradford University until - ironically - a lightning strike put it out of action.
A bit scary if you're driving over there in fog and suddenly catch a glimpse of an elephant!
ReplyDeleteI do like that mural.
ReplyDeleteWhat an innteresting mural...and I must wonder why an elephant was pictured there, of all places.
ReplyDeleteNice one!
ReplyDeletePerhaps that is Elephant Bill, the Colonel's story of teak extraction in Burma in the 'thirties using Asian elephants. Certainly Rudyard Kipling's books delighted me too. I was very lucky to get myself posted to the Far East before our lovely British Empire crashed around our ears.
ReplyDeleteElephant Hill is a good name, I like him.
ReplyDelete