Sheeps!

Three sheep (or sheeps as my granddaughters would have said when they were little) popped their heads over a wall to have a good look at us as we walked past their field. It was Easter Sun-day, dry and mild even if not especially Sun-ny. After the necessary Easter Egg Hunt around the garden (during which my eldest grandie was heard to question the provenance of the eggs as being from M&S!  Does the Easter Bunny shop at M&S?), my granddaughters returned to their books and games, whilst my daughter and I took their dog for a walk. You can't go far in Calderdale without a steep climb so it was a good workout - and coming back down into the valley is always easier, at least on the heart and lungs, if not the thigh muscles! 9000+ footsteps, according to my phone. I felt I could justify some Easter Egg chocolate after that! 

Luckily Cookie, the dog, is amenable to being on a lead when necessary. It is necessary at lambing time, and there were quite a few lambs around. I love the old footpaths, paved with stone slabs. Countless feet must have tramped along here over the years - to work, to market, to school, to church or simply for a stroll in the fresh air as we were doing. 

Our route took us down to cross Colden Water over Jack Bridge, an ancient clapper bridge. There used to be a steam-powered cotton mill here from the 1860s to the early 20th century and the mill was demolished following a fire in the 1970s. Nowadays it's a tranquil little beauty spot much loved by locals and the crossing is part of the Pennine Way long-distance footpath.  

By the way, my daughter created this very acceptable long exposure shot (above) using my iPhone. I have a Slow Shutter app but the results aren't that good. The way she showed me uses the 'Live View' mode (which is effectively a tiny video) and then converts it to a long exposure. Magic. If only I can remember how to do it the next time I want to use it!