Quackers

A new mural has been painted alongside the canal on the way into Shipley. It's quackers! (I couldn't get a better angle on it or I'd have fallen in the canal.) I'm not sure whether it's commissioned or simply graffiti but it raised a smile from me. 

Further along I came across this one. I love the look on that alpaca's face! I'm amused to see the octopus sculpture, which adorns the canalside in Saltaire, immortalised as a hat! 

Meanwhile, the long-standing artwork under the roadbridge is deteriorating rapidly, now covered in mould. It's a bit whacky too... I've never been sure what the story is. It's some kind of fantasy banquet. 

Not a mural but another source of amusement for me were these two swans, upended so dramatically that you'd have thought they might do a complete somersault. I don't know what was so tasty down there but something held their attention for a long time. 

Thornton

I had intended to have a good wander around the village of Thornton. By the time I'd walked from my car to the Brontë birthplace, however, I was freezing cold, despite wearing a thick, hooded coat and gloves. The winter sun was weak and the temperature barely above freezing so I decided to leave my exploration for a better day. I seem to feel the cold a lot more these days. Yet another of those things no-one ever tells you about getting older... 

I took a few photos along Market Street, where the Brontës lived during their time in Thornton. It used to be the main street through the village before the turnpike road (now the main Thornton Road) was constructed in 1829. Like most places, the older buildings have been infilled with newer ones and it's all a bit of a hotch-potch - and I think any 'market' and its site are long gone. Back Field (above) is a narrow alley, with cobbles and a central drain. The road surface must be higher than at one time, as further up there are old windows and doors, partially covered over:

The unusual building below is known locally as 'Coffin End' for obvious reasons. In the 1800s it was The Star Inn, one of three alehouses in the village. One of its former landlords was transported to Australia for the crime of stealing ten shillings. The structure illustrates the way the builders managed the steep terrain. At the lower end the building has three storeys whilst, behind, the adjoining cottages are much smaller.

Brontë birthplace

Not far from the Brontë Stone (see yesterday), in the village of Thornton itself, lies the house where the Brontës lived when father Patrick was the minister of the Bell Chapel. In my photo above, the house is on the left and you can see in the far distance the spire of St James' Church, which replaced the Bell Chapel after Patrick's time. [For more about the Bell Chapel, see my post HERE.]

Four of the Brontës' children were born in this house, in front of the fire in the parlour so it's said, before the family moved to Haworth in 1820.

In the intervening years the house has always been in private ownership. For a while it was a butcher's shop, which is why it has been extended out at the front. In the late 1990s through to 2007, it was restored and opened as a museum by crime novelist Barbara Whitehead. It then became a coffee shop but that closed during the Covid pandemic. Now, a community group, supported by private donations and a grant from Bradford's City of Culture fund has managed to purchase the property and it is currently undergoing restoration. They intend to open it as a café and holiday accommodation, dedicated to preserving the heritage and memory of the famous literary family. 

One of the four Brontë Stones, the Charlotte Stone has been placed against the wall here:

Two verses of a poem by Dame Carol Ann Duffy, a former Poet Laureate, have been inscribed. The poem in its entirety can be read HERE. The inscription reads: 

'The vice of this place clamps you; daughter; father who will not see thee wed, 

traipsing your cold circles between needlework, bed, sleep's double-lock. 

Mother and siblings, vile knot under the flagstones, biding. 

But the prose seethes, will not let you be, be thus;

bog-burst of pain, fame, love, unluck. True; enough.

So your still doll-steps in the dollshouse parsonage.

So your writer's hand the hand of a god rending the roof. '

Across the road from the birthplace, in what was once apparently a shop front, a whimsical mural alludes to the Brontës' lives and writings. 

Brontissimo

After finding the Anne Stone in Haworth (see HERE), I went on the trail of the others. This one, commemorating all the Brontë sisters, is situated in Thornton Cemetery. 

The poem, carved by Pip Hall, is written by Jeanette Winterson and reads:

'BRONTESAURUS

Fossil record of a miracle

Bone by Bone

Word for Word

Three Women writing the Past into the Future

Line by Line

Listen to the Wildfell of your heart

Do not betray what you love

The earth opens like a book

You are come back to me then? 

BRONTISSIMO' 

 (After seeing the way the Anne Stone faces a wall, I'm not hugely impressed by the way these markers have been sited. This one is in a lovely setting on a ridge with the hills behind - but the carved face points north, meaning that it is always going to be silhouetted by the backlight. It makes it hard to read and photograph, even on a not very sunny day.)

Practice

Where better to try out my new camera than my happy place, Bolton Abbey? We were blessed with a pleasant day: dry and mild, with some weak sunshine and almost a hint of spring in the air. It takes me about an hour to walk to the Strid and back from the Cavendish car park, though I do stop a lot, to take photos and simply to breathe and drink in the peacefulness. I don't always stop for refreshments when I'm on my own. It's always more fun to chat with a friend over a coffee. This time, however, I was hungry so I treated myself to a pot of tea and a cherry bakewell tart in the Cavendish Pavilion. Those tarts are so sweet and synthetic but the combination of almond frangipane, cherry jam and fondant icing makes them my guilty pleasure! 

As for my camera, well, I'm liking it. Its small size is taking some adjusting to, but it feels solid in my hand and the main controls are easy to use. It seems to tend towards slight overexposure but I'm sure I'll be able to remedy that (and it can be adjusted in post-processing). Where I'm having a bit of difficulty so far is with the more detailed features. I tried to use the macro setting for close-ups but I couldn't get the focus right. So, back home, I can read the manual and practice that until it becomes familiar. I always prefer to research once I've hit a snag. That way I remember it better, rather than simply trying to read the information and get it to stick in my mind. 

Anyway, I had an enjoyable afternoon (much better than the morning, which I spent at the dentist!) 

A trip to Bolton Abbey always lifts my spirits. 

 

Hirst Mill Crescent

On my local walks, I often cross the Leeds-Liverpool canal by the narrow swing bridge adjacent to Hirst Lock. On the far side, an unmade road leads to Old Hirst Mill on the riverbank, once a water-powered corn mill and then a fulling mill, now converted to residential use. The old mill forms part of a crescent of residential buildings, quite a mish-mash of styles but all dating, it seems, to the mid 19th century. (The original mill buildings were rebuilt in the 19th century). The largest of them, Hirst House (right of my photo above) looks quite grand. The building on the left of the photo below, now two houses, was, it seems, a coach house for Hirst House, originally a long barn-like building. The single storey cottage (above left) is believed to have started life as a workshop or storage area for Hirst Mill. 

I've been meaning to take photos there for ages but there are almost always several large cars and SUVs parked there. For once, I happened to be there when it was clear of vehicles! 

The outlook to the front is currently very messy: a partially cleared and overgrown site where there used to be a small garden centre. It's been contentious for several years. The local council ordered the site to be cleared of broken glass and rubble as it was dangerous. The site's owners have been trying to get planning permission for housing there, which has been refused several times. The only access is over the single track swing bridge over the canal. I understand that planning permission has recently been granted for three houses there. 

In case anyone is wondering, there was a 'New Hirst Mill', also a fulling mill, sited by the river at the far end of Hirst Woods. It was demolished and nature has largely reclaimed the area. See my blog post HERE.  'Fulling' was a process associated with the textile trade, where lengths of wool cloth were pounded in water (or urine) to remove oils and impurities, and to shrink them to make them smoother, thicker, warmer and more water-resistant. Such cloth was often used for coats (like duffel coats) and blankets. 

Promises

I find it hard to believe but it was exactly a year ago that I moved to my apartment. (Well, it was actually February 29th but, of course, there isn't one this year.) Looking back, it was a more significant step than perhaps it felt even at the time. It was a decision that took root a long time before it bore fruit. There was a lot of hard work, both before I moved (I must have 'decluttered' about 50% of my lifetime's accrued possessions!) and afterwards, when the flat required a major refurbishment. 

Was it the right thing to do? YES, without a doubt! I feel very contented, settled, safe and peaceful here. It's very convenient in so many ways - location and layout - and has led to me making new friends, as well as feeling very comfortable to invite all my old friends here. Of course, none of us know what the future holds but I feel that I have 'future-proofed' to the best of my ability. 

I'm very aware too that, as with all my house moves, I can trace what I view as God's firm holding and guidance from start to finish of the process, even though it seemed to take an interminable amount of time to achieve. (His timing is never the same as my impatience!) Considering I was so picky about what I wanted, I feel very fortunate to have secured a beautiful apartment in exactly the location I most favoured. You don't always get what you want - but in this case I really feel blessed that I did. After all the upheaval, I'm now settling back into a rhythm and finding time to enjoy my hobbies, my family and friends, and the riches of the lovely area in which I live. 

The year's anniversary seemed to warrant a celebration... so I've bought myself a new camera! I like and will continue to use my existing mirrorless Fuji XT2 but it's quite bulky and I've been finding it increasingly heavy. My intention is to continue to use that for those times when I go out specifically to take photographs. For the times (frequent) when I'm just out for a walk and might take photos, this new one is small and light enough to take along in my pocket or handbag, just in case. Yes, I did think about getting a new phone with a better camera but camera phones still have limitations so in the end this was the choice I made: a Panasonic Lumix LX100 II. It has a small, fixed, zoom lens and plenty of capability for the things I like to take photos of. Most of the controls are on the outside so you don't have to fiddle with accessing the menu to make changes. That's also a feature of my Fuji so it feels quite familiar. I've hardly familiarised myself with it yet. 

The photo of Saltaire's church (above) was one of the first images I made with it.  

Random finds

These were some random finds I espied on my recent walk. Various antiquities in gardens, a rather well-endowed lady in a tree and a weird woodland monster! 

 

Colour, even on a grey day

Even though I was settled on taking 'mono square' images on my walk, there are some scenes to which only colour will do justice. Thankfully my camera will capture a RAW image at the same time as a black and white one, so the colour is there in the file if I want it. 

A moss covered wall looks much better when you can see the vibrant green. 

An innovative barrier made of earth and bottles is more interesting when you can see the colour of the glass. (That's a variation of 'Ten Green Bottles Hanging on a Wall'!) 

The eclectic collection of figurines I spotted by someone's gate only really comes to life in colour. 

And who can beat the soft, natural tones of a small stream meandering through woodland in winter? 

So, don't worry, I won't be sticking indefinitely to a black and white palette, though I do find it provides a stimulating change from my usual style. 

A bit of a nature walk

More from my recent 'mono square' walk, this time a grid of nature based images... dead leaves caught in a fence; a patch of fern and ivy on a wall; early snowdrops; and some dead leaves still clinging to their tree, that phenomenon known as marcescence.

One of my daughter's favourite books when she was a child was 'Stanley Bagshaw and the 22 Ton Whale' by Bob Wilson.  It's about a young Yorkshire lad who had an adventure with a whale in the canal when he was out on a walk. It's all in rhythmic rhyme and has to be read aloud, in a strong Yorkshire accent, which was one of the reasons, I'm sure, that my daughter delighted in it. (I can do a creditable Yorkshire accent, even though I wasn't born and bred here!) Anyway, when young Stanley gets back home for his tea, his mother asks where he's been. 'Oh, I've just been for a bit of a nature walk, Mum' is his reply. I often say that to myself when I come back from a walk with my camera. Just a bit of a nature walk. 

Waymarks

I don't know if I'd be able to recreate the walk we took, on paths I've never travelled before. There were a few distinctive waymarks along the journey, but they were more useful photographically than as guides to remember the route we took. 

I love the sheer number of tracks and footpaths criss-crossing Calderdale. That alone tells you of the numbers of folk in the past two hundred years who have walked from home to the local mill to work, to school, to chapel on Sunday and to market to buy food. Some of the paths are hollowed out with wear and others paved with setts or slabs to provide a firmer footing. 

Public footpaths (rights of way) are marked on maps and signposted but lots of the well-trodden routes are 'permissive paths', routes that landowners allow people to use, often simply because they've been used for years. 

Like most of the Yorkshire Dales, Calderdale arguably has more dry stone walls than people! They snake their way improbably up hill and down dale, overgrown and furred with moss. Sometimes you can see huge gateposts, their gates long since gone but still bearing holes or metal pins denoting their purpose. 

At the farthest point of the circular walk, we climbed a steep hill to reach Wadsworth Obelisk, a war memorial commemorating those from the parish of Wadsworth who died in the two World Wars. That  stretch nearly killed me (!) but the view from there, looking down to Hebden Bridge, was lovely, even on such a dull and misty day.  

Flowing water

A grid of images of flowing water, taken on my recent walk. 

As I said earlier, I find that applying an artificial limitation on my photography - in this case taking only square, mono images - can sometimes help me to be a little more creative. I can set my camera up so that the backscreen and viewfinder show the image I'm taking as a mono square, so that helps me to frame my composition. The camera captures both a mono square jpg photo and also the normal colour RAW file, so that I can have both on my computer to do what I like with. 

I didn't have my tripod so these were hand-held at a slow shutter speed but they just about work, I think. 

Trees

More from the Hebden photo walk:

I do wonder what causes a tree to take a shape like the one above. I thought it both dramatic and  beautiful.

In winter, the skeletons of trees make interesting silhouettes. I always think I should be able to identify them from their shapes or their bark but I'm really not that good at working them out. 

Where trees group together in a copse, their strong, straight trunks as they reach for the light make an interesting subject. At least two of these are beeches, I think:

Another silhouette, rather less contorted than the previous one: 

Here's a tangle of roots, similar to those I found a few days ago (HERE). Their brightness contrasts starkly with the rich, dark soil and leaf litter around them. 

 

A walk by Hebden Water

I recently booked on a photo walk from Hebden Bridge. It was billed to be of about an hour's duration... but ended up being three hours of fairly strenuous walking. I was done in by the time we'd finished! (15K steps, including the walk to and from where I'd parked my car.) Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and it was interesting to be guided on paths I didn't know. It was a very dark, dull, almost misty day, though on the plus side, not too cold and not actually raining. 

Because of the weather, I set up my camera to take black and white images and because I wanted to be a bit more creative, I set up my camera with a square format. Oddly, having a limitation can, I find, provide a bit of creative freedom. Apologies to those who don't enjoy my mono pictures but you'll be seeing a few!

The mini-series in this post is all related to humans and housing. Although it was a relatively rural walk, in Calderdale you're never very far from people and the evidence of their histories.