On Wednesday, I treated myself to a long walk in the countryside. I parked Clint on Hollin Lane just west of Flash House Farm which is itself west of the village of Millhouse Green.
It was a circular walk of perhaps six miles. At first, a canopy of light grey shaded the land. It seemed it would last the entire day but as I hoofed up Royd Moor Hill, the sky suddenly appeared divided - as if a painter had decided to apply blue emulsion. By the time I reached Thurlstone brightness and blue had replaced the grey.
I am well aware that it is very possible to take great pictures under a grey sky but I always prefer the definition and colour that sunshine and blue heavens provide. I frequently liken this to visiting theatres - you need the action upon the stage to be illuminated. Without that lighting, the drama is reduced and the imagery struggles to grab one's attention.
In Thurlstone, I made my way to The Transpennine Way. It is a long distance footpath that connects Liverpool on the west coast of this island with Hornsea in Yorkshire on the east coast. Several stretches of this trail follow long-abandoned railway beds and so it was as I plodded along to Hazlehead.
The portly owner of Hazlehead Hall was on his sit-down lawn mower, cutting his surrounding grass for the first time this year. I spoke with him and asked if I could walk along his half mile driveway back to the main road instead of heading east via the public footpath to Catshaw. He said he might let me if I asked nicely and chuckled when I fell to my knees pleading with clasped hands. I have no idea how that fellow made his money but Hazlehead Hall is a palatial, well-maintained building with a long history.
Soon I was back at Clint. Apparently he had been attempting to communicate with sheep in the adjacent field. "Those creatures are braindead!" he announced which seemed a rather cruel judgement to me but I didn't comment as I needed his willing service to get me back to Sheffield.
