09.21

By The Peak Forest Canal

If you have been popping round to this blog for a good while, you will know that I harvest much pleasure from a long photo walk in unfamiliar territory. There's the map reading, the exercise, the history and the photo-taking. They combine like a chemical formula.

This morning I got up with the sun for a change, took a shower straight away and then came downstairs for breakfast with my habitual pint of tea. I made a ham roll and a flask of coffee to take with me on my latest adventure in the December cold. It was nice not to have to rush. 

I filled  my backpack and checked that I had everything I needed. I had made sure that my camera battery was fully charged and I had printed off a map that would guide me south from New Mills Central railway station and round in a big circle.

Though short as all days are at this time of year, it was nonetheless destined to be as sharp and bright as a new pin. I had my red "Thinsulate" woolly hat, my fingerless gloves and my big Hull City manager's coat.

My train over the hills left Dore and Totley Station at 09.21 and I arrived at New MIlls at 10.02. It can be hard to estimate how long a circular walk might take but I hoped to catch the 15.16 back to Sheffield. If I missed that one I could always catch the 16.16.

Well I did manage to catch the 15.16 after five hours of walking - stopping only for coffee and my ham roll. I saw many things and had a lovely day out. It was good to be fatigued and by the time I got back to Clint - parked on Dore Road not far from the station - the December sun had disappeared - beckoning another early  Arctic night.

On days like these I feel truly alive and grateful that my body is strong and pain-free. It might not always be this way.

The River Goyt

Frozen cuddly crab in Disley

The Dipping Stone - Scheduled Ancient Monument

Ruined barn near Cock Knoll

Walkway by The River Goyt in New Mills


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Complex

 What I do matters

These are not just

Words

But a window

To my soul

God sheds a 

New layer

With each new day

I just didn’t know

I was so layered

And complicated



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What Would Thora Hird Do?


 This week has been a bit of bust if I was honest.
Yesterday I’d planned to meet with Nu in London.
We were looking forward to a chat and something nice to eat and the spectacle of English National Opera’s Its a wonderful life.
But then British Railways had a meltdown day with excuses galore why no trains were leaving Crewe for London yesterday morning.
Our somewhat cynical guard told us three reasons for the hold up. Overhead cable problems, people on the line , and congestion of traffic but he knew those didn’t bode well as three services to London had already been cancelled due to lack of staff.
I had planned to be in London before 2 pm. 
I was still stat on a train in Crewe station at 2pm so with a heavy heart, like many other passengers  I turned and got the Chester train home.
Seeing Nu was just what I needed.
I have a 2500 word essay to complete for collage on a Monday, and the rest of the week hasn’t been the kindest so Remembering Peter Kay in Phoenix Nights and “ What would Thora Hird do?”
I’ve downloaded some “ nice” movies , ( including The Holiday with Kate Winslett) , bought a large lasagne and intend to spend the day mooching on the sofa





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