Tag Archives: Hardcastle Crags

Jun 26 2023
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Daily Post, Flora/Fauna

Anthill (a monster)

Sunday 25th June 2023, 12.35pm (day 4,322)

Anthill, 25/6/23

One reason the valley of the Hebden Water is a protected environment is because it is home to many colonies of wood ants, and something to do while walking there is go anthill-spotting in the trees. I did so today, and caught sight of this monster — at around four feet high, this is probably the biggest I have ever seen in there. A teeming, writhing metropolis of the ant world, and not something to sit on or stumble into accidentally (perhaps not yet quite at the scale of the ones in Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, but they may have plans).

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Apr 09 2018
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Landscape

Stepping stones

Sunday 8th April 2018, 2.55pm (day 2,418)

Stepping stones, 8/4/18

Last day before the return to work, and fortunately, the weather seems to have relented (for now) and decided to give us a taste of spring. A day for a short walk  in the woods then. I like the formal qualities of this shot, the way the parties on the other bank gather themselves into groups; though the two in the middle background seem to spoil it just a little bit.

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Dec 26 2017
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Yes, the Blue Pig is open….

Monday 25th December 2017, 11.45am (day 2,314)

Blue Pig, 25/12/17

A dull, non-festive shot? My apologies, but yes. Nevertheless to find the Blue Pig open as we went past it towards the end of our Christmas morning exercise walk was a great Christmas bonus. This pub, run entirely by volunteers, is like Brigadoon, sometimes it’s there, more often, it’s not.

I managed to not document anything particularly ‘Christmassy’ about the day but then again seeing as it was mild enough to sit and drink a beer outside by the river, it didn’t particularly feel like it today and I get bored with all these cliches anyway. Either way… hope you enjoyed your version of the day, whatever you did with it.

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May 31 2016
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Landscape

Gibson Mill

Monday 30th May 2016, 1.10pm (day 1,740)

Gibson Mill, 30/5/16

Gibson Mill, buried in the heart of the woods of Hardcastle Crags about 2.5 miles from Hebden Bridge town centre, has in its time been a mill, a roller-disco (honestly) and, now, the visitor centre for this National Trust property. This is something of a stock Hebden Bridge shot, but one that has as yet been unseen on this blog. (And seeing as I’m still trying to avoid repetition after 1,740 days, I guess that means it will now be unseen in the future. So make the most of it.)

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Apr 17 2016
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Daily Post, Landscape

Wood elf, Hardcastle Crags

Sunday 17th April 2016, 11.05am (day 1,697)

Wood elf, 17/4/16

Far too lovely a morning to stay in. Fortunately we have these great pieces of countryside short walks from my house. Sping has not yet fully sprung, but it’s getting there.

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Jan 23 2016
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Daily Post, Landscape

Waterworks markers, Hardcastle Crags

Saturday 23rd January 2016, 1.30pm (day 1,612)

Waterworks, 23/1/16

Possibly these are markers for waterworks up in Hardcastle Crags, as this is where Hebden Bridge’s water comes from in the end.

Or possibly these are the abandoned prototypes of tiles in the short-lived “double-letter” version of Scrabble, left here to rot when it was proven nobody could actually think of an English word that had “…PV…” in it. (I’ve been trying.)

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Jul 21 2015
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Landscape

Abandoned farm

Tuesday 21st July 2015, 11.25am (day 1,426)

Clough Head farm, 21/7/15

Estate agents would describe this as ‘in a highly desirable location with a world-class view, but in need of renovation and lacking certain amenities’. In other words it isn’t on a road and doesn’t have mains anything, which is probably why it’s been abandoned for many years. This is Clough Head Farm, off the Widdop road above Hardcastle Crags near Hebden Bridge. I’m still in training for the walk I will begin a week from today.

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May 26 2014
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Portrait, Stranger

Challenge

Monday 26th May 2014, 1.20pm (day 1,005)

Stepping stones, 26/5/14

I was willing this kid across these stepping stones — and he did make it — but I was just hoping he’d not set out to conquer his fear until after I’d got the shot.

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Jun 02 2013
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Daily Post, Flora/Fauna

Bluebell meadow

Sunday 2nd June 2013, 3.05pm (day 647)

Bluebell meadow, 2/6/13

I know I did the same theme a couple of days ago but if I’m to truly encapsulate the day then I have to return to it. Went on a walk up to the woods of Hardcastle Crags today, and the bluebells are making a spectacular display this year. They are a signal species, if the bluebells are healthy, the wood’s healthy, so this is a good sight. I think anyone familiar with the English countryside reacts to bluebells at a pretty primal level.

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May 24 2012
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Daily Post, Friend, Hebden Bridge, Portrait

Myu on the Stepping Stones

Thursday 24th May 2012, 1.15pm (day 273)

Myu on the stepping stones, 24/5/12

Every year I invite my students to come to Hebden Bridge for a day out in the countryside. The end of May usually does see good weather but – especially considering what it was like a week ago – this year we were spectacularly lucky.

I like this photo because although Myu is at the back of this line of people (and I cropped a couple more off the right end) she is also quite clearly its focus, with that happy smile. Incidentally she is also the striker for the University of Manchester women’s football 2nd team, who have just finished second in their league: so she’s probably better at football than you are, as well.

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