Saturday 13th January 2024, 12.45pm (day 4,524)
As seen on the canalised part of the River Calder, in Brighouse, early this afternoon. I hope it was enjoying the sunshine, as it gave its demonstration of fluid dynamics.
Canada goose
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: River Calder
The Calder at Wakefield
Tuesday 25th July 2023, 3.05pm (day 4,352)
The River Calder is the one that runs through Hebden Bridge, and I found out today it’s actually rather longer than I have been thinking it is for the last 20 years or so. I knew it debouched into the Aire but I thought this happened not far past Brighouse: in fact it’s about twenty miles further on than that, in Castleford. Here in Wakefield the Calder (not the Aire) is a wide beast, and navigable by barges, at least if those orange things weren’t in the way. (In the background, the Hepworth Art Gallery. It was news to me that there was an art gallery in Wakefield, too.)
Unexpected snow
Thursday 31st March 2022, 8.00am (day 3,871)
Although I spent most of the day in Manchester, Hebden Bridge should feature on here for the fourth day in a row thanks to the unexpected scenes which greeted its residents when opening their curtains in the morning. While we were enjoying the balmy spring weather a week ago, I joked with my international students saying “British weather — it could snow again before we’re done”. But I didn’t necessarily think I would be proven right. This was all gone again by the time I came home, however.
Birthday sign
Wednesday 26th August 2020, 7.15pm (day 3,289)
“But how shall I know the day of my birth in future years, O Holy Seer of Signs?”
“Drew, stand beside the river and look for the day on which the sun sets between the two pillars. Thus shall you know it.”
I’m 51 today. This is now the tenth year of the blog. And life goes on, one day at a time.
Another very nice morning…
Monday 25th February 2019, 7.55am (day 2,741)
I have no idea what the weather’s been like in the rest of the world but in the UK this late February, as anyone round here will tell you, it has been extremely pleasant. Even 7.55am on a Monday morning looked OK in these conditions. It’d be nice to think this is spring arriving and bedding in, but it must be recalled that this time last year, it snowed.
Humph the Heron (maybe)
Monday 8th May 2017, 7.50am (day 2,083)
Impossible to be sure whether this is the same heron that has (possibly) had a few appearances on this blog over the last 18 months — including this one for instance. Comparing the photos I think this one may be a different, and younger, one. To me it looks a bit like a very thin person who has just been reluctantly dipped in a swimming pool and is now standing by the side of the water, shivering, knock-kneed and wrapped in a grey bathrobe. But it was a sunny spot to dry out this morning, either way,
River Calder at Mytholmroyd
Tuesday 7th June 2016, 11.35am (day 1,748)
Mytholmroyd lies about a mile downstream from Hebden Bridge and was devastated by the 26th December flood, being inundated with over seven feet (more than two meters) of water. The hole in the line of buildings to the left was formerly a travel agency but collapsed into the river that day. I find it sad that in the line of shops behind there are still signs up saying ‘reopening 4th January after Christmas’ and the like. Still, it looked sylvan enough today, though what the guy is doing in the river, I have no idea.
High water, again
Monday 8th February 2016, 1.35pm (day 1,628)
No weather warnings have been issued and it seems to have stopped raining…. but recent events suggest that we should at least be wary when the river reaches this level. It’s not just about heavy rainfall, either. We should also blame the government — flooding isn’t caused by heavy rain, but by shitty decisions about land use, some of them stretching back centuries. Ah well, seeing as we’ve reached the ‘let’s cross our fingers and hope’ stage of flood prevention, let’s just do that.
Below the bridge
Tuesday 7th April 2015, 3.45pm (day 1,321)
Spring has definitely sprung. These geese — pictured from about 15 feet up — were enjoying it as much as everyone else today. Particularly those of us who are having a week off work (though I’d like to get over the jet lag please).
The River Calder, near Hebden Bridge station
Tuesday 10th December 2013, 8.40am (day 838)
Another beautiful morning in a long run of good weather (proving the idiotic newspapers wrong with their predictions of a dire early winter). The bridge carries Mayroyd Lane over the river Calder, near the railway station. Another oft-passed scene, but it has managed not to appear thus far on the blog.
Being 42 