Erected in 1856, this replaced an earlier version which was destroyed by lightning, and commemorated the defeat of Napoleon. It is 120 feet (37m) tall and one can climb up to the top of the pedestal for an extensive view over the surrounding area. Something of a standard landscape shot in this vicinity, but despite 24 years’ living here between them, neither Clare nor Joe had been up there before, so on this Easter Saturday we rectified that.
Along similar lines to yesterday, in some ways, but still the only really decent photo I took today in an otherwise rather mundane day for pictures. It’s a classic view, and not hard to capture – just head up the A6033 from Hebden Bridge to Pecket Well, towards Haworth, and there it is. The church is in Heptonstall, a village above Hebden Bridge (Sylvia Plath is buried in the churchyard) and there has been a monument on Stoodley Pike for two hundred years. This is the second structure; the first collapsed in 1854. It was originally built to commemorate the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815.
Today was one of those miraculous days of brightness after days of rain (and more forecast). Let’s not dwell on Virgin Trains’ inability to get me to the Lake District, as I had planned. I had to turn back at Preston. It didn’t matter. I went out walking at home instead, up Stoodley Pike and round to Cragg Vale. Windy, but spectacular day. See all the best photos from it on my Flickr site.
Being 42 