Walking the Ridgeway - West Ilsley loop

Something of a strange shape to the route today! I call it the Porpoise. Been a while since we ventured onto The Ridgeway. But today we are back in Horse Racing country the other side of the A34in West Ilsley.

Leaving the motor in the village we found the footpath that leads to the Ridgeway. Initially it was a bit overgrown so a slight detour around the edge of a cornfield was needed in order to get back on the designated path.

Once again the racing gallops ran side by side with the path. Being mid morning any horses had long since gone after their early morning work.

The 2 Furlong Gallops marker

Wild Flowers and insects

It was a beautiful Midsummer's Day, quite hot but bearable nevertheless.  The wild flowers were really flourishing and attracted all sorts of Butterflies from, Marbled Whites, Gatekeepers , Speckled Woods, Ringlets and Red Admirals.

Lots of Ragwort on the edge of the gallops,strange in a way as it is highly toxic to horses. I suppose that they don't hang around long enough to have a nibble though.

The bold black-and-gold stripes make the Cinnabar Caterpillar  easy to identify.  As well as being the cinnabar caterpillar’s main food plant, ragwort supports more than 40 other insect species and is an important source of nectar.

They actually benefit from its toxicity by eating enough of it to become toxic themselves, and their colourful stripes are a warning to predators: I’m poisonous and taste terrible, don’t try to eat me.

Eventually they will metamorphose into red and black  Cinnabar Moths.

Sun and Shade

 It always feels good to be on The Ridgeway, that feeling of all those who have trodden the same path over the centuries. My walking companion wouldn't agree though . Having completed all of The Cotswold way he finds this walk a bit tame and lacking the features of The Cotswold Way. I think the circular routes that we do make the walk more interesting for sure but I would be happy just on The Ridgeway.


It's funny because you do see other walkers and cyclists on The Ridgeway but as soon as you veer off then you don't see another soul. We did see plenty of wildlife though. Birds including the obligatory Red Kites, Buzzards , Kestrels and a Hobby. It was great to see a Hare at close quarters , closely followed by a Roe Deer.

This stage of the walk is very interesting for historians with ancient burial mounds and hill forts regular sights. The first of which is the 'interestingly' named iron age site Scutchamer Knob. We had to divert a little off the track to find out a little more. It is also known as Cuckhamsley Hill is an early Iron Age round barrow surrounded by a copse of trees.
Originally called Cwichelmeshlaew or Cwichelm's Barrow, it is recorded as having been the place where King Edwin of Northumbria killed Cwichelm of Wessex in AD 636. It is now is a semi-circular bank with a round front. Its appearance may have changed in part due to vandalism based on the belief it was used to hoard treasure.In truth there is little to see now but worth the detour nevertheless.

Scutchamer Knob

Leaving The Ridgeway

Leaving The Ridgeway we follow paths that will eventually takes us back to the village of West Ilsley. Didn't see any shops in the village but there was a decent pub 'The Harrow' and a nice looking cricket club. Had a decent pint of 'Tribute' in the pub sitting outside overlooking the cricket pitch. a nice 10 mile walk .

The pond in the village of WI

WI Cricket Club

Castle Hill, Victoria Tower and Holmfirth

Stunning views

A short drive out to Castle Hill to see the Tower that always seems to be in sight wherever we go ! Castle Hill goes back over 4000 years. The site was developed as an iron age hill fort, surrounded by defensive ditches and ramparts. In the Middle Ages there was a castle on the hill, of which the well remains. The present tower was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897. Not surprising really as the The grade II listed Victoria Tower on the summit of Castle Hill is by far the most conspicuous landmark in Huddersfield.

Victoria Tower

I can see for miles and miles

 The hill has been a place of recreation for hundreds of years and the easily discernible remains of past occupation have made it a subject for legend, speculation and scientific study. The views from the top are absolutely spectacular looking across Huddersfield, Halifax , Emley Moor and Wakefield.

Emley Moor Mast (Transmitting Station) in the distance

It was a  shame that the Tower itself wasn't open today , I should have liked to have gone to the top. There was someone there from the local council who said it only opens at weekends . We moved on to the small town of 'Holmfirth', famed for being the home of the long running TV 'comedy' 'Last of The Summer Wine'.
At this point I will confes as to not being a particular fan of LOTSW,finding it quite tedious if truth is really being told. However as we were so closed it would be rude not too as they say.

Thousands of tourists flock to the area each year to enjoy scenery and locations familiar from the series.

Holmfirth Cricket Club

 Being good tourists we followed the Heritage Trail map which took about an hour to complete. I particularly wanted to see the Holmfirth Picturedrome which still attracts decent bands and is a fairly iconic venue. It was opened in 1913 and held over 1,000 people originally , mostly watching silent movies and vaudeville acts . The building today retains valuable period features and and a tin plate ceiling! In the 1940's cinemagoers were sprayed with disinfectant to keep fleas  and other diseases at bay. 

The Holmfirth Picturedrome

Other notable highlights that I procured from the walk were a local Joiner and Entrepreneur named John Bailey, turned his backyard into the Holmfirth Lido !

The cold spring waters attracted up to 400 visitors a day would you believe? Heating was installed bringing the temperature up to 19 degrees. there were even diving boards, a slide and changing rooms , not to mention hot beef drinks always available.

Sadly the pool fell into disuse in 1949  and now lies hidden in a private garden. 

As if that wasn't enough a real life Tigress called 'Fenella' lived in Holmfirth throughout the 1940's ! Fenella could often be seen being taken for walks around the town and children would come and stroke her. One day she made international news by holding up a funeral procession. If I ever get to go in a time machine I want to go back to Holmfirth in the 1940's !

The famous home of Norah Batty with the steps

A Heron in the River Holm by the Bridge

Tucked away down a back alley behind some old garages and sheds you happen upon Holmfirth Cricket Club. It did look a little run down but like so much of the town it possessed great character . I felt like I would want to play for Holmfirth C.C.

'Sid's Cafe' from LOTSW

The River flows by Nora Batty's house

We walked past the Cafe that featured heavily in the TV show, it hadn't  changed at all from what I remember of it ? It is still very much functioning as a cafe.

Whether you are a fan of the show or not Holmfirth is a great place to visit!

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

A Henry Moore Sculpture- 3 Piece reclining figure

Yorkshire Sculpture Park was established in 1977and set in 500 acres of 18th century designed parkland. It is the UK's first permanent sculpture park. It is an internationally renowned centre for modern and contemporary art.

The open air collections compromises long and short term loans, as well as gifts from individuals and artists.

The Upright Motives

The park is situated in the grounds of Bretton Hall.

Henry Moore was the leading British artist of his generation, celebrated and commissioned worldwide. His work introduced' modernism' to a much wider audience. 

 There was plenty of entertainment on offer for both young and old . The 'Bubble Man' in particular had a very captive audience wth his 'bubble mill; and ' giant bubble creator'.

In the middle of the park , the lower and upper lakes and surrounding woodland provide lovely tranquil walks . There are bridges, folliesand stunning historical features such as a Greek-style Summer House, Stepping Stones and a Shell Grotto. The circular walk around the lakes probably took us a good couple of hours.

'Charity'

'The Hat Makes The Man'

I was really please to see that my favourite Artist Damien Hirst had 4 sculptures exhibited in the Deer Park.

 

Hirst’s ten-metre tall The Virgin Mother, 2005–2006 stands against the backdrop of the Lower Lake, a powerful and towering presence on the landscape. It is considered a reference to  Degas’s Little Dancer of Fourteen Years.

The sculpture’s middle section reveals the foetus  curled        within the womb.

The Hat Makes the Man, 2004–2007 is based on a 1920 collage of the same name by Surrealist artist Max Ernst. Ernst’s work is comprised of cut-out images of hats absurdly reassembled in stacks with intentionally phallic-like supports. It is described as being inspired by Sigmund Freud’s book The Joke and Its Relation to the Unconscious (1905), in which Freud describes the hat as a symbol of repressed male desire.

Charity, 2002–2003, on display near the recently opened Weston building, is recognisable as based on Scope collection boxes which were commonly seen on British high streets between the 1960s and 1970s. A young girl wearing a calliper forlornly cradles a teddy bear and a donations box which reads ‘please give generously’. The work questions historic and outdated ways of depicting disability and seeking charity.

Damien Hirst's -The Virgin Mother

 

'Myth'

Myth, 2010 presents a white unicorn with half of its skin flayed to reveal vibrant red, pink and yellow musculature and tissues. Hirst often takes religious or mythical figures as his subjects, unpicking and disrupting their familiar narratives. Horses have been an artistic subject for millennia and, referencing this tradition, Hirst’s unicorn stands high on a classical plinth. Like all works in this display, Myth makes a playful nod to art history.

Seventy One Steps

'Crate of Air' 2018

David Nash created a site specific commission  Seventy-one Steps climbs from the lake up to the top of the bank, connecting the two sides of the valley and the four galleries. Seventy one huge oak steps, carefully charred and oiled, follow the lie of the land on the hill. The steps are completed by 30 tonnes of coal embedded between the steps to create a stunning installation that will erode and change over time.

'Crate of Air' Is made up of eight corten steel sections, each constructed and welded seperately. It is one of a series of sculptures that explore the open space of grids. It was created by Sean Scully.

The Coffin Jump

The Coffin jump is inspired by women in the First World War. Particularly the Nursing Yeomanry. The instillation combines sculpture , sound and performance and symbolises the new freedoms given to women in war. The text that appears on the jump are from a diary entry from a nurse in 1915 who was an Ambulance driver. The exhibit was created in 1987 by Katrina Palmer.

Jaume Plensa ' wilsis'

MikayelOhanjanyan 'Diario'

Diario, an oversized iron table , blocks of marble are strangled by steel cables. The surface is penetrated of the marble to reveal glimpses of the interior. Apparently there are inscriptions within the cracks listing the name of every person the artist ever met..... 

'First Man'

Crossing (Horizontal)

Nigel Hall has refined a process over 40
 years mainly concerned with enclosing and occupying space, light and shadow. Lines plat a key part to demonstrate his understanding of space.


'First Man' by Elisabeth Frink  shows her appreciation for the male human form.for its potency and strength. In the background you can just see ' large Idol' by William Turnbull ans denotes phallic and female fertility imagery.

One of my favourite exhibits was Ai Weiwi's Circle of Animals/ Zodiac Heads. A really striking and dramatic collection of 12 bronze animal heads based on the Chinese calendar.

Although all are equally impressive my favourite would have to be the Tiger .

The Tiger

'Buddha'

'Promenade'

Sir  Anthony Caro was an important figure in the development of  20th century sculpture. Caro likes to place his work on the floor rather than a plinth . He did have reservations about this sculpture being placed in natural surroundings. However felt it worked well in Lower Park close to the lake.

Buddha by Niki de Saint Phalle is created by using mirror , glass and stone to create stunning work on a huge scale.

Vulcan

Sir Eduardo Paolozzi was very influential in the British Pop Art movement. Vulcan is half man and half machine. A monument to the modern industrial age. Vulcan is the Roman God of fire and metalworking. Thrown from Mount Olympus by his mother who was ashamed of his looks. During the fall Vulcan is said to have broken his leg . This might be why he is depicted as having on foot massively larger than the other?

Now here is an interesting bit to reward you for sticking with the story.

Myth has it that that after marrying Venus , the goddess of love and beauty .Vulcan but a forge under Mount Etna in Sicily .It is said that whenever Venus was unfaithful Vulcan became angry ad beat the red hot metal with such force that sparks and smoke rose up from the top of the mountain. Thus creating a volcanic eruption , from Vulcan comes Volcano. 


It was a fantastic day at the sculpture park and I mean a full day . I suspect that even then we only saw half of the exhibits. Just a final word about the toilets ... I'm not sure if mixed toilets works or is a good idea ?  Normally one doesn't have to queue for the gents , unless of course you are at a Marillion concert , that is a given. Most people, men and women and those in between all had a look that said they were not comfortable with the arrangement.

Yorkshire - Hardcastle Crags & Hebden Bridge

A great journey up the motorway to our 'Huddersfield Hideaway' in 'Gods own Country' Yorkshire. Set high among the Pennines the hotel is in a splendid location and just right for exploring.

We arrived to find wedding guests arriving, so after a quick check in we made a hasty escape. I had done some research in advance of picturesque walks that were not too lengthy.

We headed out towards Hebden Bridge to an area in the South Pennines that was once known as the 'Switzerland of Yorkshire'. Some 15 miles of paths just waiting to be explored.


The general plan was to follow the map below with maybe the odd diversion here and there?

We started from the Midgehole Road car park opting for the more strenuous high level woodland trail.

It was a steep climb and we soon found ourselves level with the treetops.

Northern Hairy wood Ants litter the paths among the trees. It is not hard to imagine how the colours change during the different seasons.

It isn't too difficult walking but their are plenty of raised roots and rocky obstacles to keep you honest.

Gibson Mill

As we descend to the flatter part of the walk
we arrive at Gibson Mill. A beautiful 9th century former cotton-spinning and weaving mill  It is completely cut off from the National Grid so it has to generate all of its own power and recycle its own waste.
Sadly the tearoom is closed today as during the night some toerags' have stolen the lead from the roof . Just to prove what complete arseholes they are they also trashed the place too.

View from The Crags

We did manage to get a drink and some cake from a separate building. I left Marina to enjoy the peace, and set off to explore 'The Crags'. It was a steep climb and the views were spectacular. The problem was getting back to the path! My maxim is never to go backwards therefore the only thing to do was to engage my inner 'Bear Grylls' and climb down. It was a bit dicey but I managed it unscathed.

 

Stepping Stones

The route was made up of deep rocky ravines, tumbling streams, oak, beech and pine woods and some of the best examples of upland meadows in the country.Lots of crossing points in the shape of wooden bridges and stepping stones.
An ideal spot for spotting Dippers, insects, amphibians and deer. Didn't see any Dippers but there were several Grey  Wagtails.

 The circular route came in at just under 5 miles.

From Hardcastle Crags we made the short journey to the quirky market town of Hebden Bridge in the Upper Calder Valley. 8 miles west of Halifax and 14 miles north-east of Rochdale. It just happened to be the 'Steampunk' weekend as well.

Steampunks

Being situated in a valley Hebden Bridge is very prone to flooding. I said 'quirky' earlier largely because of the Bohemian new age population .Many of whom moved in during the 80's when property was being sold off cheaply with the old mills being converted for housing. As a result there are lots of cafes/ artist studios and no major High Street stores that you would see elsewhere. 

It is also known as being the lesbian capital of the UK ,with more lesbians per head than anywhere else. 

Its a nice walk along the Rochdale Canal with pretty locks, old mills and nice views of the Upper Calder Valley countryside. 

Hebden Bridge is a great place to visit and there is no shortage of watering holes . One pub even provides free 'doggy beer' for our four legged friends.

An old mill

Rochdale canal