Saturday 5 November 2016

Down Huddersfield way.

Currently I am in house sitting mode. The house in question is down in Huddersfield. At the owners suggestion, I invited Mike down for a few days. He and Lucky managed to pop down for the best part of a week.
Our first wee wander was up to a local view point, Castle Hill. This involved a meander through the lanes.
Some friendly locals.
Tower on Castle hill, a local landmark.
On the Wednesday, at Lucky's suggestion, we headed for Dog Hill.. As we headed down the motorway in thick cloud and mizzle, a bright neon sign told us it was foggy!
There is a motorway out there, somewhere!
In drifting mist we gradually headed upwards until, surprisingly, a trig point loomed ahead.
A gradual clearing of the clouds and Green Withens reservoir was revealed below us and we headed off in that direction, pausing for a spot of lunch out of the chilly breeze near the substantial dam walls and then it was a wander back to the car.

A longer trip planned for Thursday was put on hold due to poor weather conditions. Instead we headed for Marsden and Pule Hill. It was breezy on top and wet enough for waterproofs.

Breezy conditions!
War memorial, Pule Hill.
A wander along the canal to view the entrance to a very long canal tunnel  and then back to the car.
After a spot of lunch Mike nipped off to bag a wee hill. He came back with tales of daring deeds with a large barbed wire fence. Lucky and I where glad we had decided to wait in the car.
Friday saw us doing a local walk over to Farnley Moor, where Mike did an impressive wiggle under an electric fence!

Looking across to Castle Hill.
Woodland on the way to Farnley Tyas.
Saturday saw us heading for Blake Moor which lies by a number of reservoirs and is close to the Pennine Way. We parked by the Whitehouse pub, closed, unlike the last time we passed that way ,when it was fu' o' busy!
The mist was down a bit as we picked our way around the many reservoirs.
Stopping for a quick break and a check of the compass, it appeared as if a fence, unmarked on the map, followed the boundary line and offered a nice bit of handrail navigation to the trig point at Little Holder Stones.
Trig point found..
From the trig point it was a straightforward walk downhill, a shoogly crossing of a deep drainage ditch and shortly after rejoined the P.W. To be honest, the walk back to the car was something of a plod. The track just went on and on. Conditions were worsening too, the mist got thicker and with it came drizzly rain.
All in all though it was a pleasant few days and I was glad of Mike and Lucky's company. A bonus point was that Mike gave his nod of approval to the sausages we had for tea and, furthermore, I think he was a wee bit impressed by the pie!






Tuesday 1 November 2016

House sit

Currently I am house sitting for someone down Huddersfield way. With limited inter web access, contact with folk has been a wee bit difficult The house is still in the process of major renovation. The location is in a rather up market suburb of the city.  The property is secluded, down a driveway and surrounded by trees. It a large house, four bedrooms, a large lounge, kitchen, utility room, office and will eventually have a study too.
It is not an old house, fairly modern really. Now normally, I am not that a nervy person. However, this house has at times spooked me. The boarding for the floor has not been fastened down in many areas. Walking across them can result in the most awful screech. Lying in bed at night one hears the sounds of unexplained creaks and groans. Sometimes too I have heard the occasional thud and strange rattling sounds. The outside security lights flash on and off at regular intervals. 'Cats, or foxes', I tell myself. There is though that little nagging uncertainty. The place has been previously burgled, could a stalker be out there? Is someone watching? A particularly loud creak somewhere in the house can see me sitting up in bed, the heart rate going a wee bit faster. Tentatively I will slide out of bed and head out on to the landing flicking on all the lights. The house is cold, not all the heating is yet functioning.
So far I have survived. Mike, bless him, came down for a few days. He and Lucky appear not have noticed anything in particular. However, I am not totally convinced. If no one  hears from me over the next few weeks, well, Mike has the address. In the meantime the vigil continues.