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| Reflections in the old mill pond in Hood Brook valley |
Christmas Eve afternoon saw me walking in the nearby countryside. It was a lovely blue sky day with cloud hanging in the valleys. At this time of year, night-time arrives far too soon upon the island of Britain. It is another reason why I would vote to scrap our bi-annual clock changing rigmarole... if we had a referendum! Mmm... maybe not.
As I have not been feeling in top form, I did not wish to drive Clint too far and I didn't want a marathon walk - just three or four country miles in familiar territory.
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| The tiny hamlet of Green House - just three houses |
Back in November 2015, I blogged about a ruinous chapel on the North Lees estate. It sits in splendid isolation in the shadow of Stanage Edge and is rarely visited. For my own part, it was hard to believe that over three years had passed since my last visit. See the old blogpost here.
It's funny how light and shadow can fundamentally change the appearance of subjects we choose to photograph. Characteristically, my preferred illumination is bright sunshine beaming from behind me - bringing out colour with sharp definition.
On Christmas Eve as I approached the ruin of Holy Trinity Chapel, sunshine from the south west was bathing it in light quite perfectly:-
But when I left the ruin, I looked back, noticing different layers of mist under the watchful eye of the telecommunications mast on Sir William Hill. Now the sun was in front of me but I suspect you will agree that the resultant image is much more successful than the first one:-
On I wandered, braving the stepping stones across a swollen Hood Brook. Close by, a short distance from the path I discovered the remains of an old mill that does not seem to feature in Ordnance Survey maps. In the now redundant mill pond December reflections were pin sharp.
I carried on via Green House and Outlane - two tiny hamlets that hardly merit names before heading up to Ridgeway Side. From there I gathered another image of the view across The Hope Valley to the same telecommunications mast as before. Hope Valley? I love that name. Let's hope that Britain and the world at large find more hope in the valleys of 2019 for it seems to me that for large parts of 2018 we were lost in Hopeless Valley with unqualified guides:-
I like the misty view of the ruin. And the reflections in the mill pond. How's the toothache?
ReplyDeleteThe toothache is like a mad dog. He came out of his kennel and then went back in. He hasn't disappeared but fortunately he has remained in the kennel since Christmas Eve - just growling occasionally.
DeleteOur impressions of a view can certainly change with the light!
ReplyDeleteIt's just like Steve Reed's blog - "Shadows and Light".
DeleteI got out Christmas Eve afternoon too but I didn't have as nice a walk as you had.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Did you slip over Red?
DeleteSo, after being called brassy it seems I have turned into a Pelican, lol
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Ha-ha! I am glad you spotted that Briony!
DeleteHow I have enjoyed these pictures of your lovely countryside. With the holidays soon over I hope you will be able to see a dentist soon and take care of that mad dog.
ReplyDeleteI had a cold beer earlier and the mad dog was straining on his chain and gnashing. Thank you for your kind concern Bonnie.
DeleteHope Valley sounds like a very good theme for the new year. Beautiful photos of the ruin....the darker misty one is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you're still battling a toothache. Is there a dentist you could see tomorrow?
I have my own National Health Service dentist. I will phone her surgery tomorrow but I they may not reopen till the new year. We'll see.
DeleteLovely misty photo, so much more atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteB#***dy teeth always play up when the weekend or holidays arrive. Hope you can fix it easily ...but I won't hold by breath waiting for that miracle either !
When you get tooth pain you expect that it will only get worse but mine has subsided. Still there but not enough to fill my thoughts.
DeleteVery striking photos, YP.
ReplyDeleteA three to four mile hike would be an ambitious walk for me, not a ramble for a sick day! Hope your toothache stays at bay until you can get it looked after. Aching teeth and aching heads seem to be things a person just can't get away from or get distracted from. They are right there next to the brain, claiming all the attention.
I was worried in case the tootache intensified over the Christmas period but it was kind to me and stayed growling in its kennel. Thanks for your kind concern Jenny.
DeleteI hope you feel better today, Neil.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are all beautiful. Such tiny hamlets of hardly a handful of houses are intriguing to me. Why chose someone to build there in the first place? Did they start a farm, and then two or three others followed? Were they various generations of the same family, each building their own place but still close together? Or were they employers and employees?
Any one of your suggestions could be true Meike. I am sure it is the same in Germany that in past times farms were more labour intensive. Also near the hamlet of Green House there was the old mill suggested in the top photo.
DeleteBeautiful photos, as always. Please God, no more referendums. (Referenda?)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, as always. Please God, no more referendums. (Referenda?)
ReplyDeleteA lovely, varied group of photos...each as lovely as the other in its own individual way.
ReplyDelete