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| Countryside south of Barlow |
Yesterday, Clint, my temperamental silver Hyundai automobile was reluctant to travel any further than the village of Barlow in North East Derbyshire.
"I've got a head gasket ache and that Texaco petrol you made me drink on Tuesday just didn't agree with my engine," he moaned.
In spite of Clint's health grumbles we were soon there. I left him by the Methodist church. After a big swig of water and with boots on, I was soon strolling down Keepers Lane where I captured this image:-
Onward to Lee Bridge and then south of Barlow Brook, through woodland and barley fields all the way to Sheepbridge industrial estate just north of Chesterfield. Through the estate and up a steep wooded bank, following the little trodden path to Dunston. Along the way, I spotted a profusion of oxeye daisies in the corner of a field:-
For a hundred yards I had to take my life in my hands as I walked along a minor road that had the narrowest of verges. I needed to do this in order to link up with the path that passes Dunston Hole Farm on the way back to Barlow.
Near the farm I stopped to talk with a man who was holding a shovel. He was beside a new mains water supply trench and was carefully covering the blue pipe with topsoil so that when the trench was filled with rougher, stony material the pipe would be less liable to underground damage. You cannot beat a philosophical discussion when strolling in the countryside.
Barlow, named after the legendary parrot Marco Barlow of Florence South Carolina, is really two villages in one. The upper village is called Barlow but the lower one is known as Common Side. It is a little confusing.
Still strolling, I strolled past the Anglican church and then strolled by fields of ripening rapeseed before strolling down the hill to the very lay-by from where the walk had begun two and a half hours beforehand. I pressed the "unlock" button on Clint's magic key. Once more the circle was complete.
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| Looking back to Dunston Hole Farm |
That's a relief - i.e. wonderful walking pictures. From the title I thought for a moment you were going to wax lyrical about Bud Flanagan.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather have Shanks's pony,
DeleteWhen I'm strolling, just strolling,
Bud Flanagan or Archie Rice in Osborne's The Entertainer?
DeleteRemember Olivier's closing line to the audience?
*Tell me where you're playing and I'll come and see you!*
Your literary memory is awesome John.
DeleteIf I telled ye Ah was really a wee lassie ae 19 dayin Media Studies at Castlemilk College, would ye hold it against me, Yorky Man?
DeleteI would definitely hold it against you Chardonnay!
DeleteAh was hurted by that remark. Efter dayin some investigation Ah found there is nae Yorky Pud, yous are a bunchy public school neds in Harrogate, takin the pure p***. Ursula's a bloke livin wi his Mum in Troon, and as fur Tasker, he's really Charlotte Church oan speed. See the internet its wan pure deception so it is.
DeleteChardonnay
Kick him on the shanks.
DeleteWhen Ah need advice frae yew Charlotte Ah'll ask for it, aa right, Doll?
DeleteChardonnay
Hamel(d), your suggestion is no laughing matter. My laughing notwithstanding. The number of times, in blogland, I have been ACCUSED of being a man my ten fingers are not enough to count.
DeleteI will now google Charlotte Church to get a grasp on Tasker. What's with the Chardonnay? As long as it's not oaked you'll be fine.
U
Aye Urs, keep up the fiction Pal. Nice photy by the way, if Ah was sapphic inclined Ah might fancy ye. Troon must be jumpin, now lockdowns over, ay? Piggin oot on Netflix, were ye, whits a single man tae dae? Met any nice Mormons recently?
DeleteChardonnay by any other name, XXX.
"Underneath the tree arches."
ReplyDeleteI really like the woodland path photo YP.
That is not a path mein fuhrer, it is a paved lane. Vehicles travel up and down it though not when I strolled along it.
DeleteThe tree-lined lane reminds me very much of lanes around Devon. One lane I had to travel down a few times a few years ago was so narrow with a wall on one side that I had to fold my wing mirrors in.
ReplyDeleteI love those Devon lanes. The hedgerows and side banks are so ancient and the plant growth is very different from my area.
DeleteTed Hughes loved those deep Devon lanes, or do we say coombs? Big Ted transplanted himself. Yorkshiremen are adaptable.
DeleteGood strolling weather at the moment, not too hot and not too cold. Rick took me for a stroll around the village this morning and only attacked two joggers.
ReplyDeleteI think it's five points for a jogger, ten for a tractor, twenty for a little old lady and fifty for a Jehovah's Witness. I assume you do play "Dog Attack" online? I just checked and it's also fifty for a senior male cyclist called Paul.
DeleteI very much enjoy the pictures and commentary on your walks. It certainly is a beautiful area.
ReplyDeleteThat is kind of you to say so Terry and thanks for calling by.
DeleteLove the photos of the countryside. How many points for an retired teacher? Just curious:)
ReplyDeleteThat would be the jackpot!
DeleteBeautiful, especially the leafy lane and the daisies in the field - so very summery!
ReplyDeleteNice to know Marco has an entire village (actually, two villages in one) named after him. I wonder whether they have a Marco Day once a year, with a parade and village fête on the common.
There's a giant Marco statue in the churchyard. The church is of course called St Marco's.
DeleteAbsolutely heavenly looking. As always- thanks for bringing us along.
ReplyDeleteYou are always welcome. Not quite as hot as a summer walk in northern Florida.
DeleteYou had a beautiful walk. I love the oxeye daisies!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen oxeye daisies in such profusion before.
DeleteThat "alley" of yours, though wonky, reminds me of a road between Blandford Forum and Wimborne.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the exact story, so I'll make it up as I go along. Once upon a time there was a nobleman with land who was so grief stricken by his wife's demise that he planted a tree, either side, for every year they had lived together. It was a long alley.
U
His Holy Hellion Highness Marco T. Barlow approves this blog post!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the pretty pictures of Barlow. I will show them to the Lord Barlow when he returns to the castle this evening.
A good walk with a little history thrown in.
ReplyDeleteThere is such a lot of choice of locations at the moment, to take photo's of our glorious English countryside. Your selection is perfect as usual.
ReplyDeleteLove the daisies. England in the summer is amazing, isn't it? Much better than Florida!
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