2 September 2020

Guidepost


A short walk yesterday. Not even two miles. I wanted to see the old stone guidepost at Moscar Cross. Somehow previous walks had circumvented it. 

I left Clint at the roadside near Moscar Lodge and hiked up the driveway. Moscar Lodge was built by The Duke of Rutland in the 1870's - just a little grouse shooting holiday home. When I say that The Duke of Rutland built it, I really mean that he paid for it. I doubt that he lifted a trowel in his life. Nowadays it is a luxury rental property.

Not much further along the track and I reached the old guidepost. It has writing on all four sides. The side that faces east reads "SHEFFEILD ROAD". You might say that "SHEFFEILD" is a mis-spelling but back in the eighteenth century when the post was most likely raised , accuracy in spelling was not as fierce or precious as it is today.

The guidepost would have stood at a bleak moorland crossroads - a resting point for drovers with animals and for carriers and merchants travelling cross country. A lot more walking happened in the olden times and a guidepost like the one at Moscar Cross was the closest folk got to a satnav or even a map.

There were scudding clouds in the sky and September's sunshine was bashful. I waited for a gap in the clouds so that the guidepost would be nicely illuminated. Sunlight can make all the difference and I am rather pleased with the image at the top of this blogpost. The wait was worth it.

Moscar House

The walk continued to Sugworth Road and then along a track to Moscar House - a remote farmstead. A couple were approaching with the woman in front. She smiled at me and we said "hello". I also said "hello" to the man coming up behind her but he studiously avoided eye contact and said nothing so when he was level with me I added, "Don't say hello then you ignorant sod!" Fortunately, there was no fight.

Beyond Moscar House  I knew there was a public footpath heading east but I could not find it and the terrain looked boggy so I turned back and took the farm track to Moscar Cottage. Soon I was walking on the verge of the A57 with Clint half a mile ahead. I could hear him singing as I approached. It was "Driving Home for Christmas" by Chris Rea. Good Lord! That silver Hyundai knows how to mangle a great song!

I'm driving home for Christmas
Oh, I can't wait to see those faces
I'm driving home for Christmas, yea
Well I'm moving down that line
And it's been so long
But I will be there


Moscar Lodge

31 comments:

  1. They are very evocative the old milestones and crosses across the moors. Also when we moved to the North York moors - the monk's trod paths, which links the abbeys with the grange farms.
    I still have guilty feelings when going up someone's driveway, though it may be a public footpath, the law of trespass has to be rationalised at some stage and not allow the Tory barons to threaten us with signs and gamekeepers.

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    1. I love walking up private driveways and across fields - treading ancient paths with the law on my side. The only thing I don't like is barking dogs that are not chained up.

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    2. Interesting cultural difference, YP. In the motherland no one would walk up a private driveway unless they were visiting/had business with the home owner (say, a peddlar). I also thought that dogs are there to keep people out - not be chained up for your convenience.

      Staying with cultural differences: Motherlanders wouldn't dream of mowing their lawn/cutting their hedge on a Sunday morning, or phone you at lunchtime. Both of which total no-nos in my book. Alas, every Englishman's garden is round their castle in need to be kept at tidy at all times even if in earshot. I always thought Munich's English Garden a joke. Till I met the real thing. By way of balance: English Cottage gardens are things of beauty. And quiet. On a Sunday.

      My parents still insist that if you phone someone and let it ring more than eight times you have no manners. Well, I have to let it ring sixteen times because it takes that long for them to get to the blasted blower. Good job we are not on talking terms at the moment. At least that way their sensibilities can't be offended.

      And "DAS BETRETEN DES RASENS IST STRENGSTENS VERBOTEN". You don't want that translated, YP. Just observe it should you find yourself on one. Other than that we (the motherlanders) are actually quite relaxed and hospitable.

      U

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    3. Our marked paths and bridleways are special gifts from history that allow people rambling rights that as far as I am aware do not exist in any other country on this planet.

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  2. Moscar Lodge, Moscar House and Moscar Cottage - are there also a Moscar Shed, Moscar Hut and Moscar Tent?
    Beautiful light in your pictures, and the signpost next to the drystone wall is very photogenic.
    How did the man react when you made that remark about him not saying hello? I usually don't say anything in such a situation, but every now and then, I get angry enough to say something like "You know, you ARE allowed to answer when someone greets you", my voice dripping with sarcasm (not something I am very good at, admittedly). On those rare occasions, the only reaction I have been getting so far was a dumb stare.

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    1. When I passed that fellow, my words just tumbled out. He didn't react. No Moscar Shed, no Moscar Hut or Moscar Tent but there was a Moscar Castle and a Moscar kebab shop and a Moscar pole dancing club. And there is an investments group in London called Moscar Capital: https://www.moscar.co.uk/

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    2. Why would you get "angry", Librarian? What does it matter? Maybe the guy had just buried his cat. Or is deaf. Or had laryngitis (you lose your voice). Or maybe suffering from paranoid schizophrenia (hence no eye contact). Or was/is just a grouch frozen in his own prison. Whatever the reason, what both you and YP said (quite unnecessarily - if may say so) won't make any difference to his future encounters. Probably just reinforce his view of the world being a place quite unfriendly to him.

      U

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    3. Sometimes one has to trust one's instincts.

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  3. Lovely photo of the old stone post. Some people are just too shy or introverted to make eye contact with strangers, doesn't necessarily mean they are deliberately being rude to you.

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    1. Perhaps you are right Sue. I need to remember that.

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  4. I've noticed around here that many of the milestones have been restored and painted white with black lettering as they would originally have been (obviously not older ones like you show which would never have been painted). You might have spotted them for example around Bradfield.

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    1. Yes I have Tasker and I have taken photos of most of them.

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  5. "Feld" is German for field so maybe it is an old Saxon spelling.

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    1. I have a very old map of Yorkshire and there Sheffield is spelt Sheafeld - field by the River Sheaf.

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  6. I like the stone sign post. There was no plastic in those days. At least they had kebab houses and Pole Dancing clubs.

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    1. Poles are great dancers I believe.

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    2. I hate it when people are ignorant and can't say "hello."

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    3. You sense when there might be a "problem" or if the other person is just being ignorant.

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  7. Perhaps that man had come out for some solitude, and thought that if he spoke to you, you might strike up a conversation and invade his peace and quiet?
    Excellent photos as always, YP.

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    1. Perhaps he was just an ignorant bugger CG.

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  8. As none of us know what was going on in the man's head or life, I think perhaps we should just move on, as it were.
    Meanwhile, beautiful photos and good for you for waiting until the right moment for light and shadow to come together to take your photos. I admire your country so much for having these walking paths for all citizens. How I wish the US had something like that.

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    1. Then you would be able to walk right through the Mar-a-Lago estate. Through a window you might see The Orange Thing reading a book - but highly unlikely.

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  9. Hopefully you said that under your breath! I would never challenge someone for not responding to my greeting. Then again, I'd probably be unlikely to greet them in the first place. I'm a city boy that way.

    I do like your top photo. Waiting for sun can take patience on some days!

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    1. I did not say it under my breath. I said it loud and clear. It just came out and I could not stop it.

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  10. It looks like you had a perfect day for a walk. I love seeing the old stone guidepost. I can just imagine how many people must have passed it over the years. You are fortunate to have so many wonderful paths to walk. You would not like our country for the lack of walking trails.

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    1. I am an Americophile Bonnie. I have visited the USA on several occasions and always loved my times over there... but I never visited Missouri or Kansas.

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  11. Some people go to a lot of work to make a spelling error.

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    1. I wasn't shouting. You are in the same little piece of The Earth's surface. The only people there. You see them approaching. It's only nice, only friendly to acknowledge someone else's presence. Fortunately most walkers agree with me.

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