Marsden and Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Nice few days in West Yorkshire. More sorting of Dave's stuff. Tooka day off to wander round the YSP to to be amused by the Erwin Wurm exhibition which was terrific and not somebody I'd known really. He has a nice sense of the absurd - dancing sausages, dancing suits, wonky cars, bendy lorries, hot water bottles with feet etc. It cheered us up despite the rain. Also very nice installation in the chapel by a New York artist - piles of broken wood made into an impressive structure. We had a snack in the cafe and then more wanderings around the smaller galleries to see some lost wax workshops and prints in another gallery. 50 acres to explore but the rain put us off and we headed back to Marsden via Holmfirth - where Last Of The Summer Wine was filmed. Had a scone, cream, jam and tea in the infamous Sids Cafe. Thought it would be full of tourists but very quiet. Popped into a few shops to dodge the rain.

Marsden - West Yorkshire

A couple of days in leafy Marsden. Brrr! It was flippin' cold! Had a nice walk around the old church and up the road to see an old mill chimney in someone's front garden. etc. Stopped off in Glossop on way home to stretch our legs and use the "facilties" in Marks and Sparks.Nov. 21st 2021.

Marsden and High Peak

 Drizzly couple of days in Marsden visting old chum Dave and doing some chores. Found time for some walks around the beautiful hills and vales. Tanya took us on a tour of the moors up where she lives. Stopped off in Glossop on the way back. Got some DVD's inc.  What's New Pussycat and that one with banjo players and rednecks out in the wilds of Dakota, Nebraska?  It all ends rather badly. Also CD's of Tracy Chapman AND Patty Smith's "Horses".  50p each.  got a few bits from M&S and used their fascilities.  Home by 1pm for cheese and crackers.  Still drizzly.  What a geat August!  Still better than forest fires and hurricanes etc.

More Marsden

 Another little break in Yorkshire so soon after the other one. More help for our old friend Dave.  We managed a little walk one evening  which was nice.  More old mill buildings and strange totem pole like rocks that were not from Easter Island but beams from a nearby factory - Trenter Posts?  Even a blue plaque on the wall to explain them. I am still none the wiser - maybe wider after huge all day breakfast from Katies Kitchen - delicious food but a bit shambolic. Nice uneventful drive to Glosspot for M&S  wee stop and a few bits from the deli counter.

Marsden - West Yorkshire

 A couple of night break from our usual routine. Popped over to Yorkshire to see our old chum Dave. Managed to take advantage of the local walking - discovering paths we'd not ventured down before - old mills crumbling away, delightful riverside gardens, waterfalls, weirs, rhodedendron forest etc. Lovely sunny weather - a bit too hot at times!  A fish and chip supper from the local chippy.  Snacks from Lidl on the way there via Glossop - our usual stopping off point.  Hazel hates the motorway so we go the scenic route - watching out for kamikazi sheep and dodgy drivers!

Marsden

 Nice couple of days in sunny South Yorkshire visiting our old poorly chum Dave.  Tried to help by clearing piles of newspapers and magazines.  Dave is a bit of a hoarder.  he wasn't keen to see his "archive" being disturbed. We found time for a little wander and picnic on a bench by the old canal that goes to Huddersfield.  Found some sculptures and stone walls etc.  Very hill around there - we managed to climb a small hill but the bigger one's were too intimidating.  Stopped off at Glossop on the way for provisions and M&S  toilets.  Stretched our legs but didn't fancy the shops although some were open now.  Same on the way home.  The new route around the hills was a lot less scary than the old route over the moors but not quite so picturesque.

Marsden

Interesting two days in Yorkshire. Stopped off as usual in Glossop for a mooch round the charity shops and use the fascilities. Gots a few good DVD's in one shop inc. latest Bladerunner sequel, some foreign films etc. Hazel got a few boxes for postcards etc. Nice lunch in the newly refurbished vege. cafe. - we had cheese and onion/tomato toasties and salad. Very cheap. For all that and ginger beer to share came to £7.60! Then on to Dave's over the scary hilly route that is a real white knuckle ride! Thankfully we managed it with no hiccups. Hazel sorted out Dave's downstairs bedroom so we could stay there instead of the usual B&B. It was full of cat hair so needed a good clean. Had fish and chips from local chippy - much cheaper than Cheshire too. Slept OK considering. All went a bit crazy the next day with Dave having a nose bleed that wouldn't stop which necesitated a trip to the local hospital by ambulance ( two turned up with four men to help D. down the rickety stairs). They kept him there for a couple of hours doing tests etc. and eventually we bought him home. This lasted most of the day. Lucklily Hazel went out earlier to get some food and we had pizza cooked in one of those electric bowl ovens. Dave's nose kept bleeding from time to time but they gave him a special clip/peg thing that helped. He managed to sleep without any more trauma. We were worried about leaving him the next morning but he seemed better in the nose department at least with no more drips. So back again to Glossop and toasted tea bread in the vege. cafe and more charity shop trips. Very hot and sunny after all the rain of previous two days - a welcome relief but of course the roads were packed being a bank holiday weekend. You just can't win! Anyway, so nice to get home again after all that malarky!

Glossop and Marsden

Lovely two day jaunt over to West Yorkshire to visit our old chum Dave Smith. Stopped off in Glossop to break up the journey and have a banana. Popped into some charity shops for bargains - a tapestry, DVD's and wool. Hazel wanted to sort out his downstairs rooms as they were full of junk and needed a bit of a clean. He's due for a hip replacement soon so needs a room downstairs to recouperate. I mostly watched the snooker with Dave and listened to his stories, some of which I've heard before. Nice pizza from the Co-op on our first evening ( highly recommended own brand ). Dave cooked it in his weird space age oven. The next night we had fish, chips and mushy peas from the local chippy. Tanya picked it up on her way round to say hello and see what work Hazel had done. Cleared lots of stuff - some going back to Cheshire tip and lots in the bin. Looks much more roomy now. Rigo was very stand-offish but soon made friends when she saw we had fish on the menu. Her cat hair will be saved for a possible sweater and knitted blanket. Hair raising ride over the Peaks but managed to get home in one piece despite the rain.

Yorkshire

Nice weekend over in Marsden, West Yorkshire with our old chum Dave Smith. Hazel took along some pansies to brighten up his sad looking window boxes and pots by the front door. Had a pub meal with Dave and some of his friends - ate far too much and back on the diet again. Pretty uneventful drive over the moors although we did encounter some Bradley Wiggins clones who clogged up the trecherous windy roads on occasion!

Marsden, Leeds and Glossop

Back froma nice coupla days in Yorkshire thee knows. Got my collages back from Leeds. Thankfully our old mate Dave drove us there and so Hazel didnt have nervous breakdown going round appalling one way sytems and roundabouts. Also went to Andy Thornton's warehouse of old detritus and theme pub furniture. Archie took hundreds of photos for his Summer project. I took a few to be added to Flickr and here later. Stayed in quaint stone cottage by a babbling brook. Early morning duck alarm at 6. Drove back via Glossop for cheese pasty and mooch round the charity shops. Sat Nav behaved this time and we were sent round some charming lanes and byeways and not the Oldham bypass as before.

Social Whirl

Quite a busy weekend for a change with a trip out to Yorkshire with Tony and Penny on Friday to meet up with Dave,Nick and Joan at a posh pub , high up on the moors near Rochdale or was it Huddersfield? Anyway, it was a very nice meal and good drop of Black Sheep bitter. We had a quick walk to take some photos waiting for everyone to turn up. Most can be found at Flickr.
Afterwards went to a garden centre to look at the Xmas lights ( see Flip video above ). I was tempted to buy some LED candles but decided I prefer the real thing.
Yesterday it was an invite to Adela and Will's lovely old house the other side of Northwich for a house warming. More lovely food and home made cider. Met all the family and got a tour of the rambling house on the side of a steep hill. The back garden looks more like a cliff. Adela and Will have plans for terraces and chickens etc. One can imagine the chickens all roped together and wearing crampons hanging on for dear life. Maybe mountain goats would be a better option?
Had to leave early to get Archie who was having dinner at a friends house.

The social whirl continues today with a trip over to Alsager and Sunday Lunch with Tony and Penny. Archie took two ukulele's so he could show Tony some chords and they played Tiptoe Through The Tulips etc.
Nice nut roast and all the trimmings, soup and ice cream. Pineapple upside down cake. Yum!
Went for a walk along the Salt Line afterwards to burn off some calories. The Salt Line is an old railway track that was closed down in the 60's and eventually changed into a path for ramblers. From it's highest point you can see Mow Cop and the Alsager Tip.

The Salt Line