Despite the setback yesterday I managed to have a decent eight mile walk around the neighbourhood today. Hardly any discomfort from my piriformis, but running was off the menu…
The village lift bridge replaced the old swingbridge.
These metal bridges were constructed by Pilkingtons Glassworks. The hill on the right (covered in trees now) was a giant hill of sand imported from the Sahara Desert back in the fifties. It was the perfect sand for producing flat glass. The bridges carried water over the canal and River Don and it was sprayed over the sand, as the water was collected in the dykes it was pumped back to the factory and the sand extracted from the water. It saved the job of trying to transport the sand over the canal and river by manual labour…
I spotted this Heron just fishing…
Perhaps somebody can recognise this little fellow…
I don’t think this Robin needs any introduction…
It’s been a good walk for wildlife spotting today…
You certainly turned lemonade into lemons with that outing. I know well that disappointment of curtailing the run, and certainly hopeful that this was a strain.
I always appreciate an explanation with a photo. The backstory is really interesting. I never really considered the quality of sand in glass manufacturing.
What a gorgeous day and a handsome looking great blue heron! Though they are loners, they are everywhere in my part of the world.
Gorgeous photos, Foxy! I think exercising is actually good for pirifomis - moderate, of course. Hope it gets better sooner than later! That bird might be a Great Tit - not 100% sure, but its a pretty little bird. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Surfer, Summer and Pixie, the wildlife pictures were quite unexpected. Thanks for the heads up on the Great Tit, being a country boy at heart, I feel bad that I didn’t know what it was…
And you are right about the exercise too Pixie, it does seem to be a lot better this morning…
This is the Event I was sitting watching over at the Reef a few days ago, never thought it would end up on the News, but here it is. It was a wonderful event and I really enjoyed watching. If I’d moved up north when the kids were young I’d never have got the Beggers off the boards, might even have had a go myself. lol.
No dear, I was sitting on a wall watching. I’ve never been on a surf board in my life. But I may have if I’d moved there 40 years ago. Was still young and gung ho back then.
Wednesday’s walk took me a bit further afield and it required a drive of about three miles to the start. It follows the course of the ‘New Junction Canal’ and starts at Braithwaite and ends at ‘Southfield Reservoir’ It comes out at about eight miles, but a late start and time constraints meant that I probably wouldn’t go as far as The reservoir, so it’s one for the future…
The canal is a straight line for four miles and makes an ideal run, when I’m fit enough…Today was just a walk, with a bit of jogging…couldn’t resist it…
I used to run by road to Sykehouse Lock as part of my marathon training, it was a twenty mile route…
That sure looks like Swimfeeders fishing on the bank…:shock:
Thanks Mags, I’ve always taken my camera with me, but being on the forum adds an extra dimension to my adventures. It makes it worthwhile knowing that someone enjoys them…
A bit of history about the ‘New Junction Canal’ from Wiki…
[I]The New Junction Canal is a canal in South Yorkshire, England. It is part of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation (S&SYN), although it was jointly funded by the Aire and Calder Navigation, and was opened in 1905. It links the River Don Navigation and the Stainforth and Keadby Canal with the Aire and Calder Navigation (Knottingley Canal). It is completely straight, and was the last canal built in England for commercial purposes.
The canal has one lock, which was sized to allow the compartment boats of the Aire and Calder to use it, but the owning company failed to raise enough money to upgrade the River Don Navigation beyond, and Long Sandall lock prevented working of such boats through to Doncaster until it was rebuilt in 1959. There is still some commercial traffic on the canal, but most use is now by leisure boaters. One notable feature is the aqueduct over the River Don which is protected by large guillotine gates, which can be lowered when the Don is in spate, to prevent the surrounding countryside from being flooded.[/I]
I’ll post photos of the aqueduct mentioned next time I do the walk…It’s quite spectacular…
Roxy, I’ve often looked at photos you have posted of that wave thinking that it looked exceptionally appealing. I am sure you enjoyed watching; it’s an exhilarating sport! The hardest thing about surfing there might well be wiggling in and out of all that 3mm neoprene. Brrrrr, it looks cold!
OGF, one step on that path paralleling that canal and I would never stop - packed, level…and plenty of eye candy! Such a beautiful spot!
I am about to lose my marbles. We have had three nonstop days of rain and despite being about to flood away, I have GOT to run. Giving until this afternoon for the weather to settle down, but if not, I am going anyway.
Won’t it?