Open the door Mrs and let me in

Hello. I went to town today and brought home four more doors. There is a double glazing company close to the market and they always have old doors and timber that they have removed from their customers houses when they have been upgraded to UPVC. I have added the brown and the red one this afternoon. There was a gap between the white and brown one because I haven't measured anything, and luckily I had a piece of timber the exact right size, perfect.  The glass I will be painting over, I don't want my neighbour to be looking in. 

I now have to take out the raised bed in the bottom right of the picture, it's in the way, so I'll get on with that tomorrow. It was too hot to work this afternoon, a shorts and t-shirt day.  

I found some big tins of beans at the Cash and Carry, they are twice the size of an ordinary tin. At 50p each, I bought four. They can be eaten hot or cold, I'll have them with salad, and make some curry with them as well. I might add them to a stew, or I might even blend them into soup.

While I was in town I paid my credit card bill. There was £2,000 on there from when I bought the car. I used my Tesco card for part payment so I could get the points.

Back to the veggies again, thank goodness. Real food at last.

I'm not getting much sewing done as it's too nice to be inside. The garden needs my attention. I've got some seed potatoes to go in, hopefully that job will be done tomorrow. The car also needs washing. Plenty to keep me busy.
Thank you for reading, I'll catch you tomorrow.
Toodle pip

Putting a few screws in

Hello. Life is back to normal here, bag unpacked and stuff put away, veg beds watered, nothing showing yet, but they won't if I don't water them. Go to Crafty Club for an hour. Catch up with what's going on in blogland, then outside in the sunshine to resume work on the summer house. I have the very basic tools, with one extra item which I find very useful. I use the sharp point of the old fashioned tin opener to start off holes where I want to put in screws. Twist it a few times and it makes a hole big enough for the screw to get started. A box of screws, most of them  reclaimed and second hand.  

These are bits from a set of metal shelves. They are part of the uprights which I cut down for other projects. I save everything and now they are coming in useful.for this.

Hammer them out flat to make a sort of bracket, to fix the pallet to the corner post. 

Or leave it as it is and use it to fix the door to the pallet.

I took the handle off this door and utilized the hole in the wood to screw it to a pallet. 

The two glass doors are screwed on tightly. I am not sure where I shall put the white door yet. Shoukd it be this side....

Or that side? The door is too good to use on this project, it's like new. I'll hang back on that one for a bit until I find some more doors and see where it best fits. I don't expect them to all be the same height, but I can build them up with pieces of wood.so the top is all the same level.

My next door neighbour gave me this piece of laminate wall board. It will be useful for lining one of the walls.  

I must go and find some more doors so I can get on with the project.

Someone asked if I had lost any weight with all the walking. Probably not, because I ate some convenience food which wasn't particularly good for me. My body coped with the exercise pretty well this time. Only two small blisters which were soon popped and gone. I had hardly any upper leg muscle ache, and my shoulders didn't get sore carrying the weight. I quite like the idea of 100 miles in five days, so I might stick to that in the future. Any longer and it gets a bit samey. Walk all day , take photographs, buy some food, find a bed, write the blog, go to bed, eat breakfast, and do it all again. Five days is better.

That's all for now, I'm off to bed.
Toodle pip

Day 5. Holmfirth to Barnsley

Hello. Here we are at Sid's Cafe in the heart of  'Last of the Summer Wine' country. They finished making the popular sit coms years ago, but they still live on in Holmfirth. It was one of my favourites and I still watch them on Yooootooob. The last time I was here they had a life size model of Compo stood outside the cafe, looks like that has gone now. 

Opposite the cafe is the church.

As I set off to head up the A635 Barnsley Road I came across a display of owls in a small park. Had to take a photo of this beauty. 

The snowy owl didn't want to look at the camera so the owner was trying to attract it's attention.

Nope, I don't want my picture taken, oh alright then, but I'm only showing you one eye.

The signs say it is a rescue, and they are asking for a suggested donation of £3. That's a bit cheeky I thought, a donation should be anything you can afford, or want to give.

Off I trundled, out of Holmfirth, through New Mill, coming off the main road to take a minor road through  Lane Head, then getting back on the main road through upper Cumberworth and Denby Dale. This is the viaduct that crosses the road at this point.

A bit further along the road I came off again to take a footpath into Cannon Hall Country Park. I sat down at the picnic tables and had a bit to eat, a bit of  quiche left over from last night. The place was very busy, the fine weather had brought everyone out for a day in the park.

I walked past the lake and out of the park into Cawthorne village. This old timbered building is a museum. No time to stop today.

Which way? Errr, left to Barnsley. 

Back on the main road, I marched pretty quickly. Only three miles to go. Someone must have been busy with a paint brush. They look nice don't they.

Coming into Barnsley I picked up some supplies at a Tesco Local store, not much in the way of yellow stickers. 

This building looks mighty impressive. 

It was a school, I wonder what it is now.

A reminder that Barnsley was at the heart of the coal mining industry.

Wow, this building is magnificent. I haven't been to Barnsley in many years, and even when I did come it was always to a concrete making plant with a load of cement, so I have never seen much of it.

Time was getting on and I needed to consult my maps and decide what my next move would be. It was 4.30pm still time to do another one and a half hours walking, but which direction? I found the bus station and used the conveniences, planning to sit down for ten minutes and study the next map. There was a few people about waiting for buses, and what did I see, a bus for Doncaster, and the driver was in it. I checked the time table, he was due out in five minutes. What did I do? In a split second decision, I got on it, ha ha. I was laughing my little socks off.

It wasn't the distance left to walk that influenced my decision, I could easily do another couple of days. It was the fact that I would find it very difficult to find a bed. Which ever way I walked out of Barnsley, and indeed beyond, I would be passing through villages with almost nil B & B's. I could have probably found a bed in Barnsley, and Doncaster, but they wouldn't be spaced the right distance apart and I would have been forced to have shorter days, which would have meant an extra overnight stop. Common sense told me there's no point in stretching it out, just get off home.

I got off the bus in Doncaster Interchange and walked to the railway station, and within ten minutes I was on a train to Scunthorpe. Janet picked me up at the station, and here I am back home. Today's total was 15.5 miles, so instead of doing 130+  in seven days, I have done 92 miles in five days. Sorry to disappoint the readers who were following me, but don't worry, the last bit wouldn't have been very interesting.

Thank you for joining me on my trip, I'll catch up with you tomorrow.
Toodle pip

Day 4. Hebden Bridge to Holmfirth

Good Morning. Yes, it's Sunday morning, I struggled last night to get this done but had to give up with the very haphazard internet connection. I am trying to get this finished before breakfast so it's a bit jumbled up and lacking in details. 

I got to Holmfirth last night at just after 7pm and was lucky to find a smashing B & B, with the help of a landlady that I called at first. She was full up but she got on the phone to her friend who did have a room. This is ideal, lovely room, nice people, and dog, for £30. Everything a B & B should be. I don't need fancy decor, just homely and clean facilities.

I did a long stretch of canal walking yesterday. After studying the map I decided that the best plan of action was to follow water, I didn't want to be getting lost and losing valuable time. I got off the canal at Elland just north of Huddersfielf, passing through Mytholmroyd (love that name), Luddenden, and Sowerby Bridge, to Elland. It was a lovely walk, a sunny day and all was lovely in my world. 

Looks like a permanent residence in this colourful set up.

At Sowerby Bridge you have to get off the canal tow path and cross over the road to get back on again. Beautiful church.

Interesting remains. The buildings around here seem to be hugging the side of a mountain or appear to be sliding int a deep ravine. Everything is precariously balanced on stilts, even new builds. 

From Elland I marched into Huddersfield following the main road in. I took a break in the centre at the Railway Station and within a couple of minutes of sitting down I was accosted by a beggar. Made me feel a bit uneasy to be honest. In fact it happened a second time so I was ready to skidaddle when I had finished eating. There was a statue of Harold Wilson, who was born here, but the sun was in the wrong place to get a good shot.

I marched back out of Huddersfield, with Holmfirth in mind as my destination. Time was getting on and I needed to walk pretty fast. I stopped off at Honley because I was ready for packing up for the day, but no accommodation so I carried on to Holmfirth.

I checked the mileage, 19.75. The feet are holding out, only one small blister, the first one has healed up. I find if I keep on walking the muscles work better and not so much pain. Stopping and starting is the problem.

Must dash, breakfast is nearly ready. Heading off to Barnsley and beyond today. Catch you later, I hope. Enjoy your Sunday.
Toodle pip

Day 3. Haslingden to Hebden Bridge.

Hello. I'm feeling a bit stiff tonight, the muscles are a bit achey. Not half as bad as on previous walks though. I think I'm doing really well. Just checked the miles, 17.25 today, not bad. There was no breakfast this morning, but I managed to make coffee. I found a kettle and a mug in another room, there was no one about and all the keys were in the doors. I had enough food to cobble together a different sort of breakfast. I got away a little earlier, at 8.30am, the cleaner was in and she let me out. Oh my, a place I want to forget, ha ha. 

Tonight is better, I am in Hebden Bridge. I've had to spend a bit more than I would have liked, but I think £65 is still too much, I'm in a pub, a better one. I feel as if I am underwater, everything is blue, there are penguins on the pillows. There was a cheaper B & B, but they were full. 

A bit more hill climbing today, this is the view of Haslingden.

I went up what the locals call Ski Slope Road, I was curious about the ski slope indicated on the map. Here it is.

I arrived just as they were opening up, and they let me inside for a nosey around. Look at all their equipment. 

I asked lots of questions, and found it fascinating. It's nearly fifty years old. I've had a look at their web site, its very exciting. Take a look, Ski Rossendale.

 Looking up the slope.

There is a coffee shop in the lodge half way up, with a great viewing platform.

This is the matting they use on the slopes.

Great views from the top.

I found these broken bits and thought they would make a great art installation. 

I didn't see much of Rawtenstall or Bacup as I bypassed them. This is Lamberts Mill, which is typical of a lot of old mill buildings around here which have been turned into warehouses. 

 I hopped on and off the River Irwell for a while. This owl has been carved out of a tree stump with a chain saw.

I've found this speeded up video of the artist as he is carving it.

These old ruins are not far from the Recreation Ground just below Bacup. The date on the stone says 1856. Shame it's been to crumble and fall down. Right next to it is a new row of terraced houses, on a small estate. 

Heading over towards Todmorden. Mega littering.

This is the Astronomy Centre on the A681 just up the road from the quarry. Not as famous as Jodrell Bank. 

Coming into Todmorden I got onto the Rochdale Canal, and followed it to Hebden Bridge. I've walked this section before, it was nice to be on familiar ground.

There are quite a lot of locks but I didn't see any boats moving along the water. They were all moored up. A few people were about, probably getting ready for the weekend. Some of them were occupied, whisps of smoke indicated that there was someone aboard. One old chap was cooking a big pan of stew on an open fire on the tow path. All along the fencing was strewn with his possessions, it did look a mess. To be honest I was a bit shocked to see what a state he was in, but each to their own I suppose.

I came off the canal to pick up some supplies from the Co op. I shall go back there in the morning to resume my journey. Weatherwise it was dry, with not much sun. I wore my shorts, and jacket, it was a bit chilly high up.

Time to wind down methinks so I'll say goodnight. Catch you tomorrow. I'm not sure where I'll be, there are several different options, I'll make it up as I go along.
Toodle pip