Category Archives: days out

days out, _photography

Curbar Edge, Froggatt Edge, White Edge Circular Walk

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Whilst I’ve been off I’ve been looking a walks. I like walking, but I’m a fair weather walker. But not too fair, because I don’t like being hot. I was disappointed that I got a tan in Norway, and it still hasn’t really gone!

The other week I went with my mum to the Peak District, and we did a walk from Surprise View car park, to Higger Tor, to Padley Gorge. It took us almost 3 hours, and it was quite a nice walk. A bit hilly in places, but my legs and knees were fine. We found the route on www.walkingenglishman.com and used his GPX file. It was the first time following a route and we didn’t do too bad, although we did end up a bit off track in Padley.

I’ve been looking at doing another walk with kB this bank holiday, and we decided on Curbar Edge and Froggatt Edge. We couldn’t find a GPX file for a circular route, so I made one. You can download it here.

I decided to not take my camera and just use my phone. Lugging around 12kg in a backpack isn’t the most fun, and often I take my camera and don’t use it.

We started at Curbar Gap car park. It’s £1.50 for two hours, £2.60 for 4 hours and £4 all day. It was a bank holiday Monday, and the weather was good; but we got there at 10am and it was pretty much full. We nabbed one of the last parking spots, paid for 4 hours (just in case) and set off.

View at the start of the walk, at Curbar Gap

The route is really easy (probably why there wasn’t a GPX file for it) as the path is pretty obvious and wide. The only time we got a bit lost was at the end of the Curbar Edge/Froggatt Edge walk, and connecting to the White Edge part of the walk. Another couple who were doing the same walk also got a bit lost as well though. To  be honest I knew where we were heading, and I think had we just walked towards White Edge we would have been OK.
We tried to have a drink in the Grouce Inn before we walked up to White Edge, but it was too early – it didn’t open until 12.
Once we were back on the route to White Edge it was straight forward again. Wide, easy to walk path, with sign posts too.

View from a short way into the walk.

At the end of the route, back in Curbar Gap car park a ice cream truck had appeared. Then we went to the pub.
Total length of talk 19.36km (Including back tracking and being off route). It took us 2 hours and 25 minutes to walk the whole thing.

I spotted some deers at White Edge, but they were miles away. Besides it’s a bit early for deer season, and I didn’t have my camera.

We also spotted this little guy on our walk! ^_^

days out, _photography

Day 1 – Norway, Ã…lesund

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Today begins our week long trip to Norway. Norway has long been on my bucket list. Fjords, mountains, black metal, vikings. Perfect!
We had a long day yesterday as we had to drive to the airport, which was about 3 and a half hours. We finally checked into the hotel at the airport just after midnight.

Incoming This morning we had a casual 5 minute stroll to the check in desk, before having a relaxing few hours in the airport. Once we were in Norway I started with “oooh will you look at that” (The only correct response for cloud topped mountains), before the weather changed and Thor welcomed us with a thunderstorm. Ã…lesund, Norway

Once we were in the hotel and unpacked it blew over, and the rest of the evening has been warm and pleasant. Now, as I type this we are sat on the balcony at the back of the hotel. kB is drinking his £14 beer (!!!!) and we’re looking out at the various islands and mountains and watching the sun dip lower in the sky. It’s still light though, and it’s almost 10 o’clock.

Evening FIshing

Tomorrow we are going to go and get some bits from a supermarket, and explore the city. Apparently we can go on the Ã…lesund city tour for free, and I want to walk up to the Sukkertoppen and explore the area around there.

days out, _photography

Wyming Brook

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Wyming Brook

After a rather cold and miserable week I suggested to kB that we go out for a walk. The chosen location was Wyming Brook, which isn’t far from Rivelin Valley that I’ve been to before, but although I’ve probably been to Wyming before, it’s not a location I can remember going to. It’s not too far out of Sheffield city centre, and is just past where my grandma and grandad used to live.

Overlooking the Brook
There is a little (free) car park, and the route is quite nice and easy. It’s very rocky and up/down hill but we looped around the whole thing in about an hour and half.

Before stopping off for a beer (for kB) and a diet coke (for me), and driving home.
Close to the River

days out, project 365, _photography

Chester Zoo

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Cheekie Chappie // 23 01 16
Yesterday me, kB and my mum and dad went to Chester Zoo. It was my 30th birthday and I like going places for my birthday rather than parties.
For my main present people have clubbed together and me and kB are driving to the Isle of Skye, so people have paid for hotels and meals and whatever 🙂
Because we are going to Skye, and so I’ll be seeing lots of waterfalls and mountains and castles, I decided I’d rather go to the zoo for my birthday than the traditional historic place.
It was a nice day out. We got there just after it opened and I took loads of pictures.
The red pandas are by far my favourite!

Orangutan
Jaguar

Red Panda

Lion

days out, project 365, _photography

Tropical Butterfly House, Sheffield

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Tropical Butterfly House, Sheffield068 // 365

This morning (quite literally, we got there before it was even open!) me and a couple of other photo friends went to the Tropical Butterfly House in Anston, Sheffield.
Mr Owl

I have been a couple of times before; which if you know that I used to be terrified of butterflies is quite the achievement! The first time I went I was a bit apprehensive, but ever since that first time I have been fine and dandy.
Mr Lemur

I’ve not been for just over a year. Last year I went in February half term, so it’s a week later.
It has changed a lot. Last year they were building the lemur enclosure, this year there were lemurs and (much to my absolute glee) otters. I *freaking* love otters. They are my most favourite animal ever.
It’s only a small place, but it is well worth a visit – especially (I guess) if you have small children (Everything is close together).
Mr Flutterby

Made doubly amazing by the fact that the weather is just delightful today! I’m always freezing cold unless it’s hot and I’m in direct sunlight (like a lizard if you will), but I had fairly thin tights on, and a thin cardi and I was OK!
Lovely day ^_^
Mr Terrapin

days out, project 365

Winter (is coming)

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Sorry, just felt really unnatural to write just “winter” :-p
This morning we went to Bakewell.
Bakewell is in Derbyshire, and is built around the river Wye bang smack in the middle of the Peak District in the UK.

This weekend was Christmas Weekend there (though we didn’t go for this reason, we went for the farmers market which happens every last weekend of the month).
My Christmas present had come through the post this morning as well so I was especially excited. For Christmas. Christmas. WOOO

days out, project 365

Twycross Zoo

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Sometimes being a teacher has its perks. Today I got to take 24 pupils to Twycross Zoo.
The zoo has changed a lot since I was last there, which was at a guess about 4 years ago. However one thing which me really happy was the fact they are getting lions soon and this time the otters were actually out!

The gift shop/cafe had a snow leopard enclosure attached to it which was really nice – although conversations were really disjointed as people were talking to each other whilst staring out of the window and each time the leopards did anything conversation stopped, hehehe

This owl was part of one of the new sections at the zoo, as were the pelicans below.

Otters on parade!

And a couple of autumn shots which I took whilst I was there : )

days out, project 365

Clumber Park

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Clumber Park is almost 4,000 acres of parkland, heath and woods. It is located in Worksop, which is in Nottinghamshire, England. I’ve been a few times before, and this was actually my second visit this year (I went in summer time). I had written down in my photography book that I wanted to return in autumn, and today was that day!

The weather started off overcast, but it really brightened up! 🙂 It was great to get out of the house on a crispy Autumn day and wander around of a couple of hours. So glad the weather was good as I have really missed going out and taking photographs *shakes fist in the general direction of sunrise and sunset times in the UK*

 

days out, project 365

General Cemetery, Sheffield

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A while ago I went looking for (and found) a photography groups based in Sheffield. I will admit I had looked before, but I’d only found those groups which required that you paid to join and I’ve always found that bit off putting. As much as I enjoy photography, and I strive to get better at it, it is only a hobby and I don’t really want to be paying to hang around with like minded people.
I left my search for a few months then I stumbled upon a group whose motto seems to be “it doesn’t matter what camera you have (even a camera phone) as long as you have a passion for photography” and about once a month we toodle out to a different location and take photographs.

This month we went to the General Cemetery in Sheffield. I have been here before a number of times to take photos, but I don’t mind returning to places I have visited before and besides it’s nice to get out and talk to new people (And I’d never been to the Cemetery in autumn before).

days out, project 365

Harewood House

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Harewood House is North Yorkshire (I think), not too far off Leeds/Harrogate. It’s a massive house which was built at some point in the 18th century and is open to the public most days. Weirdly, driving into the pay station I noticed a sign which advertised flamingos and penguins… As no-one else had noticed the sign I assumed I had misread it, but no, there were flamingos and penguins! (This is a more than a bit unusual for a building like this, just in case anyone is wondering why I’ve mentioned it).

It was a lot bigger than I was expecting, with a lake and some stunning scenery to boot.

The above shot is “mums view”, as my mum decided that if she lived here she would sit on the bench where this shot was taken every day and look out at the view.

I was definitely impressed with the surrounding lands that went with the house, the weather let us down a bit though it did pick up as the day went on. The day before we went was Halloween and the staff at Harewood had decorated the lands with halloween-y things, which was nice!

All in all it was a pleasant trip out and it exceeded my expectations 🙂 Not too sure if I would make a return trip though, as it was rather expensive to get in.
Would recommend the parkin I had there. Sweet Holy Mother it was sooooo good! Seriously the best parkin I have ever had. Very gooey and moist, om nom nom.