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Calder Vale church is well above the village
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The cold early morning air changed suddenly in the afternoon to very warm and humid and I went to pick blackberries on Delph Lane. After gathering a fair amount I decided to walk down to Calder Vale. I had on my ordinary trainers and no jacket as it was so warm, and only a chocolate bar to eat and nothing to drink.
I found the church locked, and the wood below was rather gloomy as the sky became a little overcast but it turned out to be a pleasant little expedition.
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The path down to the village
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A delightful play area with a swing!
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River Calder
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The pond which collected water to drive the mill engine
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The redundant sluice in the mill race
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The old cottages of the mill workers of yesteryear now belong in part to second-home owners, with BMWs and other expensive cars outside. I could hear the mill looms were working, and spoke for some minutes to a man who was taking a break. He said the mill was still making head scarfs in profusion for the Arabs, but that the cotton was not as easy to come by as before.
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Quiet, peaceful - or dead?
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Producing Arab headscarves seven days a week
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Old stepway
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I discovered a long, steep flight of partly overgrown steps among the trees at the top of which there are two very old stone posts.
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Two old 'squeeze' posts
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Landskill Farm
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The steps took me to one of the farm roads past Landskill and although it was an uphill walk I wasn't all that tired making my way back over the fields to the car. Maybe not having a rucksack on my back helped, and the light footwear meant that I didn't feel to be dragging heavy legs about!
