Brimham Rocks
Picture A
I was cat-sitting, you see. In Leeds. And, I thought, I'll call my old friends, Mike and Jane, see if they fancy a visitation.
End of December. Wintry. I mentioned to Jane that I had thought of going to Brimham Rocks, but I wasn't paying £5 for the car park, which is only free if you're members of The National Trust... Well, whaddyaknow?
So, we, who should know better, got in the car and headed off to Brimham Moor, a few miles outside Harrogate, a place I last went to when I was 15. I submit, Picture A, to the left, into evidence.
End of December. Wintry. I mentioned to Jane that I had thought of going to Brimham Rocks, but I wasn't paying £5 for the car park, which is only free if you're members of The National Trust... Well, whaddyaknow?
So, we, who should know better, got in the car and headed off to Brimham Moor, a few miles outside Harrogate, a place I last went to when I was 15. I submit, Picture A, to the left, into evidence.
As
we approached the higher ground, to marvel at the millstone grit
marvels of monolithic meteorological masonry, what had been a light to
medium frost turned to snow and ice. Mike, not wanting to be beaten in a
man's prime element (behind the wheel of a motor vehicle) unleashed
hell and, by any means necessary, we would get there!
Indeed, we did. And it was bloody cold. Really, Yorkshire cold. And icy. Let's not forget the treacherous pathways, and rocks, and long falls, from great heights, onto sharpy, pointy hard stuff! Whose brilliant idea had this been, anyway?
Well, to cut a long story short, we had a great couple of hours in the fresh air, getting some exercise. None of us ended up in plaster, lost a hip or, fell on our arses! At my age, that's a win/win situation.
It really is beautiful up here. Some great views. I'd never been in the winter before. It makes you appreciate the power of natural forces. You know, slow but, steady. I can relate to geological timescales...
Indeed, we did. And it was bloody cold. Really, Yorkshire cold. And icy. Let's not forget the treacherous pathways, and rocks, and long falls, from great heights, onto sharpy, pointy hard stuff! Whose brilliant idea had this been, anyway?
Well, to cut a long story short, we had a great couple of hours in the fresh air, getting some exercise. None of us ended up in plaster, lost a hip or, fell on our arses! At my age, that's a win/win situation.
It really is beautiful up here. Some great views. I'd never been in the winter before. It makes you appreciate the power of natural forces. You know, slow but, steady. I can relate to geological timescales...
Made it, Ma! Top of the world!
Mike and Jane...
Images a - e courtesy of The Jane Carpenter Collection
 d
Mike and Jane, I have known for a long, long time. Longer than anyone else, anyway. Their life is contented and happy, and I do envy that. I'm happy for them though. They are probably the nicest people I know. I think they view me as a crazy friend who pops around every few years with tales of triumph or, tribulation. But, they just accept me, with all my failings.
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