Anquet mapping and continuation of Lindale fell road

Thursday walk with Pete - 4th April 2019 - Continuation of Lindale fell road.

I purchased a few days ago for £2 a trial of Anquet maps for two months with the option to subscribe on an annual basis thereafter.

The quality of mapping is excellent. Communication and help by phone and email was first class. However, using the software did was not intuitive to me. At my age I am proud at having kept up modestly with technology, but perhaps now I just want an easier life, so I was not prepared to battle on and learn new tricks, and I have cancelled the annual subscription offer.

I have had Memory Map for over ten years - my 1:50 and 1:25 OS maps are out of date. That has been evident from changes of footpaths etc. shown on latest versions  BC has downloaded for free having been included in the purchase of the paper Land Ranger maps. On top of obsolescence I had a Windows error message preventing me saving GPX routes, and all that prompted me to try Anquet.

My Memory Map runs on a Windows PC in Parallels partitioned from my iMac because MM was not previously available for Mac but it is now. Windows then miraculously "restored the missing file from backup" and so MM is ok again (for the moment.) I will probably now purchase the latest OS map updates from MM for 1:50 and 1:25 to run on the Mac. The associated MM app performs well on my iPad and my iPhone and I would hope that would continue with the new purchase.

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Our Thursday walk continued on the Lindsle fell road from where we left off last week in pleasant but still chilly weather.

Here are some photos:

This mixture of rocky outcrops and sheep cropped turf, gorse and a modest dose of old woodland typifies what I call "Edge of the Lake District Scenery" and I love it.

Just off the road - maybe just enough to occupy a couple of hours bouldering?

My first bluebells this year - the English variety of course

Wood anemones

This and below - tractors  for AR.

I don't think they are particularly rare but they may pose some challenge with views restricted by cramped locations - suggest click to enlarge

We walked past this waterwheel (see next photo) without noticing on the way out only finding it on the way back, hence endorsing Pete's claim that it makes a different walk coming back the same way

From one kilometre away my car was unsurely identified from a tiny white spot. This full zoom confirmed it was my car. But not good enough to see if there are broken windows - I am a born worrier - fortunately all was intact

Route there and back

OS Grid 38 (northing) SD 305 380 to TA 269 379 - Day 9

Saturday 30th March 2019 - Leeds to Barwick-in-Elmet

After a good breakfast in the hotel we crossed the road to a petrol station/supermarket providing us with sandwiches for later.

We found many green patches through the Leeds suburbs, and if not we walked on quieter residential roads with only occasional life threatening crossings of major thoroughfares. Part of the Dalesway Link followed Meanwood Beck through attractive woodland and into Meanwood Park. At Tunnel How Hill we were puzzled by endless cars coming back and forth along what is a cul-de-sac road. The reason turned out to be a huge David Lloyd leisure centre with hundreds of cars parked. Long ago, after spending much time in the gym I decided the best exercise for walking is walking.

Crossing the sports ground at  Tunnel How Hill we chatted with a local walker who pointed out mysterious tree planting on this open space which is used by dog walkers and children as a playground, but in time will be transformed into a mini forest - we wondered why. The halfway mark of our straight sea-to-sea line crossed this open space so it will be all downhill from here? Surprisingly we watched a red kite diving, gliding and swooping overhead. They must be getting fairly widespread now.

Roundhay Park was impressive in scale and ambience with its two large lakes and wide open spaces. Here we had a coffee break at the Mansion café. Soon after we left suburban Leeds behind to continue on country paths to Barwick.

We waited for twenty minutes for a bus back to Leeds and then the train to Skipton and our cars awaiting at BC's friends. We had had two days of excellent walking full of interest. I reckon the remainder of this route will be much quieter, but we will see.

This was not far from the hotel

On the Daleswsy Link - Meanwood Beck

David Lloyd Leisure at Tunnel How Hill

Blackthorn reigns this year

Colourful and attractive roundabout belying the busy traffic endlessly rushing past

A sad old SAAB. I remember watching Eric Carlson dominating the rally scene in the 60s in one of these

Roundhay Park

BC waiting for our coffee at The Mansion Café in Roundhay Park

Wide open space in the park

The lower lake in Roundhay Park - I couldn't see the other end from here - massive

Fortunately there was a trodden path through this newly ploughed field

The famous maypole in Barewick-in-Elmet - it is 87ft. high!

OS Grid 38 (northing) SD 305 380 to TA 269 379 - Day 8

Friday 29 March 2019 - Saltaire to Leeds,


Compared with our six single day walks so far this was proper backpacking with a completely different feel -  more of a promise of adventure and walking into the unknown.

BC, master of logistics, vetoed leaving two cars at Salts Mill then walking to Leeds to overnight, then walk to Barwick next day and bus back to Leeds and train back to Saltaire. Our previous experience of fighting rush-hour traffic through Keighley had been fraught. BC has friends in Skipton. There we rendezvoused. Ten minutes walking had us on the train to Saltaire, and we were off by 10:00 am.

Saltaire is a Victorian model village created around the massive Salts Mill by Sir Titus Salt, and now a world heritage site. The mill houses a huge collection of David Hockney paintings and is a must see attraction. One can walk straight from Saltaire train station onto the start of the Dales High Way, one of the best long distance walks in the country.

Sunny weather, just warm enough for only a base layer and shirt, and a gentle start along the canal to Shipley was walking perfection.

A couple in a narrow boat had lost forward power and were trying to do a three-point-turn with some difficulty and seemed to have run aground. We watched and chatted and then walked on wondering if they had been successful.

Our straight line coincidentally passes through several significant locations, one being Thackley Cricket Club where I was told my father had been captain of the second team before I was born and before WW2. A bit further up the road Thackley Primary School provided more nostalgia. I attended and left there in 1947! Little had changed at the front entrance where I had a fight with Norman Lawrence (I wonder what happened to him)  then I spied the wall outside where we jumped from pretending to be Spitfire pilots bailing out. I was probably not much aware but the influence of WW2 presumably still prevailed. Whilst taking all this in and photographing we happened on a lady pushing a pram and chatted - she also had been a pupil. But only fifty years ago. 

We were soon back on the Leeds Liverpool Canal - more nostalgia - my uncle had been headmaster at Birkenhead Grammar School and on his appointment as headmaster at Bradford Grammar School in 1963 he journeyed from Liverpool to Bradford along this canal on a punt making national headlines. Fortunately that was after I had departed BGS in 1956.

We continued along the River Aire skirting the huge sports grounds of Woodhouse Grove School, also an important centre for archery.

The Aire valley provided surprisingly pleasant greenery and country walking considering our location between two major cities and we were even able to avoid major roads as we passed through mostly high class residential areas to arrive at our hotel in Otley Road, north of Headingley. 

The Ascot Grange Hotel had a more than friendly welcome. The en-suite rooms were small but immaculate.  The Voujon Indian restaurant is integral with the hotel. Our evening meal was excellent for the food and the lively atmosphere and service more reminiscent of the buzz in Italian restaurants - all this was quite a find at very reasonable prices.

CLICK FIRST PHOTO TO SEE REST AS SLIDESHOW

                                            

Skipton station, and below...

...BC waits

Part of Salts Mill and the Leeds Liverpool canal, and below...

Trying to do a three-point-turn. We reckoned three into one doesn't go and they were aground anyway - happy days.

Butterbur

The gate to nowhere

Thackley Cricket Club where Father was second team captain before WW2

My old primary school at Thackley Corner, Bradford. I left in 1947

Entrance to the school - security fencing and coded security lock. I don't think Miss Spencer and Mrs. Hudson will still be there since 1947

Approaching Apperley Bridge on the Leeds Liverpool canal

I Googled this lady but only found scant references  If you want to know more about Clout archery Google. It is something to do with firing upwards so arrows land on a target recumbent on the ground, but it's a bit more complicated than that. This was on the Woodhouse Grove School sports fields near Apperley Bridge alongside the River Aire.

River Aire, and below

Railway crossing the river

We had no intention of doing that!

Our last sighting of the Aire as we veered off into suburbia

Supermarkets have brought a new meaning to the word wonky, I wonder if this chimney qualifies?

The excellent Ascot Grange Hotel and Voujon restaurant

The house marker is Thackley Primary School

DAY 2 TO FOLLOW