Sunday 3 January 2016

night hike

HaPpY nEw YeAr everyone and welcome to 2016!

As you can see, our New Year's Day hike was mega spooky, seeing as we didn't set off til dusk and ventured onto Wharncliffe Chase in the near dark.  Mind you we're well used to exploring in the dusk after experiencing the Polar Night just a few weeks ago.

Kicked off Christmas with a visit to Showboat at the Crucible which was an amazing production, probably their best Christmas show ever, and they are always good.  Great reviews and still on til 23 January.

But back to our hike - there was plenty of ice about
 and wild barren winter moors
 treacherous ponds
 and for the final leg through Greno Woods, it was torches all the way
but soon home to a welcome hot cuppa and reminiscences of a wonderful Christmas.

Mum managed to get over the Pennines to share it with us and enjoyed a Christmas morning toast.
 but it was a waiting game to get to those pressies . . .
until finally we were all happily opening
 with fun surprises
thank you hugs
 impromptu recitals
 and a windy visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Boxing Day
 to see the amazing Bill Viola works
 then some emergency mince pie and jam tart replenishing
until it was home for Grandma and London for the rest of us.

Final dinner in Shoreditch after a great 24hrs London buzz, meeting up with friends and braving the sales
 Great overnight stay at Park Farm on the Shuckburgh Estate in deepest Warwickshire
 skull and crossbones on the little church
 and this is the 'big house' - all very 'private'
 first snowdrops
 Then an interesting visit to Napton on the Hill and the church of St Lawrence
 with its precarious graves
 and arrow sharpening grooves from days of yore
And after a tasty homemade lunch and warm welcome in the village post office, we visited a lovely old friend in Dudley then home and ready to welcome the New Year with our usual hike up the top of Grenoside to see all the fireworks. And glorious it was - a clear night, bright stars, half moon and the whole city shimmering at our feet.
HaPpY nEw YeAr

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