That Simon Armitage - What a Git!

It said in the guide 20 minutes each way - a quick walk of half a mile. And at the end a poetry seat and impressive carvings of one of Simon Armitage's poems about water in all its forms. Here's that half mile.

That's our car in the distance - I've blurred the number plate.

Doesn't look much does it? Just a gentle walk - 20 minutes - no rain - ambience of distant traffic and the occasional protest from a nonchalant sheep. Well it was about 20 minutes - but it was anything but gentle. The ground was slippy with rain and sheep droppings, its was treacherous with hidden holes just large enough to catch a carelessly-placed foot. Some of it would even have benefited from a few carabiners and other strange devices known only to Chris Bonnington and his ilk. I'm not sure they're expecting many casual visitors. Well we got there and it was worth it. Here are the stones themselves - click to see enough to read.

The stones are sheltered in quarry workings which are silent - all sound is swallowed in the way described in the poem itself. And then we had to come down which is worse - slippy and falling forward, it's amazing I didn't break anything - including the camera. And so to Marsden for lunch - a nice Chili Jacket at Angie's Kitchen - followed by a short hop (by car - I'm not mad) across the tops to Holmfirth and a coffee in Sid's Cafe. It must have been Ivy's day off. I did spend the day looking out for SA himself but I expect he might refuse to sign the book now I've called him a git.