Calderdale Hike

10:30 – 18.00

West Vale-Southowram-Cromwell Wood-Brighouse Canal-Baliff Bridge-Norwood Green-Shelf-Queensbury-Mountain-Bradshaw.

A bus ride on the 539 this morning to West Vale was the start of a long hike today.

Leaving West Vale on the canal to wards Elland I was that busy with the bins that I missed the canal bridge crossing and we had to retrace our steps. Once over the canal the path to Exley was blocked by a fallen tree. On arrival at Brighouse we realised that I had concentrated too much on the binoculars and not enough on the walking boots.

After a butty in the Merry England café in Brighouse we headed off to Baliff Bridge and beyond.

Birds spotted on the hike:-

West Vale area: Grey Heron: Canada Goose: Grey Wagtail:

Exley: C40 Jackdaw: Lone Goldfinch singing it’s head off. Magpie: Dunnock.

Southowram: C40 Rooks. House Sparrow: Chaffinch.

Cromwell Woods & Brighouse Canal: Nuthatch 3: Jay – taking a bath in the stream. Woodpigeon:

Raven flying North East (by the time I got a snap the Raven was a black dot).

 Dunnock 3: Coot: A few gulls and 8 Cormorant on the water ski slope at Brookfoot lake. Wren: Little Grebe: Grey Wagtail:

Norwood Green: Mistle Thrush 3: Collared Dove 5: Starling: Redwing 15:

A solitary large gull flying SW making a call similar to a young Buzzard?

The walking schedule took over here as we had to get a clog on to get home before dark.

We were anticipating a nice limeade at the Raggalds.

On arrival at the Raggalds at 17:45 (ever so slightly pooped) we were met by a sign on the door “Closed Mon/Tue evenings during Feb 2014 – sorry for the inconvenience". “Oh Dear!” we both cried in unison. 

Today's Post.

A black dot.

Strange sky