9:20 ....
Yesterday (Tuesday).
We decided to end February with a hike across the moors to Haworth and to get busses back.
The weather was cold but kind with just one snow flurry encountered at the very top of the moors.
Taking the bridleway opposite our house we soon turned left , where a Little Owl was on a field wall, to pass East View Farm, where a pr. Grey Partridge flushed and then past the other farms to exit onto Syke Lane.
A right turn, to soon cross Keighley Road to Ogden Lane took us up the long bridleway over the moors (that starts at back Lane, Ogden) to eventually arrive at Oxenhope Reservoir (TMR).
I had promised to keep the birding to a minimum and to keep the camera in the rucksack so we could make some headway.
Now we had all the uphill under or belt, the camera could make an appearance.
3 Red Grouse were seen on the moor.
From the top of the moors, our next destination, Leeming Reservoir could be seen clearly in the valley bottom - a beautiful view this morning.
Our path skirts the west side of the reservoir where there were 10 Canada Geese, a few small gulls and Mallard.
Nearby there were 2 Redwing and a Mistle Thrush.
The path drops down to houses at ?? bog.
A beautiful 'gypsy' caravan was in a garden here and a chap was working in his garage nearby. As we were admiring the caravan he offered to show us around it.
He had made it himself and it had all the mod cons (or would have very soon).
Toilet, shower, wood burning stove, cooker etc. a lovely piece of work.
On again, past Back Leeming we dropped down to the Oxenhope road, pass the Co-op and on towards Oxenhope Station.
A Kestrel was seen hereabouts.
A right and a left took us onto the lovely track that follows the "steam" and the stream.
A Sparrowhawk was flying high here and a Dipper was in the stream near the water treatment works together with Long Tailed Tit and Goldcrest.
I mention to Sue that I had seen a Kingfisher hereabouts on my last visit, and lo and behold I if didn't pick out a Kingfisher on a tree branch 2 mins later - a real treat.
The path, now very boggy, continues with the stream, rises to meet a house and drops down again to continue into Haworth.
A really pleasing outing with a stop at one of the many Haworth cafes for lunch.
The bus from Haworth to Keighley came within 20 mins and after a 45 min look at the shops,in the arcade, by the Keighley bus station, the Bradford bus was waiting for us.
Things went downhill from here on.
The bus took forever and a day to get to Bradford.
In fact in a grid locked Bradford city centre we got off the bus as it was quicker to walk to the bus station than remain on it.
The Queensbury bus was waiting for us, as well, and we made very slow progress to Queensbury, Station Road arriving after 5pm.
It is pool/snooker night at the Fleece with neighbour John so we hightailed it from Queensbury, along Denhomegate Road for 2 miles to Raggalds then down to Bradshaw. Some quick mud removal and a quick sandwich and I was out the door at 6:10 pm to try my pool luck - I was rubbish!!
At the top ... Leeming Reservoir ... next stop
Sparrowhawk with Woodpigeon in the foreground
A strange reflection in the bus window
