Today,another visit further afield with Mrs R,to an area which has become a favourite for us and has some lovely scenery,cracking birding and two of the most quirky,interesting, towns or villages we have visited.
An early start saw us travelling along the M62,bright and early for our first destination Hardcastle Crags.
This valley in Upper Calderdale,is a wooded valley along the River Hebden and contains some lovely mixed woodland along with some special birds.
Today's visit was no exception,with me finding a cracking,singing male Wood Warbler,which showed really well and relatively low down as well and i even managed to get a few pics.
Other species seen included a small colony of Grey Herons,Grey wagtails and a pair of lovely Dippers feeding their chicks at the nest.
A profusion of wild flowers included Wood Anemone,Bluebells and Wood Sorrel and the Ramsons were also just beginning to flower,with that lovely garlicky smell.
After enjoying a welcome Hot Chocolate at the 19th century Gibson Mill,which is now converted into a National Trust cafe and shop,we decided to walk up over the hill to the unique village of Heptonstall.
It was a tad tiring up the steep incline,but the reward is a village which is such an interesting place,with it's 2 churches within each other(St.Thomas A Becket & St.Thomas The Apostle) and the lovely cobbled streets.
After our enjoyable visit to Heptonstall,we walked back down the hill to the car at Hardcastle Crags.
The rest of the day was spent at Hebden Bridge,enjoying a well earned lunch and taking in the sights and sounds of the Rochdale Canal.
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| Woodland Scenery At Hardcastle Crags. |
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| The River Hebden. |
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| Singing male Wood Warbler. |
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| Male Wood Warbler. |
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| Dipper,Near To It's Nest. |
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| Dipper Nest. |
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| The 19th Century Gibson Mill. |
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| Part Of The Famous Crags. |
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| Some Of The Locals. |
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| Stoodley Pike & Monument,Viewable From Heptonstall. |
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| The Cobbled Streets Of Heptonstall. |
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| St.Thomas Becket Church. |
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| Mrs R. |
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| St.Thomas The Apostle Church. |
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| The Rochdale Canal,Hebden Bridge. |
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