HEBDEN BRIDGE

I went on a trip by canal to Hebden Bridge a few days ago.

In 2012 Hebden Bridge was deluged by floods but all is well now and everything is spic and span.  Being in a narrow valley there is not much flat land about and a feature of Hebden Bridge is the over-dwellings and underdwellings on the steep hillsides.  

So some pics

Saturday afternoon in sunshine

A nice open town centre square with places to sit

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at rest.   

The Regiment

Looks like a wedding reception by the riverside.

A  'Big Issue' seller is always on the corner by Waites Confectioners.  I think sometimes someone provides a chair and refreshment.

Many places provide a wide variety of refreshment in Hebden Bridge.

A sign of the times - bicycles everywhere.  The Tour de France route passes through Hebden Bridge and so the drop handlbar speed merchants are continually flying down the hills, with hard set faces behind those evil looking sunglasses, testing themselves to the limit on the route.  Interestingly the race has done wonders for some of our decrepit roads as many have been resurfaced if on the route.  I saw a headline today that said some deteriorating roads may have to be closed as there isn't the money to repair them.  Hopefully I misread it.  Maybe next time the 'Race' can be routed a different way as it seems to produce the right result.

'Big metal' on the edge of the square while the owners refresh.  Kawasaki with a lot of chrome and presence.

I am not sure how legal the exhausts are on this bike as it looks to have no silencers.  I never heard it run but presumably it is good enough to pass the MOT. 

During the week, despite the school holiday, I was surprised how quiet the town was.  It didn’t seem to come alive until Saturday afternoon.  Sunday morning was quiet and for a tourist area it seemed odd that many of the shops were shut including the Co-Op supermarket.  No ‘open all hours’ for some!   There was a small outdoor market on the Sunday but it was only half occupied by stallholders and there were few passers by.

 The Lion Hotel doorway inscribed 1657

The refuse collectors - Bin Men - had just been here and emptied the bins.  In fact their big wagon was blocking the road up the hill behind the wall for some time.  But being highly regulated I suppose it was beyond them to take all the rubbish.

Over-dwellings and under-dwellings are the product of building terrace houses on the steep hillsides where the two floors of the under dwelling are accessed from one roadway and the higher roadway round the 'back' is level with the top two floors and is the access for the over-dwelling.  It is interesting that the over-dwellings can also have cellars

There are many walks around Hebden Bridge and lots of interesting very steep narrow 'passageways' often with loads of well worn steps.

There are some beautiful walks.  Just set off upward and discover the tracks and the surrounding countryside, which has a web of ancient footpaths.

The canal.  On one side is a nice little garden and the town, and on the other is the Calder Holmes Park

The garden - and places to sit

Calder Holmes Park

There are many facilities for the very young to the young and almost young and the young at heart.

While I was there a children's event happened in the large playing field of the park on the Saturday.  The sound systems provided facilities for penetrating amateur discord and disturbing frequencies, but everyone there seemed to enjoy themselves. 

The stonemason's yard by the canal always intrigues me.  I enjoy studying it as well as the craftsmanship

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Hebden Bridge sports a fine dry dock by the side of the main road.

A very nice 'Tjalk' Dutch barge at Sowerby Bridge.  It is good to see one in such fine fettle as one or two I have seen are lived on by the hippie fraternity and covered in detritus and look pretty neglected. 

The bronze statue Jack O' The Lock at Sowerby Bridge.  Depicts the last lock keeper of the Rochdale canal there whilst still in commercial use.  His great grandson was the model for the boy. Sculpture history

The Calder and Hebble navigation.  It is a very quiet canal system and seems more so recently and here leads 'downstream' from Sowerby Bridge, then Elland to Brighouse.  Delightful and picturesque.

 The End!