Shipley Glen Walkies

It was a glorious day yesterday.  One of those you don't expect to be anything special but then turns out to be blue skies and sunshine.  My parents and I decided to talk Anni for a walk at Shipley Glen.  We used to go up there when we were kids, and it's lovely to have another reason to visit now.  I don't remember ever walking down to the river, when we were children - did we Mum?

We park up, let an excited Anni out of the back and off we go.  Thankfully, unlike Patch (our first dog) Anni does not get car sick.  Down one side of a valley, the trees are lovely, to a river at the bottom.

Going down,

and down (don't you love that Dad waits for us - and Anni has already disappeared into the river!!).

I even managed to get tape of Anni swimming.  She tries to avoid it if she can, she prefers to run round, or try and jump through the water, but every now and again she will swim and seems to like it.  I hope you can see the video (you may want to turn off your speakers so you can't hear us all!).

Then starting up the other side and it is pretty steep.  Half way up you come to these fabulous, massive gates which lead to nothing.  Dad tells me that it once led to the mansion of Sir Titus Salt but it burnt down in the early 1900's (I think).  It does feel weird that the gates are still there.

Looking further up the hill from the gates- hope we don't have to go up there!

Looking right, whoops Dad can't wait to get going

Anni is off.  See her in the distance.  When she was smaller she wouldn't let us out of her sight.  She'd go a couple of feet then come running back to us for safety.  This went on for a long time.  She'll now go round a corner for a nano second before barrelling back to us at 90 miles an hour (no love, I haven't verified the speed).

There were a lot of bluebells out in the woods.  My Mum complains that she can never get a good photo of them.  It helps if you bring your camera Mum............  (wonder when she'll see this)?

 Looking back down the hill from the gates.  I love the old cobbles leading down the hill.  I can imagine someone with a big old fashioned bike pushing his bike up the hill in days gone by.

I love the splash of blue through the trees.

Our first "Selfie".  Not sure we'll be doing many, but I did get to wear my new sunglasses.

I must have put my phone away here as I don't have any more photos.  We walked along the top of a ridge, back to the river, Anni had another paddle then back up the other side and back to the car.  There is a lovely little cafe, with a real sun trap of a patio to have lunch.  It almost makes the walk worth it,  almost.......