From Yorkshire into Derbyshire and back....

Most days, on our "default" walk, we walk out of Yorkshire into Derbyshire and back again. This, on the White Lane, is the culvert (which collapsed last year) for a little stream which runs into the Totley Brook. This side is Derbyshire, the other side, with Maisie the dog, is Yorkshire. However, until 1935, Totley was in Derbyshire. Then the stream would have marked the boundary between Totley and Bradway. Quite why the boundary followed this little stream as far as here, rather than the Totley Brook, is unknowable, although Brian Edwards, the real expert on Totley history, thinks it may have arisen from an exchange of land in 1280.....


Here, outside the flats on Greenoak Road, is the first daffodil I have spotted this year. Its a lovely little border here, kept pretty by one of the residents.

Hi ho for Spring....

We never tire of our default walk - up through Gillfield Woods, across the Totley Brook and up Shep's Hill to Woodthorpe, then back along the White Lane. Or in reverse of course. It's always different, always new things to discover. And grand views to fields near Fanshawegate and across to moorland on Totley Moss.

Yesterday morning's sun lifted my heart.

And a note to myself that over the past few days, at dusk, there are lots of thrushes up on the Bradway bridlepath enjoying the sound of their own voices. Scolding blackbirds too. Robins singing much more assertively now. The rooks' nests by the council flats growing. The residents don't seem to mind their noisy neighbours - lots of bread being thrown out for them this morning. And they definitely know Barbara who feeds them regularly.....

Diggers...

In Gillfield Woods, signs of bluebells to come.......

......and, near the end of the wood, a small digger.

Then a large one........

This is the new bus terminus under construction, next to the terrible lights....

This is at the end of the footpath through the wood - described by Cllr Peter Price in his wonderful 45 mile round Sheffield walk "The Sheffield Way" as "a very pleasant footpath through an extremely attractive peaceful wood." Cllr Peter Price voted for these lights.

Gobbledegook

Today we see this gobbledegook at the entrance to the recreation ground near Totley Hall. Who put it there? Who is it aimed at? What does it mean? Hallam gave it as "planning gain" land when they built houses on the brown field site of the old Poly buildings. Last year they wanted to get it out from green belt protection. Residents are worried.....

Yesterday more gobbledeegook at the planning board meeting I went to on behalf of SPACE. We were all very tired after waiting 4 hours to speak. Councillors did not interrogate officers - and effectively gave their approval to the ugly lights. Although Cllr Hesketh (the Chair) seems to be on our side and is not letting it rest - so some hope yet. The same day the diggers moved in at the end of Gillfield Wood to construct the new turning circle.

I spent most of today at the computer emailing and asking questions.

Goodbye snow

A Greenoak Valentine

A present this morning by the flats on Greenoak Road - the first crocuses emerge from under the melting. The rooks are starting to mend their nests.

We climb up to Holmesfield and along to the field above Hob Lane.

Hob Lane is part of the ancient track running from Dore (Hillfoot), to Totley Lane, Woodthorpe, Holmesfield, Millthorpe, and south to Rumbling Street (a reputedly Roman Road so named from the ancient carts that used to rumble along it).

Holly and earthy oak leaves line it.

We slither back via Fanshawegate into Gillfield Wood. Only the odd jackdaw chips at the silence.

Brightest and best....

Up and into the woods via Totley Hall and the brightest brightest snow.....

Then out the top we cross through the ugly lights and down the fields to meet the stepping stones across the stream to Monnybrook (from "many brooks" - this is where several streams converge). I see prints in the snow which look like they might be from the red deer who must have come down from the moor. We count the "pepperpots" over the ventilation shafts above the railway tunnel, then along Penny Lane and Hillfoot and home....

More snow....

More snow and silence as we walk to Woodthorpe. We meet Christine who still can't stop smiling.

Natural light

Yesterday nine of us SPACE (Sheffield and Peak Against Urban Encroachment) activists met at the ugly lights on Baslow Road for a press photograph with the Star, then off to speak at the Full Council meeting to put our case against them. We were gratified to hear that at last the Council seems to see there is an issue here. There is to be an enquiry into the lights and terminus involving Transport and Highways, the Peak Park Authority, the Head of Planning and SYPTE. So, we activists and our allies - the CPRE and the Peak Park as well as local organisations - have had a real impact here. We want to find out more about the nature of this enquiry. What the outcome will be we don't know and we will argue that we should give evidence too. Our local councillors, from sitting very firmly on the fence, seem to be cosying up to us now....

Evening in the woods - a waxing moon and homeward drifting jackdaws.

Crisp

Bright new morning and Steph and I crump up the White Lane. The whole world is sledging. This evening a snowman on Mickley Lane bears the sign "No to global warming."

Snow covers Greenoak...

Silence under snow and houses disappear.

Hedges are ghosted up to Fanshawegate.

Moss Road

Here is the path leading up to Moss Road and the moorland of Totley Moss, taken by Blacka Blogger last Summer.







Here it is again, photographed yesterday, showing resurfacing in progress by the Council. Pretty surface eh?

Stone would have been so much more in keeping. This is the original path higher up.....

and here is the new surface - tarmac chippings.


Don't you despair?

I applaud their attempts to stop 4 by 4's getting onto the open moor though, by building a dry stone wall:

Unfortunately, the fuel guzzling darlings have started to knock it down: