I set the alarm for 3am so that I could drive to Arbor Low stone circle to watch the sun rise, but I could not move at 3am, so, I lay there trying to return to sleep but the cat came in and walked up and down me, talking, wanting breakfast – then the magpies started squawking which made me get up. So, around 5am, I got up, packed my knitting and a flask and I drove six miles from home to Burbage Edge, parked the car and walked over to Stanage, one of my favourite ever places to return all my senses to the present.
The sun had already risen high to my left casting a great sun-line across Burbage Edge. It was already warm and faintly breezy. I was the only person on Stanage Edge but many camper vans were parked along the ridge overlooking the valley – what a beautiful night they must have all had.
Stanage Edge is marvelous, in fact, so marvelous that it has been used in many films because of its timeless, unchanged, Peak District Beauty. I stood on the rock edge where Keira Knightly stood in Pride and Prejucice, which can be seen here. I just didn’t have a long dress or a long coat or a panning drone camera but you have the same feeling of absolute freedom. At the trig, I looked over towards Hathersage, the valley completely unchanged for years and years.
I scrambled over the edge to the Millstones and old stone trough, a place I go many times a year to have a cuppa and knit. I never tire of it.
What I wanted to wish you, is a very Happy Summer solstice day and thank you for your support, whether you’ve attended workshops, bought a knitting pattern or and other way that people have supported me.
And I wanted to say, that on Stanage ridge, I thought that, however young or old or in between people are, if you are able to, then, get out into this wonderful world of ours and stand on edges and look out over the vista – or, just walk in a park close by 🙂
Happy Solstice.
Oh, and yesterday, I went down to the Plunge Pool at Rivelin, which is 2 miles from my home. City life aint bad – here is Sheffield city wild swimming.
I live in a city called Sheffield in South Yorkshire. The Peak District borders Sheffield for quite a few miles. Here’s some of the things that I do in Sheffield.
I’ve recently started meeting Sara and her friends to go wild swimming at the weekends at Barbrook, which is between Sheffield and Baslow. There is also a stone circle there and an old burial mound. Many people use this large pond of water and there’s always activity. Last week, a lovely young man came and played his banjo on the top of the hill by the water, before he swam. There were horses and butterflies and cake and lovely people – mostly of whom were women out enjoying the freezing water. Thanks Sara Davies for the photos, here is a little link to the post on Instagram.
I’m growing an abundant range of flowers in my tiny garden area outside my flat – The Flag Iris is particularly stunning, the tulips from Amsterdam have been magnificent and I have an eye on my Peony buds. At work, I am drying flowers in the hot windowsill for confetti, for no one in particular, yet.
Putting up my tiny tent.
Yesterday, at 3pm, we were in the middle of a heat wave again, so I decided to spontaneously go camping and the best place is 7 miles from my home at North Lees Campsite in Hathersage. It is a very secluded spot but very popular. It sits at the base of Stanage Edge and beside North Lees Hall, a place of great beauty. It is said that Charlotte Bronte stayed at North Lees Hall and used it as Mr Rochester’s house in Jane Eyre. It is fitting for that purpose and is currently owned by the Peak Park with tenants in it.
I packed up really early this morning so that I could walk along Stanage Edge and sit and knit in my favourite spot beside the age old stone trough and millstones, which were cast aside many many years ago when there were millstone quarries in the area.
Stanage Edge is 5 miles from my flat and is always a great wonder of the world.
There are so many ordinary things that I do in Sheffield that make up my life, like, go to work 2:5 days a week at Sheffield Hallam University. We have a huge new build in the centre of town with its own roof top garden and other fancy benefits. I love working for SHU, it is where I did my own BA Fine Art degree and now I support apprentices doing theirs. On Thursday, I have been going to the Over 55’s film screening including a cuppa tea and a cake. The cuppa is quite normal and the cake has diminished somewhat and the price has gone steadily up from £6 to £9 now but I have seen some marvellous films on a Thursday from 10am – 1pm alongside new friends.
We have festivals. From the flat now, I can hear the fake festival way down in Endcliffe park and it has a bunch of bands on, we have Sheffield Doc Film festival and any number of other things, park runs every park – every saturday, and tomorrow it is Nether Edge yard sale where lots of folks sell their stuff on tables on the pavements or from their gardens or garages – who doesn’t like a rummage?
Once a month now, Mary and I have arranged a crafting night at Café 9 – the next one is on Monday 12th 6-8pm, if you are in Sheffield, and I have started to join Petra from Black Elephant hand dying at her knitting night too.
I live beside a walk into the woods up Porter Valley and every week, I see herons, king fishers, tiny birds and last week I saw a bambi in front of my, really I did and now I feed the foxes as well as my badgers and my cat. Owls call each other from the tree outside.
Life in a South Yorkshire city isn’t what you might think it is in a city and I am nearly 62 years young and still go to the gym every day to swim or yoga or body balance or endurance class. I have a great bunch of friends that I know there which is good for wellbeing. Many other folks have diverse lifestyles here too. It’s a pretty cool city to live in.
I still knit every day and am excited by what I am making at the moment. It is a companion to the Tree and Star Hat pattern.
I will be doing a one day Colour Blending workshop with Hope and Elvis on 18th May but other than that, I am not doing any workshops in May or June – I’m taking a break. My next available session is on 26th July – 2 hour colour blending. my link to the workshops is here , I can send you a booking form and an overview, if you would like to join me on 26th July
I hope to see you at one of my classes or get in touch through Instagram. Show me the projects that you have done using my patterns. I love to see them on instagram and I frequently share your work to my feed.
At the stones, it occurred to me, that, I could just keep walking, without preparing flask, or cardigan or the right shoes, or thought for returning.
Disconnected. Thinking.
Triggered annoyance from the repetition of the act of the cat and the woman’s words
Walking and walking, over drying mud and water.
In the wood.
Until I look up and there it is, the magnificent creature. Balancing on long thin legs, poised to leave.
We look at each other for a long while. It, finding its place, in the exact present moment. Ony being here and now. A sign. Finally, I connect to something other than the words in my head. Hovering between awe and rising joy, stepping forward, only to see the wide winged heron bend, crane its neck then fly above the water, through the trees, passing the sun.
All the sounds of the world are here, water flowing, trees creaking, the earth turning facing its ground to the sun, damp rising, warmth creeping, shadows stretching, the flapping of the heron’s wings as it takes flight to leave.
Pure nature, calming my annoyed soul. Hunger rising.
On exiting the wood, warmth rests on my arm and cheek. It is as if the bird never existed, but for the feeling of joy lifted my heart.
tracey doxey 