Conisbrough, Ravenfield Common, Firsby, and Conisbrough Hill Top

The weather forecast was for rain by noon today and so I was restricted to another local walk. I caught the Sheffield bus to Conisbrough, travelled to the last stop and then had to walk back along the main road  [a section that the bus doesn't use] until I reached a footpath heading south. 

The cemetery chapel is quite nice.

When I took the next photograph, looking back towards Conisbrough Castle and the church, I'd just climbed over a broken stile and had stretched my thigh muscles far more than I wanted to.

I passed the ruins of Conisbrough Lodge and continued down to the Braithwell road, turned right heading towards Ravenfield Common and then took the footpath that heads back north. 

Near to the village of Ravenfield I met a dog called Colin, in fact I saw a lot of dogs today.

At the hamlet of Firsby I had a choice of locations to head for to finish the walk. The route to Hooton Roberts is slightly shorter and a lot more interesting but the line of the path across a recently ploughed field was still indistinct. Conisbrough Hill Top, going straight ahead was my choice though because rain was in the air by now and there's a bus shelter there.

Mount Pleasant Hotel and Rossington

Just a short local walk this morning organised at short notice so that I could get out in the countryside for a couple of hours to enjoy the sunshine, which has been very rare in recent days.

I caught the Worksop bus and travelled south on the Great North Road for a few miles to the Mount Pleasant Hotel and took the footpath that leads to Rossington Hall. I was assuming I'd be able to access the grounds of the hall, which I have done previously, but the route is now blocked by a locked gate. I then meandered through the local countryside, generally heading in a northerly direction back to the church at Rossington. 

The last time I was here this pile of rubble was a building, part of what remained at the time of an old quarry I think.

I noticed two of these remote-controlled machines painting the lines on the football pitches as I was heading towards the bus stop near the church. When I got there it was just after eleven o'clock and they were holding a Remembrance service at the cenotaph across from the church and so I stayed well away.

Fox House, Totley Bents, and Dore

It was misty today, not very good for taking photos and so I've only included a few.

The train arrived on time at Sheffield and so I was able to catch the 272 bus to Fox House. I walked across Totley Moor and then explored the Blacka Moor Nature Reserve, taking some paths I'd not used before. 

At Totley Bents there is a series of carvings of animals placed in various gardens and paddocks, they're quite hidden away, some of them in overgrown areas, and are difficult to photograph. I managed to capture five of them, but I spotted at least two more.

 

I then walked up the hill to Dore village and continued up to Hathersage Road to catch the bus to the city centre.

The highlight of my day, by a long way, was when a man got on the bus with a quite large dog sitting on his shoulders.

South Carlton, Woodsetts, and Gildingwells

I caught the Worksop bus to South Carlton and headed out across the fields to the west until I reached Woodsetts. I walked through the village and turned to the north at the crossroads. I  returned by a different route which started at the southern extremity of Gildingwells.

Not long after getting off the bus I got talking to a man and his dog for ten minutes or so until we went our separate ways; the dog was called Toby, but I can't remember the man's name.

There are several attractive buildings at South Carlton near the church.

Otley and Otley Garden Centre

I was checking the weather forecast and researching market days last night before I decided to go to Otley today with my support woorker. The market turned out to be rather disappointing, only half a dozen stalls, and I also had a problem with the car parking, meaning that I'm £2.50 out of pocket, which I'm hoping will be refunded by Leeds City Council.

We only looked round the shops, I was hoping to pop down to the riverside or drive up to the Chevin to enjoy the views, but Siobhan's hip was hurting her and she needed to take things easy.

 

There are quite a few similar murals around the town, mainly in the windows of shops that are empty.

We called at Otley Garden Centre on the way back home and had tea and cakes. I had to photograph my scone, it was a work of art.