More Exploring In The Don Gorge

Another visit to the Don Gorge, not going to anywhere in particular, just going exploring to see what I might find.

The first thing I found was a tunnel, one of several that pass under the railway embankment. I counted twelve of them today, most of them now blocked up at one end, but still allowing access inside. I think a couple of them look as though someone might have recently been living in there.

I also found a path that I'd not walked along before, but it led to a dead-end and so I returned to the main path alongside the river.

There were many interesting side paths to explore, leading into the woods and abandoned quarries...and more tunnels.

I always stop to take photographs at Steetley Quarry.

I walked over Conisbrough Viaduct to get to the other side of the river so as to start my return journey.

I paused for a few minutes at Sprotbrough.

As I approached the Avoiding Line I noticed there was a train waiting at the signal...so I was able to get a good shot of it. Not many trains use this line and it's the first time I've seen one on it there.

My regular route back to the town centre took me through Newton. A lot of cats live there - I managed to frame six in the final photograph.

A Walk From Doncaster To Conisbrough Along The River

I went for a quite short walk today with a friend from Leeds, one of my favourite local walks, going up the river to Conisbrough.

We had originally planned to meet up in a pub in town with another friend and just have a meal and chat for a few hours but he rang up this morning to say he wasn't feeling very well. Damo had already bought his train ticket and so he travelled through to Doncaster as planned and we went on the walk...the two of us could walk and chat at the same time.

When we reached Newton we spotted six cats in a yard, and then a further two on the lawn at the next house.

We climbed up out of the Don Gorge at Sprotbrough and spent some time in the bistro at the top of the hill; thanks for the birthday treat by the way Damo; tea and cake, a large slice of Black Forest gateau. Damo ordered an Italian vegetable garden pizza for himself - he said it was one of the best he'd ever eaten - he also liked the ambiance and decor of the establishment, 'very  Mediterranean' he said. Damo thought he'd  counted his ninth cat of the day lurking in the shadows at the back of the bistro; when it got closer though we could see the it was actually was a small dog which looked a lot like a cat.

We continued towards Conisbrough, exchanging a few pleasantries with a man on rollerblades who was complaining about his sore ankles. After a while Damo was struggling, not just with his feet, but he was also feeling sick as well and vomited at the bus stop in Conisbrough at the end of the walk...I didn't get away unscathed today either, I suffered one of the worst insect bites or sting that I've ever experienced, so bad that it drew blood. My thick heavy trousers provided no protection for me; the insect probably got trapped underneath the material.

After vomiting Damo felt better, but I struggled not to scratch the bite which was really beginning to itch as we travelled on the bus back to Doncaster.