As today was one of those lovely days where it's too nice to stay indoors I decided to do what I normally do and that is take myself off on a little adventure. I had always said I wanted to go back to Hebden Bridge and take a walk around the town, but this time I ended up taking myself further than i thought I would. I did start out in Hebden Bridge, but then thanks to a little footpath I ended up at the top of Hardcastle Crags. I even ended up singing 'Climb every mountain' from The Sound of Music because I was so high up and walking across a very narrow path, clambering over rocks and the views were spectacular.

Trust me to NOT pick the easy path. I ended up taking the one which according to the pamphlet was "A strenuous walk over more challenging terrain in the upper valley with some spectacular views." They weren't kidding! I started off on the Mill walk which nearly killed me and then I hit the Railway Trail which nearly finished me off... I started the walk at 11am and finished at 5pm, so i hate to think how many miles I walked.

Here's the link to the photo's I took today:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...AcNmbZszatWzq4

There's one which shows a steep set of stairs going down? I actually took the photo after I'd climbed UP them. No option.. Had to go up, and it kept going up no matter where I walked. There were boggy sections where your feet get stuck in the mud and rocks to climb over or climb down. So I have definitely had my cardio workout today..lol.

I don't know if I was at a higher altitude or not, but by the time I reached the very top my hands started to swell up.. The worst part was when i realised I was in the middle of nowhere and had to do the return journey. My poor legs are killing me right now, but it's good to be home ! Definitely a workout, but not one I could do again.!

If you want to see more just look up Hardcastle Crags online. I just did and found out there are 15 miles of footpaths and I'm sure I walked every one of those 15 miles..lol

Hey Linzi, lovely photos. I'm still amazed at how quickly everything moved for you and how well you have managed over there. I'm not coming until next year - just doesn't feel right to come now. But I'll come over for 3-4 months which I'm very much looking forward to. I've got plenty of folks I can stay with so I'm fortunate.

oh my, are you trying to lose 50lbs by Christmas because I think you're going to do it if you carry on with all this activity!

The photo's are beautiful and I especially like the ones that show the river and beautiful lush greenery at the river bank.

Keep up the exploration and thank you for allowing us all to live vicariously through you and your excursions

Any weight loss helps...lol. It was truly a beautiful area and I just love when you'd walk around a corner and see a pathway surrounded by trees so it had a shaded walkway. The bluebells were out too and the river was lovely too.

I aim to please when it comes to you all living vicariously through my adventures...

That sounds like a plan and it definitely does help if you have people to stay with. At least during that 3-4 months you'll see what its like and whether you want to stay here permanently!

Lovely pictures, all those stone buildings and chimneys reminds me of the period dramas I love watching. And Bluebells, makes me so homesick.

What a beautiful area and what a lovely sunny day. I spied a tearoom in one of the photos (I have a talent for spotting them!) did you stop for a treat?

How's it going with the job? Have your feet got used to it?

Actually there were quite a few tearooms I saw in town, but didn't realise I'd snapped a photo of one.. Unfortunately I didn't stop at any of them...usually when I head out I have a backpack full of stuff such as water, snacks, sandwich for lunch, chocolate etc....so that way i don't need to spend any money along the way.. Of course on the way back down i didn't have the energy to stop and i knew that if I sat down I'd never get up again.. Plus I think the kids must be on holidays because the place was packed...lol.

The job is going well and yep, my feet have got used to it. By about 4pm I'm starting to get tired and my back aches, but I know I don't have long to go from there..

I was so excited when I actually got to see the bluebells..brought back happy memories of when I was a child and saw them all the time. You should have seen them...they were all over the place. I came across an area that was just blanketed with them, but trust that to be at a time that my camera battery had died.

The stone chimneys on that one set of buildings I saw reminded me of Corrie, which is why I snapped a photo.. I came back down from the Crags behind the building but because I recognised them I knew I was heading in the right direction...But I just love all the stone walls and buildings. Much better than seeing regular old brick.

I hope you have skinnIER pants to wear now Sounds like you are going to need them. Your photos are just spectacular. Have you thought about doing a photo blog?

Have you got a back brace? OH swear by it for heavy jobs.

I was thinking about doing a blog in general because I'm pretty sure the fact I write in 'First Update' will put people off because they're no longer first updates....roflmao. Sort of a my life in photo's blog!

I know my 'skinny jeans' are easier to get on now instead of the tug, pull and hold my breath for a second I went through at first...lol. Give me another couple of months and they might slide right on and fall off as I walk..lol, although right now I can feel them sliding down a bit around my bum and when I walk I feel like I'm constantly reaching behind to pull them back up again..lol. So progress indeed!!!

I don't carry a backpack THAT heavy... It's not one of those industrial size ones you see people wear when hiking long distance. It's just big enough for a lunchbox, bottle of water, my purse and a few odds and sods that I might need along the way. Although a back brace at work might be a good idea. Some of the boxes I am lifting off pallets are a little heavy, but a brace might help with the long hours of standing because towards the end of the night my back is aching!

I was talking about for work. Def a good idea for lifting, but also helpful for a tired back.

But DD's college backpack is heavy enough for a back brace. Don't know how she walks around with it.

I have started to create a blog:

http://mylifeinpicturesfromthestart.wordpress.com

It's a work in progress and not as easy as it sounds..lol, especially as I have so many photo's and it will only upload them one at a time. But I've started it at least