Slack, Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags, Midgeholes…

Last week I decided to attempt a walk I have been wanting to do for some years, and visit Gibson Mill and Hardcastle Crags up along Hebden Water. Today was a clear example of the thing it is always worth remembering – when going out into the Pennines, do not assume the weather…

I got into Hebden Bridge to an almighty storm… This is one thing to bear in mind with the switch to using the Fuji XT-30iii, which is not weather sealed – I have grown used to not really caring as the 60D could survive quite harsh conditions. I thought I would be resorting to another set of damp phone pictures and give up.

After finding a second hand rain coat in the care shop, I decided to avoid the bulk of the ascent and take the bus up to Slack Top – I also wanted to go back there for some personal reasons, I’ve not been to the village for over 30 years, and was actually baptised in the Mount Zion Chapel – now sadly sold as a private residence. While only a couple of miles out of town Slack really does capture the essence and isolation of rural Calderdale,

While the sun had come out, the air was still damp and the woods round Gibson’s Mill looked (and smelled) amazing – even with the Velvia simulation on the Fuji the pictures don’t really do justice to the experience. Briefly on that note, I shot simultaneous Raw and Jpeg – so I will be comparing the simulation to my own Raw processes. I think the simulation does mimic Velvia very well, including the low dynamic range, something that in the darks is not unpleasant, but digitally blown highlights are far less forgiving than film – this is something to explore and play with in camera. I gave these the quick auto once over in Lightroom – as one would when printing from film – and something that (akin) to Velvia at times is some quite lurid turquoise in the sky.

Gibson Mill itself is far smaller than I anticipated. While used for various exhibitions, it was empty when I visited and perhaps for that less interesting, but this does have the advantage of being able to take pictures of the space uncluttered. Of course I got the ubiquitous shots across the mill pond at the back, and will of course have to paint these at some point.

Being somewhat out of shape at the moment and struggling with my hips, I almost sacked off the Crags at the track leading up, but I am pleased I persevered. The Crags themselves are amazing, once you have beaten the climb, with great views over the canopy, wild flowers and ferns. I also found a lovely seam of dark orange ochre which is currently levigated and drying will be mulled up into watercolour soon…

I decided to walk the riverside path back to Midgehole, which is gorgeous but lived up to the description in how treacherous it was – mud, exposed rock and stepping stones but some great photos and some great source material for paintings. I picked up another couple of samples of ochres from the banks of the Hebden Water as well.

There’s not a lot at Midgeholes. A social club (I thought about going in, but wanted to get back to Hebden), some cottages, the derelict Crimsworth Dyeworks. I wandered off the road and back down to the beck, where a permissive path leads bck to the top of Hebden bridge – the more untamed looking area away from the tourists.

Then I got pissed in Vocation…