Roberts Park Parkrun

Saturday Parkrun at Roberts Park in Saltaire.  A weekly event organised by volunteers, with a nine o'clock start time and online regsistration it's a very popular event.

Bamboo Sandals - Saltaire Festival

I never got around to posting anything from the Saltaire Festival last month, so here is a picture of the lead singer of Bamboo Sandals, a talented four piece band that perform regularly in the Leeds and Bradford areas.  The band went down well with all age groups at the festival, particularly well with some of the younger members of the audience, and quite well with myself.  I'm sure the band will be going places in the future!

Too Much Energy?

     Some people have just got too much energy.

Dog Walker

Early morning is my favourite part of the day, with a little bit of mist, frost on the ground, and the sun just above the horizon, perfect.  Usually the only person there to share it with me is the odd dog walker.

Chimneys

Chimneys and bell on the roof of the lodge at Roberts Park, Saltaire.  I believe the bell sounded at the end of each day as the park was closed overnight, that was back in the days of Sir Titus Salt.  I don't think the bell is currently in working order as there does not appear to be a rope connected to it.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - German Sausage

I didn't manage to see everything at the Saltaire Festival, there was just too much to see in the time I had available.  Some of the food stalls were quite colourful, this German sausage was quite eye-catching.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - Reflecting On Fruit

There were a number of food tents at the Saltaire Festival with demonstrations in the art of preparing food, or in this case, turning fruit into amazing floral displays with nothing more than a sharp knife.  The mirror was mounted on the ceiling of the tent to give the audience a better view.  I took a quick picture after the demonstration when members of the audience went up to the front for a closer look.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - Street Fun

An unlikely combination of music, juggling and er... escapology from this duo at the Saltaire Festival, very popular with the kids and adults alike.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - The Plumhall Band

I really enjoyed this set from the Bradford based Plumhall band at the Saltaire Festival.  The band features Michelle Plum (former member of Chumbawamba) and Nick B Hall performing folk ballads through to out and out rock, very nice.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - Street Band

Onlookers are not quite sure what to make of a very entertaining street band in Roberts Park today.  It's all part of the finale weekend at the tenth Saltaire Festival.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - Giant Hippo?

I've never seen one of these roaming around Roberts Park before, it's quite a sight when you see it approaching through the crowds, and there were some crowds today.  It's the finale weekend of the Saltaire Festival and I can honestly say that I have never seen as many people in the village, moving around became a bit of a problem by mid afternoon.  There were a number of Steampunk enthusiasts at the Festival, but I think this hippo was a real showstopper.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - Roberts Park

Live music at the bandstand in Roberts Park, Saltaire.  This was last Sunday but the main weekend for the tenth Saltaire Festival is the coming weekend with live music, a continental market and a number of other events taking place.  I hope to be there.

Saltaire Festival 2012 - Dog Show

There was plenty of activity in Roberts Park today.  The tenth Saltaire Festival runs until Sunday, September 16th and this dog show was just one of the festival events.  I'm not really a dog person, but I did enjoy watching these fine looking animals being paraded up and down the arena.  The photograph looks a little on the dull side, it managed to rain mid afternoon, just a little shower, but enough to send people heading for home.

United Reformed Church - Saltaire

The Italianate United Reformed Church in Saltaire looking resplendent in the (long awaited) summer sunshine last weekend.  The Queen and Prince Phillip paid a visit to a Saltaire based electronics company in Salts Mill last week as part of the Diamond Jubilee Tour, which might explain the bunting in front of the church.  Unfortunately I was working on the day of the royal visit and it was apparently more of a private visit than a public occasion, but a picture of the Queen would have been nice!

Blossom - Roberts Park

Blossom, sunshine and blue sky a few days ago in Roberts Park, Saltaire.  Sadly the weather has gone back to its norm of dull, dreary and wet.

Horse-Drawn Boat - Saltaire

This horse-drawn boat was making its way along the Leeds-Liverpool canal at the weekend as part of the Saltaire World Heritage Site celebrations.  The lady in the picture gave a harnessing demonstration and a little talk about the boat and the horse before setting off.  The boat (which you can't see very well in this picture) is known as a fly boat, shorter, lighter and with a more restricted cargo area than the larger boats.  It would have travelled 24 hours a day with the horses being changed at intervals to give a quicker delivery time.

Cumbrian Mountain Express - Saltaire

There are quite a few steam engines running on branch lines up and down the country, but this engine is making a journey on a main line, from York to Settle and then on to Carlisle. I'm no steam expert but this engine (BR Class 7MT 4-6-2 no 7000 Britannia) has a little bit of interesting history. The cab roof is painted white to commemorate her hauling the funeral train of King George VI from Norfolk to London in 1952, you may be able to make out the white roof in the picture.

Potato Day - Saltaire

The Exhibition hall at Saltaire was very busy yesterday with enthusiastic home growers stocking up with heritage and specialist varieties of potato. The picture was taken from a convenient balcony which runs around the top of the hall.

Saltaire In The Snow

The United Reformed Church at Saltaire, part of the original model village built by Sir Titus Salt. Sir Titus is buried in mausoleum on the south side of the church.

Saltaire Llamas

These two bronze statues stand in front of the Half Moon Cafe in Roberts Park at Saltaire, they are generally referred to as the 'llamas' but I think they are more likely to be Alpaca.