“I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.”
Noel Coward
It had been a while since we had roamed the open countryside; what better place than the almost hidden beauty of outer Bradford?
Beauty
I must point out that the sub-title does not refer to my old pal Molly’s backside, something he will be pleased to know too. The weather gods had been kind as the four of us set off in bright sunshine, a short car journey to our starting point in Cullingworth village.
Having serialised all sixteen walks in the excellent Bradford’s Millenium Way in The Trumpit, this was walk number three, a seven-mile circular around Cullingworth and Denholme.
Molly and Nigel must have spent the summer in rehab because there was no sight nor sound of the usual array of hip flasks; what had become of them? Meanwhile, Mike rolled up as if taking a stroll around Aldi, clearly with a direct line to the weather gods.
You rarely hear of these parts of Bradford which is such a pity because the district contains numerous such areas of sheer beauty, relatively unspoilt over centuries.
This walk took us to the stunning Goit Stock waterfalls, an area of jaw-dropping beauty if also extreme danger to those unaware. Several tragedies have occurred here as curiosity and bravado ended in disaster; that said, it is a beautiful spot.
There are many more on a relatively flat(ish) walk including stunning cottages tucked away, an old school house with its abandoned tennis court and the magnificent Hewenden Viaduct.
You can find all the walks in back copies of The Trumpit.
The Beast
Last weekend around two dozen of us had an afternoon out in Leeds. Nothing surprising you might think only this; the vast majority of us live in the Bradford district.
It struck several of us as very sad that our hometown simply was not even a serious consideration. Leeds was as busy as ever whereas a few of us wondered what it would be like back in Bradford.
Recently there has been a lot of press about perceptions of Bradford at night and whether these are fair or not. The sad reality is that people have voted with their feet and largely deserted the centre.
It cannot be beyond the wit of those in control of these things to determine why. If it is I offer those who may read this a few clues.
Firstly, although Leeds is not without its drunks and problem areas, the centre appears to be policed well which affords people a sense of security. Secondly, it mostly appeared clean. Above all, women out in groups clearly felt safe and this, anecdotally, is not the case in Bradford.
We have a long way to go to restore the image of the city centre and attract serious investment back. It may well get a quick spruce up for the visit of King Charles III but this will be mere window dressing.
Footnote
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