After weeks of gloom and rain the sun reappeared in the South Pennines on Sunday, leading to a long walk along the tops to take in some rays. We parked up fairly near to the top of Blackstone Edge Road and took a track that leads westwards to White Holme Reservoir. From there we travelled clockwise past Light Hazzles and Warland Reservoirs. You'd think the reservoirs would be full after all that rain so I was surprised to see how low they are and how much of the stone tower on Warland Res is exposed.
Continuing in a huge circle with a diversion to Gaddings Dam for lunch, we marched along the Pennine Way before turning off eastwards past the rocky outcrop of Holder stones following the path along Warland and White Holme Drains.
These drains are constructed water channels like mini canals that quietly run for miles and miles around the tops, carrying the reflections of sky and clouds along with them. I call them the conduits and I like to let my thoughts slide away along their mirrored surfaces. I've been studying the conduits and taking photographs of them for years now. I expect many people will consider that a bit anoraky and I find it hard to explain why I like them. I think its mainly the sky-conducting aspect, or rather that they conduct light as well as water. On bright days they are sparkling blue ribbons across the green and manila moors.
