Saturday October 25th

We set off in the car, Mum, Dad and I, at about nine or so. We were alright until we got to Purswell, where we started to get lost. The morning was superb – cold but a clear blue sky with the odd patch of altostratus/altocumulus around. Along Lockley Lane by Woodhead Park all the trees were backlit so the leaves showed up vivid yellow and copper-browns and all round it was the sort of morning for setting off somewhere superb.

We blundered in Purswell and ended up driving along rural roads near Coalscar. Mum was surprised at the sight of so much countryside so near to Dearnelow and Dardray – she’d always had the clichéd vision of pit heads and gloomy factories stretching for miles in S. Yorks. We joined up with the A637 eventually and although we blundered a bit through Dearnelow town centre we got to Robert’s at about eleven.

For the next four hours we sat around drinking tea, talking and watching Robert and Carol’s miniature black and white television. Dad wanted Mum to go back with him – whether he didn’t want to be on his own or whether he wanted Mum just as a navigator I don’t know – but Mum said she couldn’t as she’d promised to stay – anyway, Robert had bought in special food and two sleeping bags for Mum and I.

Dad set off home at about four and afterwards we went for a short walk up the road to Woodhead Roundabout and right, down the road I went down last time and then right, into a field and through an area known locally as “Pottery Ponds,” with a smallish weed covered pond in which frogs live. On the way back we stopped at a newsagents to buy some sterilised milk (Rob and Carol drink fresh) and we spent the evening in front of the television. I played Robert at ‘Knockout Cricket’ and at dominoes (fives and threes and Maltese cross).

Tomorrow we are going to Dardray Ings bird sanctuary near Swaithebrough but meanwhile I’ve got to sleep in the living room on the floor; Robert is on the sofa while Mum and Carol are sleeping in the bed.

Easterby Athletic drew 1-1 at Keddon after leading. Jimmy Newlands scored in the 30th minute.