Part 1 - Arrival in Yorkshire

Well I had to get my ass down to Yorkshire, or Yaarksheer as the locals in the Flat Hats say, on Sunday, as the Old Man was having an Op in the World famous Jimmy's hospital.....Heaven knows why it gets so much publicity from the TV cameras etc, as my experience of how my Dad is getting treated in it, is a story in itself, and its certainly nothing like what I've seen on the TV.
Its a depressingly bad Hospital, staffed by uninterested Employee's from what I can see and have experienced.......so very, very different from what we get in Scotland, where at least they all have a sense of humour, and even (unbelievably) look interested in what some old patient is rambling on about. Here in St James Hospital Leeds, you are a number, and the reason I know this, is that they lost my Dad, and then asked me If I had seen number 128, as they had managed to waken up at the Nurses station, at some point in their long and very busy shift, and noticed that number 128 was no longer in his bed, and I was the last Person seen talking to him, so presumably i may therefore know where he had gone off to..... I even knew his name which was a bonus for them as well !
Obviously if your name is Richard Hammond you no doubt get exceptional service, and even a freebie helicopter ride.....but not my Dad unfortunately, and he was really looking forward to the helicopter ride as well !
But at the risk of alienating what few readers I have, I have to say that this part of Yorkshire just depresses the ass off me.....so sorry about that if you have the misfortune of living in it, please just feel free to delete me from your reading list, I have broad shoulders and should be able to cope with the rejection.
Leeds/Bradford is a dump, its over populated, also has too many rather nasty "get rich" kind of Folk living in it, mostly driving over-clean cars of the 4 wheel drive variety. The road network is appalling for the number of cars that use it, and everyone drives as if their collective asses are on fire. Most of the houses are eye wateringly expensive and in most cases pretty dour, especially in the rain which always seems to be falling when I have the misfortune to have to visit. It has some "interesting neighbourhoods.....all of which I viewed from a car with firmly locked doors, and with no intention of getting out of, for a wee explore.....or even to get a quick rock or 2 to smoke later, no matter how tempting.

Anyone for a short back and sides, followed by dinner ?

Colourful fruit and veg

Ohh Look, Coronation Street.....nice

Anyway, while waiting for my Father to get carved up by some pompous Surgical Consultant, and his sidekick, I decided to have a wee wander to calm down, and take some local pics, of the sites around the northern part of Leeds round Otley and Ilkley.
The views are pretty good.....Its just that there are just so many People and Houses around, and to be honest they ruin just about everything you try and photograph.....I guess this area was really a hell of a lot better in the "dark satanic mill" period, where there were fewer people, and more space.

Nice view.....shame about the Houses...

The road to Nowhere...... I wish !

Anyone lost a Dog ?

These rocks are the famous millstone Cow and Calf formation, the reason I know this, is that there is a rather grand pub/hotel nearby named after them....don't even bother thinking of taking a pint and a bite to eat in it though....overpriced, and an experience which i would politely call shite.


While passing the High Royds "development" near Guiseley ie new Housing estate for all those Drivers of shiny blinged up 4 x 4's. I came across this wee sad tucked away field with locked gate.



Between 1905 and 1969.....thats unbelievable, the Yanks were sending Men to the moon, and we were busy burying the local loonies in an unmarked grave in a field in Guiseley !!

Right, now that I have now insulted almost everyone from West Yorkshire, I had better stop while the going is still good and I have all my digits.....Part 2 The escape from Yorkshire, via the bloody awful A65, will be in a couple of days !

Eey Upp as the Mill workers say.....allegedly.

Later.....

ps. I believe that if you click on the pics above they show the larger versions......don't bother !