For the Chop

I was exploring new territory today, two hours in the woods around Esholt while the rest of the family were carousing in Farmer James' Fun Barn.

Esholt is only a mile or so down the hill, next to the River Aire, and is most famous in the UK as the outdoor location (1976-1996) for the popular TV drama Emmerdale Farm. The village pub still bears the name of The Woolpack, and though the show is now filmed north of L**ds, afficionados know its rural Bradford origins.

More locally, Esholt is notable for providing most of the sewage and waste water treatment for Bradford, in a huge area of lagoons and settling tanks that I had plenty of glimpses of through the trees today.

I walked through Jerrison Wood and Spring Wood, and saw lots squirrels, Jays and mountain bikers, but not much in the way of fungi. In the NW corner of the woods I came across Guiseley Beck, and almost found myself stepping over a bridge into L**ds, but came to my senses just in time.

Although there were prettier parts of the woods, and interesting relic stone gateposts and walls, for some reason these splashes of red, marking trees for the chop, has emerged as the blip for the day.

The afternoon was spent decapitating a pumpkin and trawling through its entrails before reassembling it in the form of cake, soup and lantern. More of that tomorrow though.

daubed ~ with blood ~ ready ~ for sacrificial ~ chop