"It's Grim up North!"...or is it?

We've driven to Macclesfield today to visit my Mum-in-Law for a few days and to do some jobs for her.

We decided to avoid using the M62 to cross the Pennines as the gantry signs on the M1 were warning of an accident causing delays; we took an alternative (scenic) route via Woodhead Pass and Glossop.

The weather was pretty grim most of the way. I took this shot in the town of New Mills, in Derbyshire; according to Wikipedia, New Mills was first noted for coal mining, then for cotton spinning, then for bleaching and calico printing. Redundant mills were bought up in the mid-twentieth century by a children's sweet manufacturer, Swizzels Matlow, famous for Love Hearts and Drumsticks.

There's an idea around in the south of England that "It's Grim up North". Normally this is totally false(!) - but I have to admit that today it looked to be true.  However I liked the juxtaposition of the old mill buildings (still belching steam) and the pretty autumn colours on the trees.

Of course, coming from Newcastle upon Tyne (which is about 170 miles northeast of Macclesfield) I regard Macclesfield (and New Mills) as being in "the south"!! :)