Batcliffe Wood

I was off to Leeds for my second Covid jab today. With more showers forecast, and tired legs, I decided to get the train rather than cycle in. En route from Headingley Station, I discovered Batcliffe Wood, one of many pockets of old woodland that can be found throughout the city. It's actually amazing how much ground you can cover without feeling like you're in a big city at all.

I arrived at the vaccination centre just as a few spots of rain were falling from a very dark, almost black cloud. I emerged back twenty minutes later to witness the last few drops of what was obviously a massive deluge. There was water running everywhere. Good timing.

Choosing to walk to Rawdon to meet Roam for a walk with Whiskey, I was seduced by a footpath sign leading into another strip of woodland. It looked like it was going to take me the right kind of way. I felt lucky today so I took it on a whim and soon lost all sign of the city. I soon lost all sense of direction too, as the path twisted and turned and skirted an old quarry. It covered a surprisingly big area, tucked away totally out of sight. I eventually emerged on a housing estate where none of the roads seemed to want to take me in the direction I sought. I was soon completely lost in suburbia. After considerably more wandering I eventually emerged at a place I recognised. I spotted the same footpath sign I'd come across an hour earlier. Embarrassing or what?

I blame it on the vaccine, of course. I stuck to the main roads after that and Roam actually came to rescue me! Whiskey was getting impatient for his walk. Roam said it could have happened to anyone. I'm not so sure :(