Up Straight in the Sunshine IX

The sun shone during our walk around Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge and the mill chimney was "Up Straight in the Sunshine"

This is Gibson Mill, one of the first generation mills of the Industrial Revolution. The Mill was driven by a water wheel and produced cotton cloth up until 1890. The building then became an "entertainment emporium" with a cafe, dance hall and skating rink but closed in 1945.

The mill and its surrounding cottages fell into disrepair despite their setting in some of the loveliest countryside in Yorkshire.

In 2005, The National Trust, using £1.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Yorkshire Forward, restored the mill and workers' cottages to provide a visitor and education centre which is environmentally friendly with solar, water and biomass energy sources.

For those of you that know me well, it will come as no surprise to learn that the mill comes complete with cafe!