Weird Mill

A dull day filled by the excitement of decorating the Christmas tree led to some very bouncy children. A trip to the park ensued.

I love Victorian parks, and although we're flanked by the open moor to one side, we still like to visit Roberts Park, a mile or so down the hill in Saltaire. It was reopened after a major refurbishment this summer, and has a beautiful bandstand, a great new childrens' playground and a fine statue if its benefactor Titus Salt.

On the edge of winter, the park was peaceful, as we walked and the little ones cycled around:

bandstand empty ~ the park is quiet ~ squirrels chase squirrels ~ through the leaves ~ subtle percussion

Roberts Park is considered part of Saltaire, although it is on the north bank of the River Aire (on the Baildon side), connected to the rest of Saltaire Village by a footbridge. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Saltaire attracts many visitors, but I'm sure some miss out on delights of the park.

The Aire was full today, still drawing down meltwater from the moors, and the weir was roaring. The view across the weir toward the famous Salts Mill is much photographed, but today my eye was drawn to the way the curve of the water bends the reflection of the mill. I like the idea of a sandstone, Italianate tower being warped to a new shape by the river.

water ~ bends ~ light ~ bends ~ stone