Exploring The World Beyond My Front Door

Following the clues to be found in the curious signs and symbols hidden on Surrey Street, Sheffield City Centre. Early on a Sunday morning in September I decided to take a walk into the city centre to see if I could find anything to photograph. I like to walk along  familiar streets and look at them from a fresh view-point. Often in our day-to-day lives as we rush to and from work or push our way through the crowds on a weekend, we don't get a chance to look above street level or notice the relationships between buildings, streets and other aspects of the urban environment. And so I found myself standing in front of the Sheffield Central Library, located at the end of Surrey Street, just before the stairs and cycle path that lead down on to the Arundel Gate, one of the main roads into the city centre. I've always had a warm fondness for the Sheffield Central Library and especially the Graves Art Gallery hidden away on the top floor. It feels like a littl...

A short circular walk from Edale along the flank of The Nab on to the edge of Kinder Scout above Grindsbrook Clough. I'd wanted to make a journey out into the Peak District for sometime but it had taken a few weeks to wrestle myself out from a period of self-created malaise. I have never felt so lost and disconnected both from myself and from the world around me. A few months prior I had walked out of my job, which at one point I had loved and was tied strongly to my sense of self. It was unhealthy to say the least to define yourself by your work but I was proud of my job. I still don't know how I drifted into the sate of mind I have lived in for so long, I guess over a period of years small decisions built upon each other and bad habits became ingrained.  I've always had tendency to isolate myself and retreat into a haven of day-dreaming. It was easier to say no to people and social situations where I feared I might feel uncomfortable. Since walking out of ...

A gentle ramble from Hathersage to the heights of Stanage Edge. Part Two. I sat enveloped by a huge bank of nettles on a wooden bench just outside the shadow cast by Stanage Edge; dazzling blue-bottles buzzed around before joining me on the bench where they glittered like jewels in the hot sunshine. It had taken about two hours at a relaxed pace to reach this spot and the second part of the walk involved an easy ascent up the face of Stanage Edge by one of the many footpaths. I would not be joining the more adventurous band of people climbing the escarpment.  The shady little wood at the base of Stanage Edge, disappointingly called Stanage Plantation. I set off, crossed the tarmac road and joined a footpath that rose steadily over clear ground before disappearing into a small wood higher up. I could see some of the many climbers out amongst the crags and rock towers on the face of Stanage Edge. The crags on the face of Stanage Edge;  from a distance the...

A gentle ramble from Hathersage to the heights of Stanage Edge. Part One. Saturday arrived on the heels of two of the most difficult and personally painful days I've ever had to live through; the need to get out somewhere and breathe clean air spurred me to catch a train out to the Hope Valley. This was a spontaneous walk with no planning so by the time I'd got my gear together and rustled up some provisions the next train was due to depart at 13.14 but despite my expectations the carriages were relatively quiet and had plenty of free seats. The weather was warm but overcast when we pulled into Hathersage station, I spent a customary 10 minutes checking gear, arranging camera-bag straps and stowing various items in particular pockets and flaps where I might access them as needed. There was a steady breeze and I paused for a moment to breathe deeply; some of the tension and pain melted away. I felt good, ready to explore and perhaps find a measure of peace out in t...