One of the things I love most about living in the middle of Hebden Bridge is that I can head out in any direction from my house and within ten minutes be walking in nature. We are surrounded by an abundance of deciduous woodland and the forests are criss-crossed with paths so we can explore them easily.
Beyond the trees are fields and dry stone walls and beyond the fields are the open moors. You've got to get up some steep hills to get to them but the spectacular views are always worth the climb.
There really is so much landscape to explore here and it's a wonderful playground for bikers and hikers.
Now I wouldn't call myself a hiker however. I rarely set out for a day with a map and a packed lunch and I rarely go that far. My walks are fairly short. They're the kind you can fit in before work or after tea on a summer evening. They are usually about an hour long and I always take my camera.
These wanderings are where I find my inspiration for my lamps and wallpaper designs. I can still remember the very spot where some designs were born - the hill where I looked so closely at a dandelion clock and figured out how to translate it into a paper cutting.
I remember the edge of the meadow where I held the grass up to the light to study its silhouette. I remember the beech tree canopy that I sheltered under from the rain one morning which is now featured on a wallpaper and window film.
Me and my daughter often say 'going for a walk is always the right thing to do'. It can lighten a bad mood, quieten a busy mind and make you feel soothed and connected to something bigger than yourself.
And then of course there are the treasures! I can always find something to inspire me.
So I thought I would write a series of posts that introduce you to some of these short* circular walks. They will all start from the centre of town and they will take in some of my favourite routes. Together we'll visit some beautiful spots and see what treasures each season brings.
Perhaps these walks will inspire my next designs and I'll share that process with you. I'll probably not be posting maps but I will share some directions and photo's of landmarks and things to look out for so you can get to know these walks too.
I've been walking in Hebden Bridge for nineteen years now and I am still discovering new paths. I'm sure there are still many more left to be trodden.
* 'Short' walks can often become long ones if you are prone like me to lying on the forest floor taking photos or marveling at the tiny petals on a cow parsley flower for half an hour. I hope you will find as much inspiration as I do.
