And why you don’t have to go walking on the moon to achieve it — In an interview with the presenter Dermot O’Leary, former The Police lead singer and bassist, Sting, says that “song-writing is like fishing. You won’t catch anything unless you turn up with a line”. Now, before some of you remind me (or Sting) that you can also turn up with a…

Unlike a mill, we can grind with water that is past — We stand facing both blue plaque and what looks like a gate. On closer inspection, though, the “gate” turns out to be a sculpture. The work of art celebrates the water-powered generator that was installed around 1890 to provide the first electricity to light a house in the Colne Valley. …

The column for those who like to swing more than one way… foodwise — We never intended to stop at Mario’s, in Marsden. In fact, Mario’s wasn’t even our first destination. Katie’s Homemade Kitchen, where I’d sampled delicious cakes in the past, was. And if I’m being honest, we hadn’t thought of pausing midway through our approximately eight-mile walk. But I had cake cravings…

Bradford’s Belle Vue Studio: an essential part of British history — I remember seeing a picture of me that sat on top of my dad’s piano when I was little. In it I was dressed in brown bell-bottom trousers (the photo was probably taken in the late 70s) and a colour-matching shirt whose pattern I’ve sadly forgotten. There was a certain…

The column for those who like to swing more than one way… foodwise — What do you do when you get back to your cottage after a long walk, soaked to the skin, your clothes looking like a washline someone forgot to bring in before a rainstorm swept through your back garden? You knock up some hearty, belly-filling Bengalese-inspired food. Indian-born, British chef and…

An unexpected encounter in the moors — The ginger dot stood out in the yet-to-bloom heather. The animal’s delicate features contrasted with the harsh-looking backdrop. No matter how much I zoomed in with my mobile phone camera lens, it was only with my eyes that I was able to appreciate this Bambi-like creature. We’d been too busy…

A celebration of craft in West Riding — The look on Steven’s eyes belied his age. This elderly man’s boyish excitement about having the opportunity to soon weave a scarf reminded me of a child who can’t wait to open their presents on Christmas day. His enthusiasm was so intoxicating that I forgot to take any pictures of…

Making peace with Hockney (temporarily) — Cotton in Manchester. Wool in Leeds. I still remember those words from my uni days. Unfortunately, my lectures on British history and culture didn’t go deep enough. For instance, to Leeds we should also have added Bradford. The evidence is everywhere when we visit. …

When in the Pennines, do as the Romans did. — It is believed that the Romans never settled in the area covered by the Pennines. They certainly built roads to navigate the mountainous terrain. In order to link the Legionary forts at Chester and York, they built fortresses in Castleshaw and Slack. …