Spooky wood

Mist and snow covering the path heading up the Roaches

Winter Monument

The Monument in the center of Leek with a covering of snow.

Snowy road part 2

Yet another example of the roads up in the hills at this time of year.

Snowy road part 1

Some of the driving conditions that have to be over come to take pictures at this time of year

Happy Christmas.

Happy Christmas to all my readers and it's my 300th post on the Leek blog! A festive shot of Leek for this special day and a number of buildings that i have captured before.
The imposing dome in the centre belongs to the award winning Nicholson Institute a building that could have a whole weeks worth of photo devoted to it.

To it's left there are 2 towers, the first with the clock is on the Butter market over looking the market place, the second is on the old fire station. Right below the dome, seemingly squeezed between 2 larger buildings is the old Angel inn although looks are deceptive as the lager cream building is across the way from the inn and used to be the old Woolworths.

Just down from this building are the impressive chimneys and black and white wood work on the buildings over looking the junction of St Edwards street and Broad street. The last building of note is down near the left hand corner and is the one with the pink chimney which houses one of Leeks vet practices.

Last chance shop

Only one day to go and here's a hint to remind that its your last chance to shop today before the big day.

This is a shot of Leek's largest branch of the Co-op.

Walk this way

A Sign post pointing the way on to the Roaches.

Monday morning

This is the view i got yesterday while out taking shots for this blog on the Roaches, if you look hard enough you can see Tittesworth reservoir to the right of the picture in the distance.

Queen street

We have snow! Here is a shot of Queen street in Leek showing the all to familiar sight of clear main roads and very slippy side roads.

Leek and the Roaches

Leek, or at least a part of it, from Ladderedge country park. Right in the centre is St Edwards church, to the left of it is the chimney and buildings of Wellington street mill and just to the Left of that the white building is the Wellington pub (its the white building). Just above that is the roof of the old Maud institute. Over looking the whole thing is the Roaches.

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO MAKE IT BIGGER!

remember 2

Another shot from last months remembrance celebrations.

The Roaches, Leek

Sunrise just highlighting all the major outcrops that form the Roaches.

Tinsdills, Leek

No 10 Derby street, just next door to Home and Colonial, another great example of the buildings along Leek's main street.

Should his antidote mount a stumbling soup?
Ignore that last bit it is being posted for a site check.

Santa's here!

Santa arriving at Rudyard lake last Saturday.

Rudyard railway track

A very wet walk down the side of Rudyard lake following the route of the old railway.

Home and Colonial

One of Leek's more unique shops on Derby street, Home and Colonial.

Room with a view

When a former hospital in magnificent Staffordshire parkland was being redeveloped, the builders were faced with what they regarded as a massive problem - what to do with something that looked like a folly and reached skyward like, well, a colossal sore thumb.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1226381/Right-time-liquidate-assets-Couple-sell-Victorian-water-tower-157-steps-unique-family-home.html#ixzz0ZHh4jwWd

The Coffee Clique

Still looking for that great Christmas gift?

Getliffe's Yard has an excellent range of independent shops perfect for the Christmas season.

GRAYSH stocks a fabulous range of retro merchandise from Elvis to The Mighty Boosh, and many special offers on stocking fillers.

NOUVEAU RICHE boasts an exquiste range of beautiful and unusual jewellery and accessories ideal for gifts and for that special Christmas do.

BIBILOT's wonderful vintage inspired kitchenware, homeware, toys and gifts and natural beauty products including Lily Lolo make-up will inspire even the most tentative Christmas shopper.

GLITZ is Leek's excusive vendor of Bomb cosmetics and also has a wide range of baby gifts and glitzy bits! DELIGHT is Leek's number one supplier of the very popular Yankee Candles.

THE ACADEMY have hair-dressers and nail techs at your service and offer a loyalty scheme whilst THE WORKS is offering spray tanning for only £12 !!! and has a full hair & beauty and extensive therapy range to get you looking great for the party season. And talking of parties BLUE MOON CELEBRATIONS has everything you need to make your party the talk of the town, from invitations, themes and decor right through to fancy dress and mini gifts.

Once you have finished your Christmas shopping you can put your feet up with one of our delicious winter warmer speciality coffees at The Coffee Clique. Also a great place to see 2 or 3 of my images hanging on the wall.

Happy shopping :)

All around the Wrekin

All around the Wrekin is a common term for going the long way around. The Wrekin is perhaps Shropshire’s best known landmark, a curious legendary hill that, from this way it looks like a mountain, and that way, it crouches low. From the top you can see fifteen counties. This is the view from above Leek looking nearly 40 miles to it.

Continental market.

Night time shot of the Continental market held in November, a great idea and great to see so many people in the town having a good time.

High road 2

Frost covered road "up in the hills"

Before the dawn

A Pre-dawn shot looking over towards the chemical works in Leek from the hills above.

The high road

This shot is taken just across the road from the Mermaid pool, from the little pull in that you can use to park in to visit the pool. It must be one of the highest roads in the area and can be close quite often during the winter.

mermaid frost

The Mermaid pool again this time from the other side and 1/4 of an hour after the last shot.

On your bike

After the canal drained all sorts of things appeared in the mud.

Mermaid ice

The Mermaid pool taken just under 2 hours ago, i've just about warmed up.

The Vets 2

Another one of Leek's vets, this one is our vet who over the years has cared for our dog Kep. Compare this building to the first vet featured on the blog, here.

The old church

St Edwards church Leek, one of our most photographed and painted buildings in Leek.

Nat West Bank

Detail shot of the Nat West bank in Leek

The Summer house

The summer house at Westwood High school Leek, in my day i'm sure you could get in and play?

Leek market

Wednesday is market day in Leek, definitely one of the best days to visit the town.

Faded glory

The door to the old post office on St Edwards street in Leek, the new post office is now in a corner of a super market on the outskirts of the town centre. Just hit the 10,000 visitor mark, thanks for all your support.

Work goes on

But, not for me, a day out shopping in Manchester has lead to the very late post and a quick picture of the work still being done to St Mary's.

Breech 5

The other end of the drained canal, just before the bridge you can see the clay dam that is holding back the water coming down the feeder from Rudyard lake. Here is the same spot taken last year for my other blog

Breech 4

Looking towards the tunnel, the canal restarts on the other side of the tunnel

Breech 3

Once more into the breech, literately, i'm stood where the man and his dog were in the last photo.

Breech 2

The view from the other side of the gap.

Breech 1

Welcome to Leeks newest tourist attraction, the hole that was once a canal tow path. This, up to a few days ago, was one of our regular dog walks, then some time last week the bank gave way and the canal on the right went into the field on the left, leaving this great big gap. The water board have closed the tow path, so on Sunday there were more people than we have ever seen pushing past the signs and going to have a look and well worth the trip it was.

Rushton station

The old Station building at Rushton Spencer.

Amos

A house on the main road into Leek that for some years has been the HQ of a successful local building firm.

Top of the Roaches 2

It was not till i started to type the title that i found that i had posted a very similar shot in July, still its a great place and i love it.

The Knot inn, Rushton

One of 3 pubs in Rushton Spencer

Remember

It was the silence that first struck me and then the lack of movement. On Leek’s busiest street the total absence of movement was beyond strange, more so given that there were more people in view than I had ever seen here before, in fact the only things moving were the flags on the monument.

The monument, one of the reasons that we were here, a great clock tower made of Portland stone, engraved around the top with the names Hooge, Loos, Ypres, Somme, Bellenglise, Ramicourt, Bohain, Lens and Gommecourt some foreign fields that are forever England, names that used to stir strong emotions in previous generations, although now names that are nearly forgotten in the minds of most.

Still the silence holds sway over the crowd, not a voice can be heard, not a car, not even a bird, nothing seems to dare to disturb the moment, as 100’s of people stand and honour our fallen. Then the bugle sounds, shoulders relax, heads raise and a few tears are swiftly wiped away, people start to move and a wave of sound builds as the crowd slowly comes back to life.

The 2 minutes silence for remembrance Sunday 2009 has finished, but for me my work has just begun, I have made my way here to try and photograph the event for my leek blog.
Sundays for me are normally family days but I really wanted to capture this, as the Monument is the real centre of the town and this is its big day, but as I walked towards the crowd the last post sounded and all noise stopped and not just all noise but all movement as well. So I too stood still, head bowed and gave thanks for all our brave men and women, who’s number continues to grow, who gave their lives so that we can live ours in peace and comfort.

Once the silence was over I walked around the crowd, photographing the sights and marvelling at the number of people that had turned out on a cold Sunday and also at the great age range as it was not just the old, but people from all generations, all I think aware of this ceremonies new found relevance as more of our troops are sent into harms way.

What started out as a normal photo shoot left me very moved, far more than in other years, I think because its not all history any more.

Winter fun 2

While out taking some shots for my other blog early this year i came across an old school friend and his son playing in the snow. We chatted while his son slid down the hill, something we had both done ourselves at his age, and for the first time my idea for a Leek photo blog was mentioned out loud. Now 260 post later i have finally gotten round to posting this shot.

Horton village

This picture was taken from the new graveyard across the road from the church and looking over the road junction from last week.

The Duck pond

The Duck pond in Leek park, i have spent many a happy hour feeding the ducks as a kid at the side of this pond.

The Leisure centre, Leek

The leisure centre at the park in Leek, to the left is the swimming baths and to the right the gym.

Pay back

This is the pay back for travelling all those narrow road, Horton church yard all to myself. What a great spot but so compact i had to take 5 pictures and join them together to get it to fit.

Danger

One of the most dangerous things that i do is to go out and photograph things for this blog. For a start i have to leave the safety and comfort of my house, then i find myself driving all over the area on roads that are far from good and that i have never been on before. Last year i nearly got stuck in the snow just trying to take a picture of a tree. Today's picture shows one of the road that i have to travel to get some of my shots, and this is not the worst of them, but this one did give me room to park to take the shot.

Skate park 2

The shelter at the skate park seen from the other side, painted showing some of Leeks more famous buildings.