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The Register — 2023
28 entries, #235 to #262 · transcribed from the notebook
Twenty-eight shoes in 2023, and looking back through the notebook now I'd call it a strong year, though I wouldn't have said so at the time and I'm not sure I should be saying so now. The notebook itself were one Our Linda bought me in the January sales, hard cover, and the same biro lasted the whole year, which has never happened since. The roundabout at Brighouse in February is the one people ask about — folk seem to enjoy the thought of me stood on a roundabout — but the year's best morning were the moor above Meltham in July, and the photographs from that one didn't come out, which tells you summat about photographs. The autumn came in brisk and the shoes came with it — seven between late October and Christmas, and I were glad of the flask more than once. Barry sent a good one over at Batley in November. His photography were properly coming on by then. Reading it all back, I'd say 2023 were a man doing what he does. I'll leave it at that.
#235
7 January 2023 · Right trainer, black
Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, conduit path
Right trainer. Black, white sole, laces gone entirely. On the conduit path at Blackmoorfoot, set against the wall. First of the year. Cold but dry, ground firm underfoot. Flask conditions good — tea kept its heat the full morning. Cheese and pickle. Sat ten minutes on the stool, more for the view across the water than the shoe, which weren't going anywhere. Photograph came out reasonable.
#236
28 January 2023 · Left child's shoe, blue
Beaumont Park, Huddersfield
Left child's shoe. Blue, velcro fastening, so no laces to record. Under the bandstand railings at Beaumont Park. Small — I'd say a four-year-old's, though I don't claim expertise there. Grey morning, drizzle setting in by ten. Didn't stop long on account of the weather. Our Linda had sent me with egg and cress, which I had in the car. Photograph grainy but it come out.
#237
18 February 2023 · Left brogue, black
Roundabout, Brighouse
Left brogue. Black leather, fair condition, laces in but loose. On the central island of the roundabout at Brighouse, by the retail park. Parked in the retail car park and waited for a gap in the traffic to walk over. Drivers were accommodating on the whole — one gave me a wave, which I returned. Not a spot for the flask, so I didn't linger. Overcast, dry. Photographed it from three angles and got back across without incident.
#238
4 March 2023 · Right boot, black
Lock 42E, Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Marsden
Right boot. Black, heavy, steel toe by the look of the wear on it, laces frayed. On the beam of Lock 42E, Marsden end of the Huddersfield Narrow. Frost first thing, gone by nine. A work boot, I'd say, though I don't go past that. Flask conditions very good — sat on the beam opposite with the tea and kept it company a while. Nobody came through the lock the whole time. Photograph decent.
#239
18 March 2023 · Left trainer, white
Castle Hill, Almondbury
Left trainer. White gone grey, laces tied in a double knot, which you don't often see on a lone one. Just below the tower at Castle Hill, in the grass off the path. Blowy up there, as it generally is. I've walked up Castle Hill more or less monthly since 1976 and it's given up very few over the years, so this one were worth the climb. Flask conditions poor in that wind. Photographs came out.
#240
1 April 2023 · Right shoe, brown suede
Deer Hill Reservoir, above Meltham
Right shoe. Brown suede, the sort you'd wear with trousers, laces present and tied. On the embankment path at Deer Hill, above Meltham. An odd shoe for moorland, but I record what's there, not what ought to be. Bright morning, cold in the shade of the embankment. Sat half an hour with the flask, which performed well. Cheese and pickle. Two photographs, one came out.
#241
8 April 2023 · Right sandal, brown
Greenfield Reservoir, Saddleworth
Right sandal. Brown leather, buckle sort, buckle done up. On the shore path at Greenfield Reservoir, Saddleworth. Unusual for the time of year — it were eight degrees and blowing, no weather for a sandal by any measure. I don't speculate, but I did note it. Made a morning of it, being over that way. Flask conditions good out of the wind. Egg and cress. Photographs came out well enough.
#242
29 April 2023 · Left brogue, tan
St Lucius churchyard, Farnley Tyas
Left brogue. Tan, polished at some point though not lately, laces in. Against the churchyard wall at St Lucius, Farnley Tyas. A tidy shoe in a tidy spot. Fine spring morning, blossom out on the lane. Didn't get the stool out — churchyards aren't the place for a sit-down in my view, though I've no rule written down on it. Had the flask in the car after. Photograph came out.
#243
13 May 2023 · Right trainer, grey
Butterley Reservoir, Marsden
Right trainer. Grey, mesh sort, laces missing. On the steps at the spillway end of Butterley Reservoir, Marsden. Warm — first proper warm day of the year by my reckoning. Plenty of walkers about, two of whom stopped to ask what I were photographing. I explained. They moved on. Flask conditions good. Sat twenty minutes on the stool by the spillway, which is a fine bit of stonework in its own right. Photographs came out.
#244
27 May 2023 · Left boot, brown
Layby, A62 at Standedge
Left boot. Brown, heavy sole, one lace present of two. Layby on the A62 up at Standedge, against the kerb at the far end. Laybys are steady providers and I've stopped questioning it. Clear day, long views into Lancashire, which you take when offered. Had the flask on the bonnet, tea very good. Lorries passing at intervals. Four photographs, three came out.
#245
10 June 2023 · Left plimsoll, black, child's
Snicket off Scar Lane, Golcar
Left plimsoll. Black, child's, elastic gusset so no laces. In the snicket off Scar Lane, Golcar, halfway down where the wall bulges. Warm, still morning. A small shoe in a narrow place, and I had to stand awkward to photograph it square. A woman with a pushchair waited while I finished, very patient about it. Didn't linger after. Photograph came out well.
#246
24 June 2023 · Right boot, tan
Wessenden valley path, below the middle reservoir
Right boot. Tan, well worn, laces tied. On the valley path at Wessenden, below the middle reservoir, sat on a flat stone just off the track. A shoe that looked settled, if that's a word for it. Grand walking weather, high cloud, dry underfoot. Made a full morning of it — stool out, flask excellent, cheese and pickle, and a Penguin I'd forgotten were in the bag. One of the better sits of the year. Photographs came out.
#247
8 July 2023 · Left trainer, navy
Towpath by Ledgard Bridge, Mirfield
Left trainer. Navy, laces in, tongue pulled forward. Towpath by Ledgard Bridge, Mirfield, at the foot of the bridge steps. Parked near the bridge and walked the towpath both ways to be thorough. Warm and close, rain threatening all morning that never came. Flask conditions fair — tea a touch stewed by eleven, my own fault for brewing it strong. Photograph came out.
#248
22 July 2023 · Left boot, brown leather
Moor above Meltham
Left boot. Brown leather, one lace missing, the other tied. On the moor above Meltham, just off the track where the ground levels. A crackin' spot — you can see three reservoirs from where the boot sat, and nowt man-made besides. Flask conditions excellent, the best of the year without question. Sat the best part of an hour. Cheese and pickle. Photographs didn't come out, which I were sorry about, but the notebook holds what matters.
#249
5 August 2023 · Right trainer, white
Ramsden Reservoir, Holmfirth
Right trainer. White, badly weathered, laces perished. Ramsden Reservoir, Holmfirth side, in the trees by the water board track. Been there a while by the look of it — moss starting on the heel, which in my experience is roughly a winter's worth. Warm, midges bad in the trees. Kept the sit-down short on their account. Flask good. Photographs came out grainy, which suits.
#250
19 August 2023 · Left boot, brown
Field edge off the A636, Denby Dale
Left boot. Brown, laces gone, sole parting at the toe. Field edge off the A636 outside Denby Dale, in the long grass by the gate. That's two hundred and fifty in the main sequence. I noted it in the book and had a sit-down, which felt right. Fine August morning, harvest going on two fields over. Flask very good. Egg and cress, and a second Penguin, Our Linda having packed two without saying owt. Photographs came out.
#251
2 September 2023 · Left shoe, black leather
Magdale, Honley
Left shoe. Black leather, lace-up, laces knotted where they'd snapped. By the beck at Magdale, Honley, on the stones just above the waterline. Had to watch my footing getting the angle. Soft grey morning, beck low after the dry spell. A man with a spaniel asked if I'd lost summat. I said I hadn't. He watched a while and went on. Flask conditions good. Photograph came out.
#252
16 September 2023 · Right boot, black
Path below Scammonden Bridge
Right boot. Black, rubber sole, laces in and double-knotted. Path below Scammonden Bridge, down near the water. You get the hum of the M62 the whole time there, which some would mind. I don't. Blustery, showers moving through fast. Got the photographs in between two of them. Flask conditions fair — the wind took the heat off the tea quicker than I'd like. Didn't get the stool out.
#253
30 September 2023 · Left trainer, red
Canal towpath, Milnsbridge
Left trainer. Red, faded near to pink on the sun side, laces in. Canal towpath at Milnsbridge, by the bench near the aqueduct. The Milnsbridge stretch has been good to the register over the years and it were good again. Still, mild morning, leaves starting to turn. Sat on the bench itself rather than the stool. Flask good. Cheese and pickle. Photograph came out well.
#254
7 October 2023 · Right trainer, white, child's
Greenhead Park, Huddersfield
Right trainer. Child's, white with a blue stripe, velcro. Greenhead Park, on the low wall by the paddling pool, set upright and facing the water. Children's ones do often present on walls and I record the placement without going into reasons. Bright autumn morning, park busy by ten. Photographed it and left it where it stood. Flask in the car after.
#255
14 October 2023 · Right plimsoll, blue
Canal towpath, Slaithwaite
Right plimsoll. Blue, the slip-on sort, so no laces to record. Canal towpath at Slaithwaite, opposite the mill, tight against the wall where the path narrows. Drizzle on and off all morning, the canal flat and grey. A good honest shoe in a good honest spot. Flask conditions good under the bridge. Cheese and pickle. Two photographs, both came out, one with a duck in it that I hadn't noticed at the time.
#256
28 October 2023 · Right boot, brown
Roadside verge, Hade Edge
Right boot. Brown, laces tied, mud to the ankle line. Roadside verge at Hade Edge, not far from where the child's boot were found last September, though I didn't go looking for connections and there aren't any. First proper cold snap of the autumn, wind with an edge to it. Quick job — noted, photographed, back to the car. Flask on the passenger seat. Tea held up.
#257
4 November 2023 · Left trainer, black
Hoyle House fields, Linthwaite
Left trainer. Black, laces missing. Hoyle House fields, Linthwaite, by the stile on the footpath down to the canal. Heavy dew, my boots soaked through by nine — mine, not the subject's. Grey and still. A brisk spell, this — the autumn were giving them up faster than I could get round, and I had two more reports waiting in the book. Photograph came out.
#258
11 November 2023 · Right shoe, brown leather
Ridge path near Emley
Right shoe. Brown leather, lace-up, laces in. On the ridge path near Emley, below the mast, in the rushes off the flags. You can see half of Yorkshire from up there when it's clear, and it were clear. Cold, bright, ground frozen in the shade. Sat fifteen minutes with the flask, conditions good. Thought about the Emley boot of 2017 while I were up, as I generally do on that path. Photographs came out.
#259
18 November 2023 · Left boot, black
Wilton Park, Batley
Left boot. Black, laces undone but present. Wilton Park, Batley, by the gate at the bottom end. Went over on a report from Barry, who'd seen it on the Tuesday and photographed it on the Wednesday. His photograph were good — he's come on a great deal since 2013. Confirmed it in person Saturday, so it goes in the book: mine to number, his to credit. Cold rain most of the morning. My photograph also came out.
#260
25 November 2023 · Right brogue, oxblood
Blackmoorfoot Reservoir, far bank
Right brogue. Oxblood, laces tied, decent condition considering. Blackmoorfoot again, the far bank this time — second of the year from that reservoir, which happens with the good spots. Sharp frost, the water steaming a bit as the sun got up, which is worth seeing. Flask conditions excellent. Sat longer than the temperature strictly allowed. Egg and cress, and the tea saw me right. Photographs came out well — frost helps a photograph, I find.
#261
9 December 2023 · Left boot, brown
Castle Hill, path from Lumb Lane
Left boot. Brown, laces frayed, heel worn to a slant. Castle Hill, on the path up from Lumb Lane — second from the hill this year, which is a strong showing by its standards. Bitter wind at the top, didn't stop up there. Noted, photographed, and down again inside the hour. Flask in the car, and glad of it. Photograph came out despite the light.
#262
23 December 2023 · Right boot, brown
Field gateway off Old Mount Road, Marsden
Right boot. Brown, laces gone, leather stiff with the cold. Field gateway off Old Mount Road, Marsden — a gateway shoe to close the year, same as the one that started all this in 2009, though a different gateway and a different boot. Still, I noted the fact. Grey, quiet, two days before Christmas. Stood a while. Flask good. Twenty-eight for the year, which I'll call a fair return and leave it there. Photograph came out.