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The Register — 2026
13 entries, #309 to #321 · transcribed from the notebook
This year is not long written down, so I am transcribing it close to the events. Thirteen shoes between January and August, and I'll say now it were not an ordinary run. Our Linda found one of them herself, in the Morrisons car park at Brighouse, which has not happened before in seventeen years of doing this. There were a vicar. There were a heron. I have noted all of it in the usual way because that is the way. We were abroad twice in the spring, Nerja and then Egypt, and there were shoes both times, but them's in the Away Fixtures and not this ledger, and I'll not be moved on that. The register stands at #321 as I write this, the tan work boot in the drain at Rigby Woods, 8 August. I have no reason to think it stops there. The flask has been good all year. The notebook is the same make as always, from the stationer's in town, and the pen has behaved itself.
#309
10 January 2026 · Right trainer, black
Butterley Reservoir embankment path, Marsden
Right trainer, black, size eight or thereabouts, laces still in but loose. On the grass verge by the path up the Butterley embankment, toe pointing at the water. Frost overnight and the trainer had a stiffness to it. Set off half seven. First shoe of the year, which I always note, because you want the year underway. Flask conditions good. Cheese and pickle. Photographed it four times and three came out, which for January is a decent return. Nowt else on the path but a man with a dog who kept his own counsel, as did I.
#310
7 February 2026 · Child's plimsoll, left, white
Canal towpath, Milnsbridge
Left plimsoll, child's, white gone grey, elastic sort so no laces to record. Under the bench on the towpath at Milnsbridge, the one before the bridge. Wet through, and it had been wet a while by the look of it. I sat with it twenty minutes on account of it being a child's, which I always give a bit longer. Weather were mild for February, no wind on the water. Flask conditions fair, milk in as usual. Barry rang that evening about summat else entirely and I mentioned it, and he agreed it were worth the twenty minutes.
#311
1 March 2026 · Left boot, brown
Layby on the A6024 above Holme
Left boot, brown, size ten, laces gone entirely. In the layby on the A6024 above Holme, up against the kerbstone. A weathered boot, one winter at least, happen two. I parked further along and walked back, which is the proper way with laybys, you get the approach. Cold and clear, and you could see right across to Digley, which comes into it later in the year, though I didn't know that at the time. Took the stool out but didn't use it. Flask conditions very good. Egg and cress, I vary it. Six photographs, all came out, which I put down to the light.
#312
14 March 2026 · Right boot, brown leather
Digley Reservoir
Right boot, brown leather, size nine or ten, laces in and tied in a single knot. On the flat ground by the path along the north side of Digley Reservoir. Good condition for outdoors, not more than a few weeks out I'd say, though I don't speculate past that. Sat with it a good while on the stool. A chaffinch landed nearby and stopped a minute or two, which I noted. Weather bright, cold wind off the water. Flask conditions excellent. Cheese and pickle. Nine photographs and eight came out.
#313
3 April 2026 · Left trainer, grey
Morrisons car park, Brighouse
Left trainer, grey, size unclear on account of the state of it. In a puddle in the Morrisons car park at Brighouse, by the trolley bay. Our Linda spotted it while I were putting the bags in, and said nowt, just pointed, which after all these years is how it's done. First one she's found herself. I lifted it out and set it on the low wall to dry, which is not interfering, it's drainage. Laces in, sodden. Heavy rain all morning, hence the puddle. No flask, we were shopping. Photographed it on the wall and it came out well.
#314
4 April 2026 · Left trainer, blue
Blackmoorfoot Reservoir
Left trainer, blue, size eight, laces in. On the conduit path at Blackmoorfoot, south end. Mud on the toe but not the heel, which I noted and will leave at that. Two shoes in two days has only happened a handful of times in the register and I make no more of it than that. A heron stood in the shallows the whole time I were there and didn't move once. Weather grey, still. Flask conditions good. Ham, for a change. Sat forty minutes. Photographs a bit grainy, but they suit the subject.
#315
14 January 2026 · Left Birkenstock, brown
Aspley underpass, next to the B&Q
Left Birkenstock, brown, upright, both straps done up. In the underpass at Aspley, the one next to the B&Q. Upright is always worth recording. Dry under there whatever the weather, which were sleet that day. I photographed it and left it, as is the practice. The identification came through later, by way of Our Linda, and it has since been retrieved and is in Box 3, Identified — Not Repatriated. That is the first and so far the only entry in Box 3. I'll say no more about it here, as the particulars are private to the party concerned. Flask conditions good.
#316
8 April 2026 · Right brogue, brown
St Mary's Churchyard, Honley
Right brogue, brown, polished to a decent standard, size nine, laces tied. On the flat top of a table tomb in St Mary's churchyard at Honley. Heavy rain the whole visit, and I stood under the yew to do the notes. A polished shoe outdoors is unusual and I recorded the polish. The vicar came out partway through and watched a while, and when I explained the register he said "that's very thorough," and went back in. I take that as it were meant. No stool, on account of the setting. Flask stayed in the car. Four photographs between showers, two came out.
#317
12 April 2026 · Right brogue, black
Lock 42E, Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Marsden
Right brogue, black, size ten, laces tied. Balanced on the balance beam of Lock 42E on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Marsden, which is the sort of thing you'd think somebody had arranged, but I don't go into that. Second brogue in four days, both rights, which I note and leave alone. Sat on the stool by the lock a good half hour. Two boats came through, and the second crew asked what I were doing and were satisfied with the answer. Weather fair, breezy. Flask conditions excellent. Cheese and pickle. Ten photographs, nine came out, best run of the year so far.
#318
25 April 2026 · Right boot, brown
Castle Hill, Almondbury
Right boot, brown, size nine, laces gone. On the drystone wall on the Lumb Lane side of Castle Hill, set square on the coping as if placed, though placed and left come to the same thing in the register. I've walked up Castle Hill more or less monthly since 1976 and this is only the third shoe it's ever given me, which for fifty years of walking up is a poor return, but you don't hold it against a hill. Clear morning, crackin' view down the valley, wind getting up by ten. Flask conditions good. Sat on the stool with me back to the tower. Photographs came out grainy.
#319
6 May 2026 · Ladies' court shoe, black
Beaumont Park, Huddersfield
Ladies' court shoe, black, upright on the bench by the bandstand at Beaumont Park. Summat tucked in the toe — paper, folded small. I didn't take it out. You can't interfere, and what's in a shoe is the shoe's business. No laces to record, being a court shoe. Good condition, hardly worn on the sole. Sat with it the best part of an hour, longer than usual, and I couldn't tell you why, so I won't. Weather warm, first proper warm day of the year. Flask conditions good, though the tea were nearly too hot for it. Photographed from four angles, all came out.
#320
27 May 2026 · Ladies' heeled shoe, red
Pule Hill, Marsden
Ladies' heeled shoe, red, on the wall by the path up Pule Hill from the Mount Road side. A red shoe shows up on a moor like nowt else and I saw it from a good hundred yards. Heel intact, no scuffing to speak of, no laces to record. How it got up there is not really the point of what I do, and I find I say that more often lately, as more folk ask. Wind strong on top, had to weight the notebook with the flask. Flask conditions good regardless. Egg and cress. Sat twenty minutes in the lee of the wall. Photographs came out well, the red helping.
#321
8 August 2026 · Right work boot, tan
Rigby Woods, near Slaithwaite
Right work boot, tan, size ten, laces in but perished. In the stone drain beside the main path through Rigby Woods, toe uphill. Rigby Woods has been good to the register over the years and I went in with the stool on the strength of that alone. Warm, still, flies about. Sat forty-five minutes. A work boot in a drain is as plain a find as you'll get and I gave it the full notes anyway, because the plain ones are the register as much as the others. Flask conditions fair, tea slightly stewed, my own fault. Cheese and pickle. Eleven photographs, ten came out.