Ilkley Spa

I'm really keen for you to zoom in on this one!

First, many thanks for all the wonderful comments, stars and hearts for yesterday's Evening Light. I have to admit that it was actually something of a throwaway shot. I thought I had taken a rather good set of images already and was heading home on the bike to beat the setting sun when I chanced across this view and just grabbed a quick picture. The result was rather dark and I almost passed right over it! When I did happen to open it up I realised it had some potential and did some tweaking in photoshop. I quite surprised myself! It often seems that my best blips are the more spontaneous ones.

Much inspired by Briaan, who first introduced me to the concept of HDR here, I've been waiting for the right moment to dabble with a bit of tone mapping. This isn't true HDR but simulates the effect. I took this shot at just after 7am this morning from "The Lookout" which has previously featured a number of times here. When I blipped Dreich there wasn't much of a view, but today was very different. It really was quite spectacular. I'm keen to know what you think?

This is taken from the same spot looking north over the west side of Ilkley, up the Wharfe Valley. To the right is Beamsley Beacon, shrouded in a patch of mist. The building in the foreground is White Wells, built in 1760 by the local squire to enable the people of the community to take the 'cold water cure'. There were originally three plunge pools fed by a spring of what were thought to be medicinal waters. Of course, there is nothing special about the water except for it being clean and pure of any contaminants. The placebo effect is the most powerful remedy known to man! The Victorians flocked here to take 'the cure' and as a result Ilkley became a spa resort. It was known as "The Heather Spaw". Some very grand hotels rose up to house the visitors, as well as the development of lakes and tracks to enhance the visitor experience. One of the biggest buildings can be seen just left of centre. When I first came to Ilkley this was a Bradford College building but it has since been converted into some very luxurious apartments.

It's not hard for me to see why the Victorians felt so much better for visiting Ilkley. They put the recuperative effect down to the water, but it was simply the sense of space and the beauty of the scenery: the magical combination of crags and heather and views into the Dales. I tapped into that twice today! After having just a short run this morning, the evening was so lovely that I indulged myself with another trip up to the top cairn. I felt a fantastic sense of freedom tonight. I think my knees appreciate the lighter workload I've been giving them recently - so I must make sure I don't get carried away!

I've had to work late this evening, so I feel bad once again that I'm in serious community deficit. I know there are some people I haven't had a chance to visit in quite a while. Please bear with me!