Bolton Abbey Stepping Stones

Long run today, early start, ran out from Ilkley to the Cavendish with Linda and Julia, then powered back and a bit more to make up a half marathon. Some pretty slippery stuff out there, so mostly road running. Felt warm once we got going but now I'm home I feel proper cold. Nice to get a long run in before skiing, I'll slowly push up the distance when I get back. Last year was so rubbish running due to recurrent injury, that I'm really loving running without those constraints.

Despite the grey, misty flat light, this is still such a beautiful run, with plenty of interest. Todays blip - I can't believe I've not blipped this before, is Bolton Abbey. These are the ruins of a 12th century Augustinian Priory. It survivied more than some with the disolution under Henry VIII and further work went on - it has distinctive gothic stuff going on in its arches. The main nave has fallen into disuse, but remains interesting to look around. There is on the other side to this view an active church building - St Mary's , I occasionally call in on my runs and sit for a few minutes, I find it a sacred, liminal space, which isn't suprising with at least 1000years of Christian worship going on.

The Bolton Abbey Estate - in which this resides owned by the Duke of Devonshire ( I know Yorkshire is nowhere near Devonshire - but landownership in this country remains deeply weird, and there are still folks whose birthright is to own great swathes of the Kingdom) is well managed and has been much visited since Victorian times. For me it is one of my favourite things in life to run the trails here early morning in all seasons.

Here's another shot for any Victorian blippers out there