Author Archives: Martin Moorman

They say a week is a long time in politics. I would like to suggest it has felt an even longer time as a resident of Calderdale. Unbelievably it was only a week since my snow crunching walk to the farm in the middle of the M62. This week, after the threats posed collectively byContinue reading “A Slip and a Slide to Scammonden Steps”

“Freedom” Over the last 2 weeks, since the new year, my thoughts have been dominated by that evocative single word immortalised in the cinematic world of ‘Braveheart’. This is the captivating film starring that famous ‘Aussie-Scot’ Mel Gibson as William Wallace and his fight for Scottish Independence in the 13th century. I am the firstContinue reading “Motorway Madness: a Snowy Walk to the Farm in the Middle of the M62”

Well the inevitable has happened. On Saturday we got the dreaded NHS ‘Track and Trace’ text to tell us that we had been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Coronavirus. Inevitable? It certainly feels like it. That’s the bad news. The good and better news is that we are now 4 daysContinue reading “‘And the Bells will Ring on Christmas Day’”

It was a beautiful winter’s day as we shut the gate, left the garden and our locked-down ducks, behind. A dry and sunny Tuesday was the perfect mood-lifter and I was feeling particularly upbeat: today my walk was going to be fun. I had company. My youngest son Jake was back for Christmas from universityContinue reading “Like it or Loathe it? A ‘Marmite’ Walk to Crow Hill”

The usual morning ritual applied. I fed and watered them and they glared at me. It was just past 8.30 on a cool, crisp and sunny Wednesday morning as I opened up the shed where our ducks reside. Six angry birds! For the 3rd day in a row our Lockdown ducks (incubated by my daughterContinue reading “The Angry Bird of Elland and ‘Hell, Hull and Halifax’”

As a ‘comer in’ – born a southerner but now long term resident of the north – I can perhaps better understand the various arguments that linger around the old chestnut of which is best: North or South? Politically at least, it appears to me that the north has ALWAYS been the poorer relation. I’mContinue reading “The North South Divide”