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ruthburns.bsky.social
@ruthburns.bsky.social
990 followers 1.1K following 280 posts
Library person, bibliovore, retro gamer, goth, sporadic crafter
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ruthburns.bsky.social
Last bridges for this walk. There's only a small section I've still to cover between here and Greenfield and then I'll have completed the Ashton to Marsden leg.
Bridge 70, a stonework bridge over a canal with ferns growing out the side and a paved slope down to the towpath under the bridge on the left hand side. Bridge marked with a slightly rusted plaque with the number 71 on it. Modern stonework and graffitied murals on the side of the underbridge without a towpath
October 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Some sections had damage to the banks and the canal had been drained to low water.
A section of canal viewed from uphill. The water is low showing mud and stone "beaches" alongside the water. The surrounding area is full of trees with some houses visible.
October 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
It wasn't a long walk back to where I'd parked and gotten the bus over to Marsden, but it was scenic.
Looking down from the top of a canal lock to a canal basin that has been blocked by a black canal boat diagonally. The surrounding area is green with autumnal trees. The sky is a mix of blue with grey and white clouds. A stone canal bridge numbered 68, viewed from being a metal bar up hill. Steps on the left descend to the towpath under the bridge and a ledge flanked by walls is on the right hand side before the bridge. The background is green hills with sections of woodland. Grey and white clouds cover the blue sky.
October 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
The blue sky of early morning was replaced by grey clouds, but it wasn't raining yet
A canal bridge at an odd angle over the canal and with a towpath on the left hand side with a slope down to it. The bridge has a white plaque with the number 66 on it in black. The canal stretches off for a bit before curving to the right. The tow path here is two worn trails with grass in between them. There are dark grey clouds overhead but blue sky on the horizon.
October 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
The tunnel is the highest point of the Huddersfield Narrow canal so it's locks all the way down to Ashton on this side.
A canal lock bar with 32W on it and a note to save water-keep two locks apart. The background shows green space on an autumn day.
October 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Yesterday's brief canal walk after the Standedge tunnel trip. The tunnel gate has a design of metal legs going from centre up to the arch of the tunnel to represent the leggers who used to propel boats through pre-electric engines.
The entrance to Standedge Tunnel. A canal going into a stonework tunnel entrance with an open metal gate and a blue plaque. There are yellow leaves on the ground and in the water and blue sky overhead.
October 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
And that's the end of the tunnel, which came with a talk on the history of the place. All in all, great trip would recommend. 8/8
Standedge tunnel exit. It has metal gates with legs on them to represent the leggers who used to propel the boats through
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Although you can see it at the point the boat lights go out 7/8
Darkness with a single point of light The exit of the canal tunnel with bright light shining in
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
And you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel till past halfway 6/8
A tiny point of light at the end of a long canal tunnel
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
The rock section is most dramatic. The trip takes about two hours 5/8
A bumpy canal tunnel carved through rock stretches into darkness.
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Standedge holds a lot of records for a UK canal tunnel (including deepest) and has sections of brick, rock and sprayed concrete, 4/8
A brick lined arched canal tunnel stretches off into the darkness with the prow of a boat and a prominent life ring in the foreground
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
I'm taking the Pennine Pride boat trip through the tunnel. This is the last day for trips this season 3/8
The entrance to the Standedge tunnel with the boat Pennine Pride in the canal approach to it.
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
I've been walking the Huddersfield Narrow canal and this bit doesn't have a tow path. Since I didn't feel like getting my feet wet... 2/8
A cutout cartoon depiction of a ghost with holes for kids to stick their faces through. The text on the cutout reads Standedge Ghosts above and Standedge Ghosts below.
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
I was up stupidly early for me this morning and it was an absolutely beautiful day to go spend two hours underground. 1/8
A view from Marsden train station looking down a steep hill towards the town. The sun is peeking out brightly from behind a tree and the sky is blue with whispy white cloud formations.
October 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Just getting started with The Disordered Cosmos.
The cover of The Disordered Cosmos, a journey into dark matter spacetime and Dreams deferred by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. The cover features the silhouette of a Black woman facing right with a nebula pattern to the silhouette against a white background. There is also a quote "a lovely letter to the wondrous universe we call home and an urge to think critically about how we explore its depths" credited to the Smithsonian magazine.
September 22, 2025 at 10:20 AM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Yesterday's perambulation along Huddersfield Narrow canal from Greenfield to Mossley.
A collage of photos of canal bridges on the Huddersfield Narrow canal. The largest image top left is of a bridge that is a very slightly arched square, with a weeping willow hanging over the left hand side. On top right is a very square bridge with the towpath on the left of the picture which is the opposite of most of the pictures. Centre and lower right bridges both have circular arches. Centre bottom is a view of grass and locks and bottom right is an arch under one of the bridges out of which water is flowing at some speed. A collage of photos of bridges. Upper right has a view of a paved path with a gently curving wall up to the bridge with a view of mill building, hills and sky. Upper left is a tall bridge with an overspill rejoining the canal on the left hand side. Middle left is a view of the canal gently curving through a wooded area, lower left is a modern road bridge with graffiti underneath saying "take your time". Middle bottom is a narrow high arch through a bridge, and bottom right is bridges 86 and 87 right next to each other so the photos shows different levels of stonework and a bit of a lock.
August 31, 2025 at 10:02 AM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Visited Folly Dolly Falls near Meltham and the Marsden end of the Standedge tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal today. Been too warm for big walks recently but today was just a tiny bit to mean a future canal walk can start at the station.
A waterfall of a small stream spread out across many levels of dark brown rocks creating many tiny white falls. The fall is surrounded by green, moss, ferns and trees. A collage of photos taken near the Marsden end of the Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow canal. The upper right is a large brick building with red doors on multiple levels and the canal in the foreground. There is sun on the building and dark clouds in the sky behind. The upper left is the tow path on the right hand side of the canal, below which is a view of a red bridge crossing the canal. Bottom left is a view of the railway in a right to left curve to where it enters a tunnel, with a curving set of steps with water flowing down them going from left to right on a bridge over the railway, down the steps and then under the railway. Bottom centre is the canal entrance to the tunnel and bottom right is a white bridge over the canal in bright sunlight.
August 29, 2025 at 5:00 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Quiet view of @manchester.ac.uk campus yesterday evening.
A view between two dark grey modern building blocks with a walkway between and a sign saying Alan Turing building on an entryway sticking out from the right hand building. There are metal slats at angles covering the roof area between the buildings, resembling a grate from this angle,and the sky in the distance is bright evening light
August 26, 2025 at 10:22 AM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Any of Amy's designs are brilliant, taking the chance to show off my vase since I got a good picture of it earlier today. Definitely recommend being ready the second the restock starts for those wanting something beautiful.
A vase featuring a gorgeous dark blue nebula design resembling a lightning storm over a road leading through mountains. A hooded figure and a small robot are looking down the road. The vase is sitting outside on a glass table with green fields and trees in the background.
August 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Going to do a chapter or two of Colonisation of time and then start Death at the Opera.
A red book with The colonisation of time: Nanni on the spine and a white book with purple panels on the cover. The spine says Gladys Mitchell: Death at the Opera and the same information is on the middle section of the cover, with a panel above depicting two caricature faces and a fan, and the panel below featuring the quote "Mrs Lestrange Bradley... is by far the best and most vital English female detective" this is attributed to the Observer.
August 25, 2025 at 11:28 AM
ruthburns.bsky.social
I needed to replace my home office chair and this gaming chair was about the same price, needed to do some work planning and had a DM screen sitting unused...work today is accessorising with play.
A tall black mesh backed gaming chairs with a green blanket, a small black box and a DM screen on the seat. The DM screen is a rectangular piece of leather, slightly bigger than an A4 sheet of paper, and the side facing the camera is in galaxy print leather with a beautiful Celtic style dragon design embossed on it in gold. There are two folding sections attached with brass buttons that are folded away behind the main screen. An open DM screen with galaxy print leather on the outside and brown leather within. Various name tags for characters are clipped to the top of the screen but have been labelled with project names. A few pieces of card are attached to the screen with magnets.
August 18, 2025 at 2:41 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Nerdy joke warning. 😁 I've been planning this since I first saw the Newton for Hyde sign.
A photo taken through the window of a train. The name of the station "Newton for Hyde" can be seen on a sign. Inside the train a piece of paper is held up to the window with a sketch of a bewigged gentleman holding up a sign saying "Leibnitz for Jekyll"
August 2, 2025 at 12:14 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
I was in the University of Manchester Whitworth Hall earlier in the week for a meeting, where they have some nice stained glass.
A stained glass window with patterns reminiscent of flowers and leaves in pastel shades.
July 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Off-site with a too messy to photograph desk but an excellent view out the window for the "focus on something 20ft away for 20 seconds" to avoid eyestrain from too long staring at spreadsheets :)
A view out a window over a green field framed by trees to distant hills.
July 23, 2025 at 11:18 AM
ruthburns.bsky.social
Made unexpectedly fancy chilled coffee this morning by putting the remaining dregs of raspberry syrup in with the remaining dregs of milk in the bottle and shaking vigorously. No fancy frothers here!
A glass mug with a light brown liquid at the base and several centimetres of white and brown froth at the top.
July 13, 2025 at 11:21 AM