The English Defence League had billed it as "the big one". In the event a small group of bigots were contained, by police, in a relative backwater of the city while the majority of Bradfordian's went about their business.
For myself, the evening before, I attended a vigil for peace and on the day itself I went to a "mini mela" to celebrate Bradfordian diversity. Later I cycled into town and mingled with some young Muslim Bradfordian's who were enthusiastic to see the EDL off their streets. While a minority were intemperate in their views, and attempted to confront the EDL, most were just there, as I was, to see them leave under no uncertainty about their welcome.
This morning I met council officials at the site of the EDL's protest. Overnight, workers had restored the gardens, clearing litter, bottles and stones. Later the Dean of Bradford cathedral conducted a multifaith ceremony to reclaim and cleanse the site. Now that the grubbiness has been removed Bradford can continue forwards.
All those involved in the safe conduct of Saturday's events deserve congratulation.
Here I met an old friend, Pete Watson, who was enjoying the view from the summit. Pete is one of my heroes and, for many years, held the record for the most victories in the event and in 1969 (the year I was born) broke the record for Burnsall, which had previously stood for over 40 years. It was a pleasure to see him looking fit, in his seventies, encouraging and enjoying the success of others. The History of Leeds City Athletic Club describes him as "one of the best pure fellman". I couldn't argue with that.
On Sunday I took part in a local Skyride. A mass participation cycle event sponsored by a well known broadcasting monolith.
In the last two weeks of my holiday I have been involved with a couple of youth work/charity/outdoor projects. The first, "Champions' Challenge", involved supervising a group of lively youngsters on a journey on foot and by bike for 5 days around the Yorkshire Dales.
The journey took in the Yorkshire Three Peaks as well as climbing, caving and environmental challenges. Below, a ranger instructs the youngsters in building a red squirrel feeding box as part of their John Muir Award.
The idea, apart from providing a fun challenge for the youngsters, was to demonstrate that sustainable journeys can be made from Bradford to the surrounding countryside using only public transport and one's own muscle. The event was a collaborative project between Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Go Dales! A joint project of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Sport England.
The second event, "Personal Award for Excellence" or "PAWE" was based at Ambleside Youth Hostel and was a reward to young people, nominated by their schools, who had "given back" to their schools, communities or families. The Keighley News reported the event here.
Among activities such as wakeboarding, canoeing, climbing and ghyll scrambling; the group also got to take part in dragon boat racing under the coaching of Paul and Rachel, both previously GB team members and medal winners. Both were very motivating to meet; Paul, a former Royal Marine and Rachel an ocean racing oarswoman. Their current projects can be found respectively here and here.
A dragon sends the local wildlife into temporary retreat.
Although the weather was mixed the event culminated in glorious weather and a disco on the Swan, a steamer on Windermere.
View from the bow of the Swan on the last evening of the PAWE residential.
Finally, yesterday, we went to a falconry centre near Thirsk to take advantage of a voucher I'd been given for my 40th birthday. As well as looking at some impressive birds of prey I got to fly some of them and built up a short but meaningful relationship with Brown, a young, male Harris hawk on a "hawk walk" when he flew to my fist for a reward of turkey chicks' wings. It was particularly rewarding when Brown, bored with the fare we'd been offering, rocketed off into a wheat field and flushed a Grey partridge.
Brown relaxing while not chasing worms, caterpillars or Grey partridges.
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” - Arthur Conan Doyle.
Reminded me to take the medicine now that my pot is off and that, despite the welcome birth of London's "Borisbikes", cycle culture still has a long way to travel in the UK.
