Never heard of this band until I photographed this guy’s t-shirt (they describe one of their tunes on YouTube as “a spanish-language smash featuring a Bollywood motif “) and it turns out they are none too shabby! Have a listen if you get a moment.

The beating heart of Manchester’s indie scene for over 30 years Afflecks Palace is the Camden Market of the north. A classic haunt for anyone after anything from top hat’s to tatoos it is a great place to spend an afternoon mooching about.

The beating heart of Manchester’s indie scene for over 30 years Afflecks Palace is the Camden Market of the north. A classic haunt for anyone after anything from top hat’s to tatoos it is a great place to spend an afternoon mooching about.

I’ve always found train stations odd places. They are never places to simply be, they are always a gateway to somewhere else. I can recommend spending a little time in one if you are ever looking to invest a moment of whimsy.

The spa town of Buxton is peculiar place. Hidden up in the Peak District it has an isolated charm yet contains some of the grandest architecture in the north of England. Get there while you can, it is always the first place to be cut off when the snows come.

Over the summer we were lucky enough to discover a nest in the wall of our garden so we were able to watch the comings and goings of a new family of Robbins that had made their home there. I captured this shot just as one of the protective parents returned to feed their young.

Longnor is an isolated yet characterful hamlet hidden away in the depths of the High Peak. The origins of its annual race are vague at best, apparently at one time (no one seems to know quite when) a group of farmers met to race their mounts around the village and place wagers on the outcome. From there the tradition of holding a race on the first Thursday after the first Sunday in September grew (and once again no one seems to why that day especially).

In truth, the event is really an excuse for the hard working farming community to cut lose after the tough graft of bringing the crops in and the races still retain a unique character. When I asked why the event was always held on a Thursday given its broad appeal the reply was simple yet revealing: “to keep it local.”