Larder

I think the sheep have discovered the larder.

For the second consecutive day I walked over to Guiseley for football, albeit by a different route.  After a morning of rain it was just brightening up as I headed out and I was able to pause in one of my favoured butterfly spots at the edge of Spring Wood. A Small Tortoiseshell and my first Orange-tip of the year showed themselves while a Red Kite called overhead. I climbed up through Hawksworth and over Odda Hill before walking over the fields into Guiseley, passing these sheep along the way.

My destination was again Nethermoor, where the final of the Wharfedale & District FA Challenge Cup was being staged; Pool AFC were taking on near neighbours Otley Town. Both teams play in the West Yorkshire Association Football League where Pool are currently bottom of the Premier League (level 11 of the football pyramid) and Otley lie second in Division Two (level 13), presumably there's a fair chance they'll be meeting in Division One next season.

Pool took an early lead and seemed comfortable but Otley equalised before half-time following a mistake from the Pool goalkeeper. Two good goals in the second half saw Pool pull away though and after a fractious final ten minutes the cup was theirs.

I've put a few photos in extras, including one of the trophy itself, manufactured by Fattorini & Sons of Bradford over 100 years ago. Fattorinis are famous for  having made the world famous FA Cup trophy in 1911, making the Wharfedale FA Cup a near contemporary.

Butterfly Journal 2018

5. 22/04/18: Orange-tip, Tong Park/Spring Wood, Baildon, VC64