Love Will Tear Us Apart.......

........is probably the most famous Joy Division track.  Joy Division is probably my favourite post punk band and the lead singer Ian Curtis lived in Macclesfield.

How this connects with today's activities will become clear shortly!

Today our plan was to carry on the Tegg's Nose walk which we abandoned earlier this week because of the freezing weather.

Today was much more summer-like and Elaine's brother Trevor was coming with us. Trev does a lot of walking in the area, so knows his way around!

We were picking up Trevor from Macc on the way, so whilst Elaine went in to check out Jaffa (the cat which Trevor is kindly looking after for us),  I went for a little walk with the dogs.  

Very close to Trev's house is the building that Ian Curtis used to work in. 

It was the employment exchange (heavily featured in the film 'Control') ...

Just around the corner is Barton Street where Ian lived and tragically hanged himself on 18th May 1980 ... 

Elaine went to College with Kim Gilbert, who is the Sister of Gillian Gilbert.  Gillian used to play with Joy Division from time to time and then with New Order.  She said she remembers the day well when Kim came to college distraught about what had happened with Ian.

Ian's old address is 77 Barton Street.  The house was recently sold for £115,000 but a wealthy fan wanted to buy it and turn it into a Joy Division museum. The deal had already gone through, so this wealthy chap ended up paying £190,000 to the new owner who hadn't even moved in yet!

If you like Joy Division, check out the film Control.  A lot of the scenes were filmed in Macclesfield ... 

Meanwhile back at the house Jaffa the cat was quite happy to see Elaine.  Trevor has had him for us for about 18 months now.  He is now looking seriously old, which he is!  We had a quick calculation tonight and realised he adopted us back in Oz, when he walked into our house 17 years ago, so he is probably about 20 years old, if not older !! 

Trevor's Garden was looking resplendent in the sun.   I love this view across the back gardens ... 

OK, green fingered people what is this plant?  Elaine nicked a cutting about three years ago when we were on the boat.   We had it in a small pot then but when we moved off the boat Elaine gave it to Trev, who planted it in his garden and it has gone berko ever since! 

Onto the walk....what a difference a few days make!  It was 23 degrees and lovely ...

Firstly we walked to the summit of Tegg's Nose ... 

This time we intended circling the lakes in the picture below and coming back up the hill a few miles away ... 

This is the spot we turned back from last time.  Now it was magical! 

Down by the lake looking up at the summit we had come down from ...

And back up we go ... 

It was a slow old trudge up the hill ...

Sammie had to cool off in a stream ...

We only passed a handful of people all day.

A typical farmhouse in the area ... 

Trev and I were saying that if we owned such a property, we would fill it with classic car 'projects'!

As ever, spectacular scenery ...

Nearly at the top ... El, looking hot and having a quick breather ...

A little further on, Elaine spotted a fairy door in a tree ... 

Whatever that is!!  (El was well impressed, anyway!) 

We are all (dogs included) well knackered tonight but it was well worth it!