Brilliant day today that involved bridges and books. This was a good fit. Most translators are booklovers, and you can also think of us as bridges between different cultures.

Kerry Gilchrist is a translator working from German and Dutch into English, specialising in sport, sustainability and fashion. We had a virtual coffee a few weeks ago, and she said she’d be up for a trip to Manchester.

Kerry suggested we visit Castlefield Viaduct, a Victorian steel structure which the National Trust has turned into a beautiful garden in the sky. I loved the combination of urban grittiness, lush green and delicate flowers. Not to mention the views from up there.

Later, on our way to find some lunch, we passed a large building. I can’t remember exactly what Kerry said, but the words “library” and “Harry Potter” were enough to whet my curiosity. It was the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, which is a fabulous place. Like a cathedral full of books!

We did manage to drag ourselves away eventually, and after a nice lunch I boarded my train to Birmingham for the UpLift Live conference.

To see the full set of diary entries for my 2024 networking tour, have a look here.