Where Have You Just Been?

[Bruff]

Well it was last week, but I came up to Barlick to take my mum out for the day. She did the picnic, I brought the flask. Seems fair......ahem. Anyway the trip was:

Up to Threshfield and then on to Kettlewell and then up Starbotton and Hubberholme to Hawes. From Hawes we went over Buttertubs to Muker and then to Askrigg and to Semer Water via Bainbridge. We had the picnic at the Water. Then off back to Hawes, from there over to Ribblehead and then over Halton Gill to Arncliffe and to Threshfield to complete the circle and home. Three pints in The Fountaine and a takeaway curry completed the day.

Couple of things. First, it's long time since I've been that far up the Dales and on so comprehensive a drive and really, the Dales are astonishingly beautiful. Second, Askrigg and Bainbridge I thought exceptionally attractive villages.

The world will be treated as the Tour de France comes via these parts, as TV coverage of the event is quite exceptional concentrating on the scenery and sights etc as much as the race.

Richard Broughton

[Stanley]

Susan and I are looking forward to the same scenery on the 9th of July when we travel in a steam hauled Pullman dining carriage as 'Premier Dining Class' on the Fellsman. Full English breakfast on the way up and dinner on the way back with a vintage coach trip and a cruise on Ullswater as well. I love that country..... (and the history of the Settle Carlisle line as well.
I remember many years ago I was at Settle Creamery tipping a load of milk when I heard a sound in the distance. You have a good view of Settle and the viaduct from the creamery and sure enough, the Flying Scotsman blasted up through Settle at full chat with about ten coaches, safety valve blowing off and attacking the climb. The fireman knew his job and it was the most marvellous sight you could ask for if you like steam.

[plaques]

Church trip to Cheltenham. While the ladies went shopping me and my pal "sloped" off to do higher things. First Neptune's Fountain. Neptune Link. Interestingly the sculptors were Yorkshire men. Next Rodin's sculpture "The Kiss" in the Wilson Museum.The kiss, LINK. Viewed the new exhibition of modern Art. Interesting but still prefer the old masters. Half a hour in St Gregory's listening to the organist practice. A very ornamental church, lots of carving also the tallest spire in Cheltenham. Finally. fish and chip and a pint. A good day out.

[Gloria]

We are doing the same trip on 23rd July Stanley. We have done it before but you fired our interest again, so we booked it. Premier dining is excellent, sit back and enjoy.

[Stanley]

We'll warm the seats for you Gloria.....

[Tizer]

We spent Saturday at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, where we attended the Rock & Gem Show for me to indulge my interest in mineral specimens. But at the same time they were running the South West Modellers Show so we popped in there for a look too...and spent the whole afternoon there! There large models of ships, tanks, aeroplanes etc, and some of these were on the move. We were chased by remote controlled tanks, peered into a pool watching a submarine and got a fright when we turned a corner and faced three Daleks! The models on display have become very sophisticated and you had to be ready for all sorts of surprises - you'd be taking a close look at a battleship and a turret would suddenly turn towards you and for a moment you wanted to duck down out the way, just in case. Out on the field, model aeroplanes were flying and these were BIG model aeroplanes. We were most impressed by four WW1 biplanes which could have easily been mistaken for full-size aircraft when flying. And glider, jets and helicopters too! A great day out...

[David Whipp]

Checking out the bluebells near Ghyll Church and Ghyll Brow.

Has this one gone all Yorkshire?

[David Whipp]

A little research, and it looks like it's gone all Iberian.

[David Whipp]

This butterfly was appreciating the bluebells yesterday afternoon.

[Tardis]

Sunday was spent in a very busy Harrogate, rounded off with afternoon tea on a booked table at Betty's

I recommend the China Rosa tea

[Bruff]

Sheffield. The Snake Pass was glorious early Saturday with a sharp hoar frost. Ladybower was tranquil with a few fly-fisherman out for the early rise.

Oh and Sheffield was very pleasant as always. An excellent choice of independant shops of all kinds in the Sharrow Vale area.

Richard Broughton

[Stanley]

I love all those trans-Pennine roads, in my cycling days we used them all, Nont Sarah, Mam Tor (Shaking Mountain, always slipping down into the valley!) and even Winnatt's Pass which I think also qualifies! Owd Betts across to Rochdale is a good one as well. Funny how some were named after the landladies of pubs.....

[Bruff]

Or pubs, like the Cat and Fiddle, Macclesfield - Buxton. And we always knew the road(s) from Laneshawbridge over to Denholme as 'going over The Herders'.

Richard Broughton

[PanBiker]

It still is The Herders in my book Richard, pubs been shut a long time though.

[Bruff]

Fate of many a pub sadly. Last time I did that route was when I brought my now wife to Barlick for the first time to meet the parent for the same, 18 years ago next month; I was living in Sheffield. We stopped in the pretty pub in Oxenhope set back slightly, whitewashed. Unusual, as I usually stopped at the Ye Olde Silent Inn.

Now if one goes straight on from Lanshawbridge, one goes 'over t'Moss'. Where's that come from?

Richard Broughton

[David Whipp]

Now if one goes straight on from Lanshawbridge, one goes 'over t'Moss'. Where's that come from?

Aren't you driving over... the Moss? (I thought I could remember the name of the Moss when I started typing this! Sadly not...)

[plaques]

Perhaps because the area round the far side of the Laneshaw reservoir includes, Reedshaw Moss, Middle Moss and Moss Top.

[Stanley]

Moss was a common term for a waterlogged moor or peat bed. Think Chat Moss.....

[Wendyf]

We went to see Ade Edmondson and The Bad Sheperds at Colne Muni last night. They play "punk classics in the folk style" with Ade on double mandolin and Troy Donockley on uillian pipes (Irish bagpipes). We weren't sure what to expect but it was wonderful!

[Stanley]

Burnley......

[PanBiker]

Haworth 1940's weekend, just for today with both Isla and Finlay suitably attired. I dumped the car in Silsden and the deal was that daughter Carla would run us up to Haworth and pick us up again in exchange for a child free day, offer accepted gladly.

Wall to wall sunshine and Haworth has been rammed for the entire weekend, they will have raised a lot of money for the charities that the event is for, one of which is SSAFA. My dad was secretary of the local branch for 30 years. We managed to meet and catch up with most of our Haworth re-enactment friends and dancing buddies so that was nice. I got quite a few kisses from the girls. Sandwiches , crisps and Ice creams for the kids who in the main played the game for the day, not much carrying of two year old Finlay at all apart from towards the end of the afternoon when the little lad was flagging a bit. A smashing day on the whole. Missed the Dakota which was scheduled quite early this year.

[Sue]

France for the last two weeks. We visited Nantes last Thursday and went to the LES MACHINES DE L'ILE. This is a museum where they came up with the original idea on giant mechanised animals . It is unbelievable. They have exhibited on the centre of Liverpool a couple of times.

WWW.lesmachines-nantes.fr

[Bruff]

They are in Liverpool again this year 23 - 27 July as the cultural centrepiece of this country's commemoration and remembrance of the Great War.

The theme will be the Liverpool Pals, the call has gone out for locals to play their full role as 'Pals', puppeteers, etc etc, but the exact story the group will tell is not known. We do know that the Little Girl Giant will 'sleep' in Newsholme Park this time and much of her roaming will be in the Kensington/Edge Lane areas, consistent with last time when the Little Girl and her dog purposely roamed some of the city's more challenging neighbourhoods.

I cannot wait. Two years ago, almost a million people saw the story at some stage and many, many people were reduced to tears.

Richard Broughton

[Nolic]

My son is currently living in Kensington - next to the street where the real little girl on which the "puppet" is based lived on. He's hoping to see them again this year as he will be going back regularly to see his girlfriend. He was very impressed with the engineering. Wonderful concept and very moving to watch. Nolic

[plaques]

Castle Howard. Built for Charles Howard the third Earl of Carlise. Good weather and nice gardens. Without getting into the politics of the past English history the house was well worth the visit. The fact is that the house is here and open to the public. A very enjoyable day out.