Woodland walk 1942

[Wendyf]

As it would have been Mum's birthday today my brother & I met up in Wyke and had a lovely walk through the woods. We think we found the very spot this photo was taken and managed to place the last small amount of her ashes behind the tree. Very satisfying!



We then enjoyed a delicious lunch in a very pleasant village pub on the other side of the woods at Norwood Green. It was a good day out, I think Mum would have approved.

[Gloria]

What a lovely thing to do, absolutely lovely.

[Wendyf]

That lane is just a sea of mud now Gloria and quite overgrown so it was a bit of a struggle for my brother to scramble up on the bank and find a suitable spot to dig the ashes in....it's a good job no one came along and discovered us!

[PanBiker]

A nice thing to do Wendy.
Is the muddy path and overgrowth just a Winter thing? I was wondering regarding the walking route you mentioned being planned by the friends of the wood.

[Stanley]

Lovely thing to do Wendy. She was watching you.....

[Wendyf]

"She was watching you....."
I hope not Stanley, she would think us completely mad!

Ian, the walk she describes in her letter doesn't go up that lane, but I believe there are other bits of her route that are impassable today. I hope that lane does dry out in summer, as it leads directly to the nice pub!

[Wendyf]

I was absolutely thrilled yesterday to receive a copy of the booklet produced by The Friends of Judy Woods as a guide to the Woods in Wartime walk planned for Sunday 26th July.
They have done an excellent job using Mum's letter, old photographs and some drawings done by an artist at about the same time. It has stretched to 27 pages with a fold out map! There is even a photo of the woodsman Mum mentions meeting and the hut selling ice cream which she didn't seem to approve of.
I've scanned some sample pages:

[PanBiker]

That's fantastic Wendy, nice to know that your mum and dad will be remembered that way and that the walk will be experienced by many more people. A tangible link to the past for you and lots of others who will now discover the story.

[Stanley]

Lovely stuff Wendy, you must be so pleased....

[Wendyf]

We got a write up about the walk in the Bradford Telegraph & Argus on Thursday. By Thursday evening I was chatting on the phone to a childhood friend of my Mum who told me she was there when Mum & Dad met and I had got the wrong dance hall!

[Stanley]

That assumes she is right Wendy. Everybody has gaps in their memory which they subconsciously fill in.

[Wendyf]

It's the Grand Launch of the walk this afternoon, a shame it's going to be raining but never mind I'm really looking forward to it.

[PanBiker]

Excellent Wendy, enjoy.

[Stanley]

I doubt if it spoiled the experience for you Wendy. Lovely outcome, I'm so pleased for you.

[Wendyf]

It was a lovely afternoon and despite getting wet I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We met up in the local Methodist church hall and Mary Twentyman, who has organised the whole thing, gave an introductory talk and asked me to read sections from the letter. We stopped at various places on the walk and read some more.
The photos are courtesy of The Friends of Judy Woods.

[PanBiker]

Fantastic Wendy, glad everything went OK, looks like everyone was well prepared for the rain.

[Stanley]

That is a proper dog!
Nice report Wendy......

[Wendyf]

I'm reviving this topic because tomorrow it will be 80 years since Mum wrote her letter on a walk around Judy Woods in Wyke. I will be meeting up with my cousin Sue to follow the route around the woods.

Ian, how do I go about putting the photos back in the topic?

[Gloria]

Enjoy Wendy xx

[Tripps]

1942 was a good year for some - I know exactly how many years ago it was. . . .

Wonderful thread. Thanks for reviving it.

[Wendyf]

1942 was a good year for some - I know exactly how many years ago it was. . . .

Wonderful thread. Thanks for reviving it.

You are welcome Tripps! It was a bit before my time...

I think that's all the photographs back in, thanks Ian!

[Stanley]

I can remember it also Wendy. Hope all goes well and it is accessible.

[Wendyf]

We really enjoyed our walk today following in Mum's footsteps through the woods. I was slightly thrown by the road through Hipperholme being closed on my journey over to Wyke but managed my own own diversion along a few country lanes coming out where I needed to be on the A58. I had arranged to meet up with my cousin at the Chapel House pub in Low Moor where we had coffee and a pee before heading down to Wyke to start the walk. We returned there for a late lunch afterwards before heading home. Lovely day!

[Stanley]

Glad to hear that Wendy,