The Yorkshire Dales
Saturday 13th June, 2015
Sunday 14th June, 2015
Monday 15th June, 2015
Tuesday 16th June, 2015
Wednesday 17th June, 2015
Thursday 18th June, 2015
Friday 19th June, 2015
Saturday 13th June, 2015
Gatehouse of Old Castle Douglas at the Transport Cafe (by Geoff)
ff at 0800 this morning headed for Yorkshire. We had quite a good run, although roadworks complicated it a bit. We stopped for morning tea at a services place which was built in front of the Victorian gatehouse to medieval Castle Douglas, which was built in 1277 and demolished in 1937. Quite an unusual setting for a transport caf.
At the Woodcock Inn, Garsdale Head
hen on into England through the dales on ever-decreasing country roads where there was virtually nothing in sight but green fields, drystone walls and sheep. Finally we stopped at the first sign of civilisation we had seen, the Woodcock Inn at Garsdale Head. This ancient hostelry made us a good sandwich lunch in their cosy low-beamed bar. Surprisingly large numbers of passersby came in for lunch, given its remoteness, quite a number on bicycles. Then we went on, refreshed.
At the Woodcock Inn, Garsdale Head
e were making such good time that I thought we would arrive miles too early (1530 was the time stated) so I thought we should try to find a supermarket and do the shopping before we arrived. Leyburn and Hawes were both heaving with crowds, some kind of local festival, no parking, so we tried to find the big Tesco at Catterick we used when we were last in this area (ten years ago!)
We had major difficulties, got lost, ended up on a motorway heading south, Geoff got us off again and we finally gave up the idea of shopping and headed back to West Witton and Capple Bank Farm Cottage.
Capple Bank Farm Cottage
Our Room Capple Bank Farm Cottage
he cottage is very attractive, no hanging wardrobe space but lots of chests of drawers. We have superb views over Wensleydale and bunnies playing on the grass outside. Mrs. Smithers gave us half a dozen eggs from the farm, home made marmalade and a bottle of wine in the fridge. All very good.
Capple Bank Farm Cottage Lounge/Kitchen
Conservatory Dining Room, Capple Bank Farm
View over Wensleydale from Capple Bank Farm Cottage
Our Patio, Capple Bank Farm
eoff lit a fire, we had a glass of wine and relaxed. Geoff is happy that they have Wi-Fi (for what that is worth. Not much signal.)
All is well.
Sunday 14th June, 2015
e discovered at 2200 last night that the fridge had been switched off before we arrived and everything was warm. By morning the separate freezer was working but the fridge was still not very cool. Geoff put his little temperature sensor in and the temperature was 14deg. Not what you would call adequate refrigeration. We haven't seen our hosts today to ask.
nyway it was cool and wet when we got up this morning, after our lovely week in Scotland. They say it was lovely here last week too. Mac and I went into Leyburn to do the shopping and brought a load back. I made scrambled eggs for Mac and Geoff for lunch (I had a tomato sandwich) then we set off for White Scar Cave, billed as the longest showcave in Britain. We thought it might at least be dry. Ho Ho. (Hollow Laughter!)
Whitescar Cave (by Geoff)
e were lucky enough to arrive at 1420 and the next tour went at 1430. So we got into that, a small group with only four others. It was a very interesting cave (not at all dry though) not as colourful as Jenolan and some of the wonderful WA caves we have seen, not having iron in the area, but it had two waterfalls, and lots of water rushing under the walkways. There were some ancient fossils, shawls, flowstones and spectacular straw stalactites plus rather small stalactites and stalagmites. There were over eighty steps, and some very low ceilings, low even for me. Geoff must have been walking on his knees. Luckily we had all been issued with hard hats. We saw a selection of some imaginatively named features, some of which actually looked like the names, unusually enough. The guide showed us some "avens" which are upward passages caused by water forcing its way up and through the limestone. Some were extremely high.
Wensleydale
hen we got out again we had coffee and Geoff had a toasted teacake (his favourite English treat) at their café and we went off again on a magical mystery tour over the high dales, huge panoramic views over spectacular country.
Wensleydale
nyone whose idea of Northern England is the close packed townscapes and terraces like Coronation Street, would get a revelation in these parts. It is so green, so vast and so open with drystone walls edging the narrow roads and snaking hither and yon all over the countryside. Quite wonderful.
e returned home, I made a bolognaise style pasta dish and salad and we settled in for the night. I think it is lightening up somewhat, there was even a patch of blue sky this afternoon. I hope it clears tonight.
Monday 15th June, 2015
t was brilliant sunshine when we awoke this morning so when we had showered and breakfasted, we headed out for Leyburn and took the walking track along the "Shawl".
Wensleydale from the Shawl
Wensleydale from the Shawl
his is an escarpment ridge quite high above the surrounding green dales which is evidently a popular dogwalking area. There are some stunning views over the Dales, but since a lot of the walk is on farmland the natural hazards left by the sheep make it necessary to watch your feet, not the view. Moleholes and hills also abound.
Mac on the Shawl
hen we came back to Leyburn we had morning tea in a very nice teashop then went to the Tourist Info place where a pleasant old guy plied us with brochures and recommendations. We made a reservation for the "Forbidden Corner" for tomorrow at 1300 - more on that tomorrow.
Bolton Castle
Queen Mary's Rooms, Bolton Castle
fter picking up lunch to go we headed for Bolton Castle which we can actually see in the distance from our cottage terrace. I was expecting the usual ruined hulk but Bolton Castle is incredible. Despite being battered by Cromwell's troops during the Civil War large sections of the Castle remain. The two towers are four stories high with furnished rooms in the medieval style. Mary, Queen of Scots was held here for some time after fleeing Scotland and her bed and living rooms are still here, hung with tapestries and coats of arms.
Bolton Castle Kitchens
Undercroft at Bolton Castle
Geoff at Archery at Bolton Castle
here were all the appurtenances of a medieval castle, kitchens, bakery, brewhouse and stables, and in the great courtyard we were able to see a demonstration of archery and even have a go.
Falconer at Bolton Castle
he archery lady was busy, for later in the afternoon she became the falconer and gave a fascinating display of working with two different owls and a buzzard. They got very close to the audience and even perched on the end of the seat we were sitting on. It was all I could do not to pat the owl!
Maze at Bolton Castle
Bolton Castle from the Gardens
e had our picnic lunch in the lovely gardens, complete with maze and formal plantings, arches and pyramids. We were there until afternoon tea in their teashop.
It was a marvellous castle but all the ups and downs on spiral stone stairs really made my knees ache, (the unfixed one, mainly) and Geoff was also in quite a lot of pain with his leg.
o we left and drove home via Aysgarth whose waterfalls we had also planned to see today. It was a bit late and a bit steep so Geoff and I thought we would try again another day.
Home for dinner - the fridge is still not working. Mrs. Smithers says she will try to get something done about it but I don't know how her luck will be. In the meantime Mac has put a large frozen bottle of water in the top and we will use it like an ice box. Oh well.
Tuesday 16th June, 2015
The Buttertubs
The Buttertubs
t was an interesting day today.
Since we had a booking for the Forbidden Corner for 1300 we didn't want an energetic morning. So we drove to Hawes then up a tiny road marked with the chevrons of steepness to the Buttertubs Pass. Beside the road gaped the Buttertubs themselves, very deep potholes carved in the carboniferous limestone by water action. This has resulted in pillars and columns, some very deep, with their own little eco-systems growing merrily. Legend has it that they got their name from farmers going to and returning from market with their butter and cheese and camping overnight by the road. They lowered the perishable goods into the icy depths to keep cool. Whatever, it is a really spectacular sight in an equally spectacular landscape.
Hawes Vintage Museum
fterwards we went back to Hawes, where we paused in the carpark of the local museum to find a loo. There were vintage buses and trains, a ropemaker and all sorts of activities but we had to crack on.
Green Man Gives Directions at Forbidden Corner
e arrived at the entrance of the Forbidden Corner at about 1245 and, as soon as we had picked up our tickets and our guide sheets, we had lunch in their tearoom. Everywhere we go, cottage, castle, cave or museum has a tearoom. Thank goodness.
Forbidden Corner Entrance
he Forbidden Corner is an amazing place. Built in the 1970s as a modern folly cum playground to help shield the main house, Tupgill Park from the winds, it evolved into a wonderland of mazes, stairways to nowhere, statuary, ruined towers, hellfire caves, Roman temples, you name it, and water spouts everywhere.
Forbidden Corner Entrance
e were given guidesheets which were basically an A4 of photographs of some of the main exhibits with a place to mark when you had spotted one. Some were quite hard to find. We managed to spot about half of them before becoming so bushed that I just needed a cup of tea! It took us over two hours and there was still a lot we missed.
Rock Group, Forbidden Corner (by Geoff)
ne of the more interesting parts was a series of tunnels which led to a staircase like in a stately home, hung with portraits etc, then you opened a door at the bottom and were in a cave with the devil in the middle and doors all around, some of which opened on painted statuary, some had skeletons and some led onwards. This led to an alcove with a revolving floor so you had to keep your wits about you to find the right door again.
Forbidden Corner Doorway (by Geoff)
t was a mad place and if Geoff and I had not been so legsore it would have been much more fun, it was great fun anyway!
Geoff's view of the Forbidden Corner was that "it was insane, and fabulous and mostly wasted on the groups of children who were being taken around it."
We would all have been prepared to return, had we had more time.
Forbidden Corner Chapel
Forbidden Corner Chapel Gargoyles (by Geoff)
hile we were having afternoon tea in their café Mac's day was made by the entrance of a beautiful British Blue cat who strolled around the café as if she owned it - we were told that she belongs to the chef at the neighbouring Saddle Room Restaurant. She allowed Mac to pick her up briefly, but basically went her own way.
Forbidden Corner Frog Fountain
e went home tired and somewhat damp - the creators of the Forbidden Corner obviously knew what appealed to children of all ages - the most unexpected things spat and spewed water. Even the beautiful stone chapel had a water hazard inside which you had to negotiate and the Frog Fountain, which played waltz music while copper frogs danced about the centre became a virtual fire hose at the end of the dance. Fun for a warm summer's day, somewhat less in winter!
Wednesday 17th June, 2015
t rained a bit this morning as we headed into Leyburn to do some shopping. We brought some sandwiches home for lunch as the clouds seemed to be lifting.
Leyburn Station
Leeming Bar Station
hen we headed back to Leyburn (we are getting very familiar with this pleasant market town) to catch the Wensleydale Railway train, run by the usual volunteer enthusiasts. We rode in a rather crowded diesel coach up to Redmire (the end of the line) then back to Leeming Bar, the terminus and workshop, then caught a rather less crowded one back to Leyburn. It was quite a nice run, lovely scenery (of course) and some areas we had not seen before. The train was a little late, there had been a tree down on the line which delayed things but not for too long.
Aysgarth Bridge
Aysgarth Falls
e got back to Leyburn about 15:30 and drove straight off to Aysgarth to see the famous Aysgarth Falls. This was certainly worth seeing but the money-grubbing attitude which prevailed did not impress. We saw a lot of waterfalls in Scotland with not a pay and display in sight, and also New Zealand and at home. National Parks charged two pounds 50 for parking and the Upper Falls had an admission charge, via honesty box of 1 pound to access the falls. We decided to be dishonest and were not sorry as the Upper Falls were really nothing to write home about.
Aysgarth Falls
Aysgarth Falls
Quirky Carved Bench, Aysgarth Trail (by Geoff)
oving on through a very attractive way-marked trail we saw the most spectacular section (the Middle Falls) which was great, although they are really more a series of deep rapids than major drops.
Further down we came on some quirky sculptures on the path, a carved bench and rails, and the Lower Falls. Of it all, the middle section was the best.
We walked back to the car park, surrounded by the ringing of bells from the local church, and spotted some scampering grey squirrels.
An enjoyable walk and, although windy, the blue sky has returned.
Thursday 18th June, 2015
nother grey and windy morning today but it didn't rain, although threatening to most of the day.
We had a day of ruins, starting off with Middleham Castle. This was a childhood home and favourite residence of King Richard III of unfortunate reputation.
I am one of those who believe that Shakespeare did a deliberate hatchet job on Richard, as he did on Macbeth. To curry favour with the winners of course.
Middleham Castle
Statue of Richard the Third at Middleham
iddleham Castle, although a ruin, was very impressive with a surprising amount remaining. English Heritage has done a good job in presenting it with wooden steps to the top of one of the towers and good signage.
There is a modern sculpture of Richard in the courtyard, very interesting. The front view is just a conventional portrait but from the back you can see the symbolic representations of a demon and a cockatrice, both mentioned in Shakespeare , although the sculptor did seem to have quite a sympathetic view of him!
Middleham Castle Great Hall
Visitor Centre and Neighbourhood, Middleham Castle
nyway, the castle had quite a lot to recommend it, despite an invasion of a school group of "special needs" kids, who were screaming and sword fighting all over.
We left and had a delicious morning tea at the Priory Guest House tea shop, just over the road, then returned to see the castle more thoroughly once the kids had gone.
Jervaulx Abbey Ruins
fter this we continued further down the road to Jervaulx Abbey, a ruined Cistercian foundation like Rievaulx, which we saw in 1992. Jervaulx is owned by a private family who bought a house and farm forty years ago and found the ruins in the back paddock (so to speak). They opened them to the public and included such amenities as a very good tea room and car park.
Jervaulx Abbey Ruins
hen we arrived in the carpark we found the school bus with the same load of kids just leaving, thank goodness. The mood would have been ruined with them there. (I know, intolerance, but I hate having to share things with people with no feeling for beauty or history.) My bad.
Jervaulx Abbey Ruins
he ruins were very ruined, but so peaceful, calm and beautiful. The grass is kept down by sheep and the broken colonnades and gold stone walls give the impression of size. Despite the ruination, it looks like there is a great deal remaining.
However, when we went for lunch at the tea room we found a model of what would have been there originally and it would have been immense! Good old Henry VIII strikes again!
The abbey was lovely, tranquil and very picturesque. Turner thought so too.
Jervaulx Abbey Ruins
e enjoyed the place very much. After a light lunch of soup and a roll we returned to Leyburn, picked up some groceries and came home to do the washing and work out a route for Saturday.
Friday 19th June, 2015
ur last day in the Dales. We cleared up the cottage a bit and decided what we wanted to take on the boat. Then we decided to drive to Richmond, the county town. This became a very difficult undertaking because I threw a hissy fit due to the narrow, congested roads and our inability to find a way into the centre of town. I am sure it can't have been as difficult as it seemed but I carried on like an idiot and insisted we leave. I am becoming - no I have become a right pain in the arse, but really I am getting constant headaches and pains in the stomach because I am terrified, clenching myself up all the time. This will be the last time I am prepared to do a driving holiday here. I am not having fun any more. I enjoy the places themselves, but getting there is no longer worth the candle.
nyway we returned to Leyburn, seething with Friday market day, lots of stalls and people. We filled the car with diesel and went on a bit of a craft crawl. First to the Little Chocolate Shop, which is actually a large chocolate factory, making a huge range of novelty chocolates, like shoes, handbags and pizzas, all out of chocolate. Also beautifully crafted hand-made chocolates. We had lunch here, quiche and a salad for Mac and me and a ham sandwich for Geoff. I bought six assorted dark chocolates for a special occasion, (our last night maybe?) and we moved next door to the Tea Pottery.
his, as the name implies, is a factory which makes teapots - teapots of all possible (and some seemingly impossible) shapes and sizes. We saw ships and cars, stoves and toasters, cameras and rubber duckys in bathtubs! Unbelievable! We resisted buying one of them because of weight restraints (also because Mac and Geoff would rather have used them for target practice!)
Candlemakers Dell (by Geoff)
hen we moved on to the White Rose Candle Workshop. It was set off the road in a little dell with a charming small waterfall , a really pretty site.
The smell when we entered was so reminiscent of the Argyle Arts Centre candlery back in the 80s that it took us right back. The workshop was a cottage industry with some primitive lashups of equipment (that worked perfectly well for their purpose and the candlemaking lady said she would eject anyone who mentioned Heath Robinson!) and said lady engaged in "icing a sheep", i.e. turning a ball of white wax into a black faced sheep candle. She had candles shaped as cupcakes, sheep, and owls, but mainly eggs, tealights and tapers and tubes of all thicknesses, from drinking straw to monumental (large church style) I bought half a dozen dark red candles bound with gold braid for my Christmas candelabra. I hope I can get them home intact.
e returned to the cottage and packed our duffles for the boat. I just hope it isn't too cold and/or wet next week.
We are going out to dinner tonight in Leyburn, our last trip.
Tomorrow, back to the Midlands.
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