View of Otley from the top of the Chevin
Two reasons to stay right where we are in Menston in Yorkshire, Otley Chevin and the Washburn valley. Catching a bit of news on the radio this morning I was intending to post something (a grump) about that but it will keep till tomorrow.
Otley Chevin is no more than 5 mins by car from home. We usually walk but had a brief visit there the day before yesterday on the way to do something else. In the picture you’ll see the rather ‘cute’ small town of Otley nestling below.
I always smile when I see the sign about the dry stone walling training area; the former assistant head of the school where Petronela and I met refused to believe you could build walls without mortar. They are, of course, a major feature of the Yorkshire landscape. He also refused to believe that the sheep on the moors here roam free without shepherd or sheepdog; of course they do.
Washburn valley
The Washburn valley, perhaps the smallest of the Yorkshire dales, is one of my favourite places, only 20 minutes away by car. We did set out today with the idea of finishing a walk there with the always delicious home made cakes at the ‘heritage centre’. Though we have been many times, clearly never on the last Sunday of the month as we didn’t know there were no cakes on that day. We settled for the free homemade biscuit! Petronela is still grumbling about it! She looked her usual gorgeous self though in one of her ‘ie’ (Romanian traditional blouses).
The ‘lake’ is a reservoir, one of four, created between 1869 and 1966 by damming the small river in this little vale, to satisfy the increasing demand for water from the city of Bradford. Perfect walking weather, warm but not hot. Not too many signs of autumn yet, a bit of colouring of some leaves and a few fungi.
September 25, 2017 at 9:36 pm
I’m not surprised about sheep – I lived in Ireland for 6 months. And what’s that?! NO CAKES on last Sunday!? Interesting! Today I was lucky and ate two different cakes thanks to the friend who came over 🙂
September 26, 2017 at 8:08 am
There are cakes at another location in the village not far away, sold for charity, so the two teams of volunteers agree not to compete. We used this as an ‘excuse’ not to put on more weight. Weren’t we good 😇? What did you think of Ireland and the Irish? It’s probably my second favourite country after Romania, but a bit wet!
September 26, 2017 at 8:13 am
PS. I’ve no idea why that came up as from ‘anonymous’. In Romania the sheep always have at least one dog guarding them, a very large Romanian sheepdog with which you wouldn’t want go mess. We do not have wolves here though.
September 26, 2017 at 8:52 am
Wind & Showers! OMG! I couldn’t stand that! It was good times in Dublin and also a bit of travel around! I was young back then and not much interested in nature or photography. Nightlife in Dublin was my thing! NOW! I would walk in the woods and mountains all day long and feel blessed!
September 26, 2017 at 3:21 pm
A post I did on St Patrick’s day this year, before I discovered you, might amuse you. It relates a little about a trip to Ireland when I was about the age you are now. I can just imagine you living it up in Dublin nightlife despite the change in lifestyle now. Here the St Patrick’s day post:
http://wp.me/pkm0h-Zm
September 27, 2017 at 9:18 am
I wasn’t heavy alcohol user, never used narcotics! I was dancing from the first song till the last and having fun by sipping water!! I loved to dance! It sound’s crazy but this is how it was!
September 27, 2017 at 10:03 am
Doesn’t sound crazy to me. I still like to dance 😜 but P does not; I can’t do late nights any more though but I do have a photo of P dancing with me shortly after we first met!