The Dales and the Lakes in a day

We set off on a day trip to the Lake District in sunny but chilly conditions, and of course being inside a warm car soon made us forget the realities of an Englush Spring. Winding uphill through Swaledale, we reached a point where I wanted to take the first of about 500 photos of the spectacular scenery. I jumped out of the car and found myself standing in the equivalent of a blast freezer. No jacket, woolly hat or gloves. 'Bracing', I said through chattering teeth. I tried taking photos through the car window, but the tinting was too much and so I dressed sensibly for the frequent stops and hops along the way. We reached the top of the moors and the welcome sight of the highest pub in Britain,  Tan Hill Inn. Inside it was warm and inviting (if it weren't, nobody would go in, as the air up there was arctic, but nature called and even if there had been a convenient clump of bushes or rocky outcrop on this barren landscape, frostbite was not an option.
The remarkable thing about Britain, for me, is the way the scenery changes so suddenly, with so much diversity packed into a very small island. The weather is so localised that it must be a meteorologist's nightmare, and one must be prepared for extremes of temperature at all times, though not so much at the warm end of the scale.
The greenness is startling compared to home, where lawns have been reduced to sandpits and winter hasn't yet brought succor to the land. Nearly every field is dotted with sheep and their frolicking offspring, truly pastoral in every way. Bare-branched trees are still awaiting enough warmth to release new leaves from budded
protection, and another week of icy weather is forecast. We passed through areas where last week's snow still gleamed on mountain tops.
A sudden descent from the moors brought us into Cumbria, with a much gentler landscape, and then another sudden change as we entered the mountainous Lake District and received a total overload of picturesqueness! Despite the season, the area was already under pressure from locals and tourists, as well as the many, many hikers who love the region. It heaves with people in summer and commercialism abounds. Best avoided at that time, and a far cry from the 60s when we went there as children. Interesting to note that not much English was heard among the crowds.
We travelled for nearly 200 miles, and the light at sunset was absolutely stunning,  necessitating many stops for photos despite the continuing freezing conditions, not much above 0, and it was definitely one of the highlights of my visit. Will post more interesting blogs when my pics are available!

The anniversary celebrations

The last few days were taken up with the main event of this trip, the 60th Wedding Anniversary celebrations. Friends and family travelled from far and near, and a renewal of vows service was held in the lovely chapel here at Aysgarth Prep School, where my cousin is Head of Science. It was lucky the facilities were close by, as food prepared in the kitchen could simply be carried up the driveway and set out in the library. I can safely say it was a huge success and well worth the very considerable effort by granddaughter Catherine, and  cousins Peter and Alison.
I was asked to take photos and after discussion with the lady vicar, it was decided the best place for me to sit unobtrusively would be the pulpit - what an opportunity to stand up and give a sermon! However, that was not the purpose. To enable the best view of the congregation, and especially the 'bride and groom', I got 4 thick hymn books and a kneeler (possibly the best use I have made of them in a while) and got a bird's eye view. It was quite emotional to see my last remaining aunt and uncle getting 'married' again, and I was very pleased that I had travelled so far to be there for the auspicious occasion. No pics yet as I have to download at home.
A large number of ex-Saffers were there, being mainly old friends from Durban days and it was a little sad to meet so many people who I would have liked to maintain friendship with,  but who have all returned to the UK in their latter years.  Such is life.
Today is the final clean up and then back to a quieter life, with a good walk planned for burning off some of the food! My last few days here.

Falling over my feet in York

Today we went off to visit the lovely city of York, with its beautiful Gothic cathedral - the largest in Europe and currently undergoing restoration. The drive through the little villages in the way were a delight, the sheep in the meadows, the cows in the corn (maybe). Everything is so green except for the trees that still need to dress themselves - I think I prefer them in their winter wear, bare branched in silhouette against the grey skies, perfectly shaped with the spaces veined with twigs. Somehow more appealing than a mass of leaves. And fat ewes dotted around the slopes.
Cousin Peter is a fantastic tour guide, having extensive knowledge of Yorkshire and many very entertaining personal anecdotes to share. My visit has been greatly enhanced by this and we have had many a good laugh - a throwback to the times we spent together when much younger.
The ancient architecture and history of York is fascinating and it is a vibrant and not too modernised city, with many narrow streets to be explored and eateries to tempt. I think I could easily spend a week there.
Peter and his cousin, Jen, who was on a mobility scooter, wandered through the streets while I climbed up onto the old wall of the city to enjoy an elevated view. Despite the sunshine, an icy wind blew through the battlements and I hurried along while looking left and right, but not at my feet. Who knew that every so often there would be a step up or a step down? I had a very close call at the first encounter and, aware of my tendency to trip, took more notice of where I was going.
After a tasty pub lunch in the most haunted pub in York (didn't see a single spook), we strolled down through the park to the River Ouse, where a riverboat had just left the embankment. 'Quick! Take a picture' says Jen. I raise my cellphone, turn around and step straight off a low step. As I flew through the air in slow motion, I opened my hand and watched my phone land on the stone paving before me. My instinct was to protect my face from the imminent connection with the ground and I twisted my body gracefully to roll onto my backpack on landing.  At least that's what I would like to think! Peter was looking the other way. Three people standing 3m away stared. And on the restaurant terrace above, about 20 people gawped. Of course I was  paralytic with laughter, but noticed that not one single person made any attempt to assist. Peter pulled me up and dusted me off, then said he didn't get a pic, so I lay down again in a reenactment for him to record for posterity.  Still no response from the onlookers. Back home, I can confidently say that I would have had no lack of rescuers. We laughed for a long time after that, and I have come to the conclusion that I should rather walk without glasses as the multifocals are just not giving me an accurate reading!
A really great day out!

Bottom half is Roman 300AD

Out and about

Temperatures are not rising above 5 degrees at the moment,  and I'm getting used to putting on someone's sheepskin boots and huge padded jacket just to step out into the garden for a while.  Indoors is a comfortable 18 degrees, regulated by a thermostatically controlled hot water heating system and I am easily fooled into thinking it's a lovely Spring day. Yesterday we took a very brisk walk through farmland and the wind chill made my lungs burn - no Everest for me. The pace is faster than that set by my hiking group and I set a new record of 12.3 minutes per kilometre, as opposed to the usual 22!
A few miles away is the largest British army garrison in the world and 2400 acres are set aside for training in artillery, tanks, etc. More than 13 000 people make up the military town, which was pinpointed as the ideal site for a garrison by a young Baden-Powell when he was held in nearby Richmond Castle keep as a conscientious objector in WW1. A memorial was recently erected to him.
A bit further in the other direction is an airforce base and I've been enjoying the sight of  black jets low-flying over the hills and soaring to great heights until just a speck in the pale blue yonder. I always look up at the sound of a plane, anywhere in the world.
Today I did the rounds of the charity shops in Richmond, having heard of the bargains to be found, and indeed there are. If I needed anything,  these would certainly be the places to start looking.
Richmond is a charming town and everyone I spoke to was warmly welcoming. They all remarked on my accent, which they absolutely loved. How strange. But a really nice place to explore with its cobblestoned lanes and quaint architecture, castle ruins and gently flowing River Swale winding through the valley.  When in torrent, this deceptive waterway has wrought much destruction, but today all was peaceful.
The air temperature left much to be desired, being around 2 degrees, and  in fact only about 15 minutes away, snow fell, as in the photo! Not mine, we didn't drive that far.No wonder I had two jackets on!
The day was topped off with the best pork pie I have ever eaten!

Things I would like

I've discovered unknown (to me) technology that would definitely be on my list of must-haves, if only it were at all practical back home in South Africa.
1.  The showers don't have taps; a heating unit is plumbed in, you turn the dial to the desired temperature and simply press a button. No sudden gush of icy water as you stand as far away from the shower head as possible, waiting a minute or two while the hot water courses through the pipes in the roof. A civilised interval allows you to press the button, get into the cubicle and await a steady flow of warm water. After a fairly lengthy shower (the pressure is not high), you press the button and it stops. Now I may be a complete plumbing pleb and this shower system may be freely available back home, but if I thought there was even a tiny chance of it working, I would bring one back in my suitcase. I still have 15kg of luggage allowance available. But the problem is you need electricity for it to work. With Eskom unable to guarantee a regular supply and no prospect of firing all of the current incumbents, we would be better off filling a plastic bag with hot water heated in the sun and punching holes in it.
2.  Tesco's (!?) has a gadget that allows you to scan in the price of every item you buy as though it were passing through the till. You know exactly how much you have spent, pack it straight into your carrier bags that you remembered to bring with you, and then proceed to the self-service checkout. The screen machine asks whether you were able to scan everything and if not, a very efficient and polite lady is at your elbow to rectify it. You then put in your card, pay and leave. Honesty is a given. I ask you, with tears in my eyes, whether you can even imagine such a system in Pick n Pay (hysterical laughter in background)?


I'm sure the novelty will pass...

Some observations

Some observations, in no particular order:

1.  English toilet paper is so thick you can use it for a tablecloth and diners can wipe their mouths with it afterwards. In SA, you can read the newspaper through it.
2.  Cyclists also clog the roads here, but it is much worse because the country lanes are so narrow. My cousin was approaching a bunch, with another behind, when an oncoming car simply overtook the cyclists and nearly had a head-on collision. He had to slam on brakes and the cyclists behind all crashed into him, having nowhere else to go. The conflict between motorists and cyclists is worldwide.
3.  There are patches and potholes everywhere.
4.   Pheasants are very beautiful to look at, but rate with guinea fowl on the intelligence scale. Often found standing aimlessly in the middle of the road, contributing to high roadkill incidents.
5.  Bunnies abound, flashing their little cotton tails across green meadows, but also frequently found flattened. Myxomatosis still exists.
6.  Doctors' waiting rooms will remain overused as long as it is free. Rumours of cutbacks on basic medicines.
7.  Honesty boxes are all over these little villages, selling honey and eggs, with a sign giving the price and people leaving the money in the box. Definitely wouldn't work in SA.
8.  More gossiping grannies per square mile than you could imagine. A source of great hilarity mostly, but sometimes a bit much!
9.  Believe it or not, quite a bit of litter, particularly in lay byes and river banks. Disappoint to see

All in all, life is generally the same around the world.

Walking through history

Yesterday I walked in the footsteps of Mary, Queen of Scots. Perhaps not the happiest of footsteps, but did she have any? Bolton Castle was her forced home for 6 months after she fled Scotland and Lord Bolton treated her as a royal guest with a retinue of 62 or so. A fair part of the castle remains in its original state and the rest of the ruin is being restored by the eldest son of the present Lord Bolton, currently seated in the ancestral home further up river. Some furnishings have been placed to give anodes of what it was like to live there, and although there were a number of en-suite chambers (called garderobes where velvets were hung so that the ammonia smell would deter fleas, etc), I definitely prefer today's home comforts.
We had timed our visit perfectly, as it was the first day of the season and archery, falconry and wild boar feeding were on the agenda. I was thrilled to have the opportunity (long on my bucket list) to shoot arrows from a longbow and hit the target both times.  It was really difficult to let go of the string (?) and it was only a 25lb bow. The medieval archers used a 100lb bow and began their training at the age of 6 - compulsory for all children between 6 and 16 at the time.
The views from the battlements were just beautiful but I doubt the archers were able to enjoy them much. It is said that Mary escaped briefly but was caught on top of the nearby ridge in the picture. Poor woman - not a life to be envied.
The day was sunny and warm when out of the wind, and a walk down to Aysgarth Falls was pleasant - scenes from Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves were filmed there, with the grassed picnic area being transformed into a dense forest for that purpose. The falls are very impressive when in full spate. We then meandered down Swaledale, a lovely place with charming villages, and then climbed up over the moors, where we stood a short walk in the now chilly air. The sky had clouded over and we almost forgot the warm sunshine of just a short while before. Every hill and dale has its own micro climate, so it's best to be prepared for all eventualities! The heather still has to emerge in spring growth, so everything was brown and dry, but we saw a number of grouse and partridges which was a treat for me.
The way home took us through Catterick Garrison, the largest military town in Europe, and much of the area is restricted to the public due to military exercises. We didn't see any tanks!
The buds have still not quite burst open, and today's cooler weather may keep them tucked up a while. It's Mothering Sunday here, the equivalent of our Mother's Day, and we are going to lunch with a family friend in a nearby village. More later.

Honesty box - take your eggs and leave the money!