APPLETREEWICK - YORKSHIRE DALES 2018

                                           Our lovely week came to an end all too soon.

I had read that the Craven Arms in Appletreewick 

( pronounced Ap-wick by the locals !) 

was a good place to eat so on our last day we set off to find it through more glorious countryside

and of course there were daffodils along the way.

The Craven Arms was easy to find

perched along the side of the road in what looked like the middle of nowhere.

No other houses or building except for the farms across the road and in the distance.

I love the way these pubs just crop up like this.

Warm and welcoming inside with a buzz of conversation and a glowing fire to take the chill out of the air

There were plenty of others there, most of them locals meeting for lunch or just catching up 

 It's a tiny place with not much room but we managed to secure ourselves a table and order our lunch.

I have to say that my only complaint about these pubs is not the quality of the food but its repetitive nature.

I don't need to read a menu they all have the same items on offer...

*Fish & Chips and Mushy Peas

* Steak & Ale Pie

* Lasagne

* Gammon, Eggs and Chips 

Scampi & chips

and if you are very lucky 

* Sausages and Mash  ( my fav !)

Never-the-less we ordered and were happy with our meals then we went outside to explore.

Inside we had seen a display about the construction of a building called a "Cruck Barn"

 a reasonably new building which is joined on to the rear of the pub building and is used for special occasions such as weddings.

We climbed up to the back car park to get a good view of it from the outside.

Its thatched roof is not made of the usual straw but is bracken I think.

A most unusual building.

Back out the front we came upon the first tree with new leaves we have noticed

and further down the road we saw some more

I love these pretty winding roads 

with more lovely views round every corner

Is it any wonder my heart belongs to Yorkshire ?

Cheers.

A VISIT TO BOLTON ABBEY - YORKSHIRE DALES 2018

An outing in the car today through beautiful countryside to Bolton Abbey.

You don't need sunshine, it's lovely in any weather.

The parkland around the ruin of Bolton Abbey is beautifully kept,

 

all part of the estate owned by the Duke of Devonshire who owns the lovely Chatsworth House in the Peak district

  Walking paths lead off in all directions along the river

making it a lovely destination for a day out with a picnic

     

 with plenty to see in and around the ruins of this huge abbey

which is surrounded by the prettiest graveyard

 beautifully manicured and decorated with large clumps of daffodils.

The more modern church nearby is impressive too

but you can't beat the original

and what a wonderful setting !

Cheers.

GRASSINGTON TO HEBDEN - YORKSHIRE DALES

A chance conversation with an lovely resident while out exploring the village led us to our next walk. She directed us up through the village to find Edge Lane then off through the fields to Hebden where there is a wonderful tea shop.

No more encouragement needed ! 

The weather was threatening but we have raincoats and thee possibility of English rain does not daunt Aussies used to tropical downpours !

Up, up and out of the vilage

then meandering through the fields once again.

I've come to love the absence of leaves on the trees.

I love the way you can see through the trees and beyond them at this time of the year.

and those rock walls snaking their way across the green creating a multitude of patterns.

Yes, it rained but we kept on smiling.

through random clumps of daffodils

across small roads

through more of those skinny gateways that challenged my short legs and midsection !

And always there were green fields

  and lovely vistas

 

sometimes more soggy than others

but always lovely

 then down into Hebden and the tea shop called The Old School House

 where warm Asparagas Soup and delightful cake and hot chocolate soon chased the cold away.

Then came the walk home - 2 miles in the gentle rain.
Down to the river

Over more of those pesky styles

 over cute little bridges and raging torrents

  until civilization came into view

 and we walked up the path between the walls 

to 

HOME.

Lovely.

Cheers.