Not all Who Wander Are Lost

I liked this carved wooden plaque on a footpath sign....

 

Wharram Percy

Visiting the site of the abandoned Mediaeval village at Wharram Percy, I had the whole wold to myself...it was very atmospheric, but strangely not so eerie as visiting Duggleby Howe or Sharp Howe round barrows..... no sudden gusts of wind, soaring crows or flapping pheasants to unsettle me!

 

The Pilgrimage of Grace

The Wolds Way followed the route of a walk commemorating the 1536 Pilgrimage of Grace....

 

Goodmanham- pagan temple site

In 627 King Edwin converted to Christianity and his high priest smashed the pagan temple at Goodmanham! It was replaced with a church.

 

Tempus Fugit!

Time Flies! Thanks to the kind guide at Londesborough Estate church, who showed me all the old sundials, including a 10th century one and an old Anglo Danish cross, obscured by netting up in the doorway. 

 

Heslerton Shrunken Medieval Village

Top stay of the whole trip: Manor Farm, East Heslerton, where the Lunns made me very welcome, took me to the chip shop and told me about the excavations of the medieval village in their field. Just brilliant- and there was even a bath!

 

The Kevins

 I kept being overtaken by Kevin, last seen at the Humber bridge and using Sat Nav to intercept his wife between the Wolds Way legs......if you'll pardon the pun.  I prefer my 4 paper maps........

This was me eating my tea and feeling rather cold in my hut air B and B...when there was a man bearing sourdough......

Brantingham Sheep Wash

 

 

Old Jeremy

I quite liked Old Jeremy's headstone in the churchyard at Welton

 

Dick Turpin Woz 'Ere

Welton was a lovely  spot, Wolds village with a link to Dick Turpin

 

Lady Well, Beggar's Bush, a Mammoth's Leg and the Market Weighton Giant!

 

What an interesting part of the world- lots of wells with pagan origins and reputed powers, remains from the last Ice Age when the Vale of Pickering was a great big lake... and the home of the tallest ever Englishman.....plus a very nice curry in Market Weighton

Wolds Way Dogs

Here are a small selection of the well behaved hot dogs I met, along with their friendly owners at South Cave and Swindale....

 

Let's Off Road!

 

Some time later, after a climb up onto the start of the Wolds I unexpectedly encountered some off roaders who were somewhat lost .....

The Kevins

Day 1: I met the Kevins, of which more later......and shortly after starting on the shoreside path, I met a friendly family from Pontefract, who walked with me to North Ferriby 

(AKA The Wolds Way Campers!) 

Wolds Way - Hessle

The walk starts on the shores of the Humber estuary at Hessle, going under the mighty span of the Humber Bridge, site of mills for whiting, made from chalk quarried here (shown on old map..)

 

Yorkshire Wolds Way

Wonderful Wolds Way Walking this May!

All packed and ready to go!!

 

Tram trip to Benidorm on the Lemon Express, cut through rocks and gorges; Commemorative plaque and some old machinery, preserved at Gata station

 

Nut Crushing

Jesus Pobre Artisan Market, Spain, where pilgrims may visit, but not dogs and you might see a man crushing almonds to make turron, local delicacy....

 

El Forn

Favourite watering holes on our recent trip to Spain

 

Guess the Proverb

This month's Drawing challenge from Pen & a Pint......draw your favourite proverb. I'm not sure you'll know it , as I've not really heard it outside our family members, so my Nanna Nield may have made it up!

 

Answer: They don't make diamonds as big as bricks

Sad Clown

Hmmm

 

Flea Circus

The marvelous Pen & a Pint drawing challenge (courtesy of Calder Graphics, Huddersfield) this month featured the theme of circus. I can't recreate the big top here, but if you look closely, you can see the holes where the poles were attached. 

 

Polesworth

Spot the missing bricks

 

Spurs

Ouch!

 

In Praise Of British Workmen

Much maligned, minus the builder's tea, wolf whistles and a place to park your bike at half moon, they really did do a good job. And a sense of humour too. Top work gents!

 

A Man's A Man For A' That

Happy Burns Night....Robbie Burns wrote this poem in January 1795. Happy birthday Dad.

See also: Midge Ure's performance at the Opening of the Scottish Parliament. "Vienna" it is not!

 

Ogley Junction- No Access

We look forward to the day when we can chug up towards the three spires of Lichfield after canal restoration...............

(I note I have inadvertently called HS2 "HST"!) 

 

 

Canal Milestones

Having spent ages locating old turnpikes and milestones I'm now on the lookout on the towpath

 

Canal Hazards

 

Fradley Junction ....and warning signs at the Toilet Factory

 

Utopia, Amington

I stumbled upon Utopia in Amington, former pit village....... all the canal bridges have names not numbers on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. Plus a bit of canal art  on a barge paneling at the Swan, Fradley Junction

 

Daydream Believer

With Thanks to the Three Tons, Fazeley.

 And our New Year's Eve serenader on the towpath, Mrs Taggart. 

 

Boundary Stone

 

Daydreaming: lovely mooring at Whittington, where the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal finally met the Coventry Canal. The man from Brum got fed up of waiting and dug out this bit to join it up in 1790

Glamping

Daydreaming: They really did look like Glamping Pods........as seen on the

 Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

 

Up The Junction

 

Kings Bromley  Wharf

Streethay Wharf

Fazeley Junction

Up The Junction....one of my favourite songs, although it was about Clapham Junction, not Fazeley!

(Squeeze, 1979)

Brickmaking Remembered by Peter Grey (Faded Canalside Poetry Trail)

 

With thanks to Peter Grey.....  faded brick poem on the canal-side poetry trail at Polesworth 

Polesworth Brick

Daydreaming: A Souvenir From Polesworth (with thanks to The Bull's Head, Polesworth)

 

Post Industrial Polesworth Pub Scene

With Thanks to all at The Bull's Head, Polesworth

 

Gargoyles and the Nunnery Gate

 

                      More interesting bits of Polesworth

Poking Round Polesworth

Daydreaming by the canal: whilst Robin went for a trip to a winding hole, I went for a look around Polesworth. Some historic bits...a hall once home to Disco man Edwin Starr, who made 

"Eye-to-Eye Contact", plus  I saw an abbey church and a handsome bridge over the river Anker.......

 

It Ain't What You Do, It's The Way That You Do It

Daydreaming: Getting to Grips With The Kit!

It's not every day that you encounter a helpful chap from Anapurna

 

Up The Cut- Trent & Mersey

          Daydreaming: Here's our route on our maiden voyage

On our way up the Trent & Mersey and Coventry canals, we dropped in a few watering holes!