Yorkshire in April

 No wonder it's known as God's own County!

Just wanted to share a few locations worth a visit if ever you're in the neighbourhood.

Hornsea

 Valley Gardens, Harrogate

 Garden of Serenity, Harrogate

Golden Acre Park, Leeds

 

Burnsall, Yorkshire Dales

 

Parcevall Hall, Skyreholme, Yorkshire Dales

 

Parcevall Hall is the retreat house of the Anglican Diocese of Leeds.

 

Twitching in Yorkshire

Since visiting Bempton Cliffs , and spotting Puffins, Pufflings and other sea birds in their natural habitat, we have been encouraged to visit other nature reserves armed with our binoculars.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/bempton-cliffs/

A trip out to Tophill Low nature reserve promised a host of unusual birds but, apart from Wood Pigeons, a Robin, Coots and ducks, we were disappointed on this occasion.  However, it was far from a wasted visit as there are quite a few hides, ponds and walks through the woods which were especially welcome on one of the hottest days of the year.  We did try pond dipping, saw apple green marsh frogs and a rare moth when a lepidopterist leapt out of the bushes.  More serious twitchers spend many hours of the day in the hides, even bringing their own cushions!

https://www.yorkshirewater.com/things-to-do/tophill-low-nature-reserve

 Opportunities for pond dipping and observing water creatures

 Cool, shady walks

 Birds which can be spotted here, but alas not on this visit

  

Although regular visitors to the seaside town of Filey, this was our first visit to Filey Dams and it won’t be our last.

https://www.ywt.org.uk/nature-reserves/filey-dams-nature-reserve

This hidden gem, maintained by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and situated at the end of a residential street, came as quite a surprise.  With free parking and entry and plenty of regular twitchers generously advising us about the wildlife and pointing out where to look, we enjoyed watching baby Coots being fed by their parents, a Mediterranean Black-headed Gull and Grebes. There is a large, airy hide from which to observe what’s happening in the freshwater lagoon or take the boardwalk to the marshes.

Although there are no facilities on site, we were recommended to try the nearby Pitstop Café, but can’t comment personally as we didn’t have time to visit it.  

 

 View from the hide

 I find these spaces tranquil and you never know what you might spot or who you might meet. 

Coast and Countryside: Yorkshire at its best

We are really enjoying our staycation despite the mixed weather.  I can only recall one day of one wall-to-wall rain.   In fact, there is usually a window of opportunity every day of the year when you can at least take a cup of tea into the garden.

 Burnsall, Yorkshire Dales

 

 Filey

 Towards Flamborough Head

 Hornsea

 Bridlington

 

Knaresborough

Crafts, curiosities and candles

Completed a year’s course in flower arrangement with this festive decoration

 

and, to my utter astonishment, I was presented with this beautiful silver cup for best newcomer!  I was really chuffed as this is the first trophy I have won in my life.

 

John Hobson gave a fascinating, illustrated talk entitled Curious Yorkshire.  I thought I was pretty clued up on this part of Yorkshire, but he proved me wrong.

From coast to moors and inland towns, he told us tales from the area, some to be taken with a pinch of salt.  If you are local and have the opportunity to hear John speak or visit the area, you will be enthralled.  Here is just a taster.

The talk began with the birthplace of Captain Cook, Staithes, where the women wore special padded bonnets to protect the head when carrying baskets full of mussels for fishing bait. Each day they would make up the bait with the mussels and attached them to a fishing line for the fishermen. The bonnet, gathered at the neck with a frill to allow the water to run away, differed according to the age and marital status of the person who wore it.

 

At nearby Port Mulgrave where the cobles (pronounced cobbles), replicas of the Viking boats, are still used for fishing.

The ancient Mulgrave Castle was once inhabited by the Maharajah Duleep Singh who was a great favourite with Queen Victoria. This much is true, but the well known story of how the Indian prince built a road so he and his entourage could travel from Sandsend to Whitby on the backs of his elephants without the animals getting sand between their toes could well be a tall tale.

 

 

And on to Whitby, home of Bram Stoker's famous story, which is steeped in history.  If you can climb to 199 steps, the church, its graveyard with a pirate's grave and the jade stone at the foot of the three tiered pulpit for adulteresses (as opposed to adulterers!)to sit during the service, is absolutely fascinating.

And the talk continued with the abbeys of the region:  Fountains Abbey claims the oldest flush toilets in the country, Jervaulx with its ancient embalming stones, Bolton Abbey for the carving of the dog which inspired nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle and Grace Priory where the monks took the vow of silence and lived pretty much as hermits and their vegetarian food was delivered to their cells through a right angled tunnel so no interaction occurred.  That has a certain appeal for short periods of time if a laptop was included in the deal.

 As I said, this is only a taster.

On television I am enjoying the Last Tango in Halifax written by Sally Wainwright with main parts played by Anne Reid, Derek Jacobi, Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker and I am intrigued by a new drama The Town.

 

Maybe I should be exercising while watching!

 



Celebrating Chanukah with family and friends.  Made my best potato latkes yet.

 First night of Chanukah 2012
 

My gifts included an everyday watch and some pieces of wood for a project I have in mind.  

 second night