Wednesday 4 May 2011

A Grand Day Out

Hello Lovelies ,
Last week, when all five of us were off work/school, we had a little day trip to see the part of the world where I grew up . I don't have any relatives here anymore  ,so consequently, even though it only takes a couple of hours to get to this part of Yorkshire, I haven't been here for ...ooooh ....20 years !!!

Inspired both by Lucy and Heather's  lovely pictures , and by a desire to show my growing boys where I come from we finally made the trip . Up the motorway, then along increasingly twisty , hilly roads , still comfortingly familiar to me .
Finally we get close to my old home and I know exactly where to stop...a little lay-by on the moor....I hold my breath as we round the corner. Will it be the same  ? 20 years is a long time . Has my memory played tricks with me ? Is it as gorgeous as I remember ???..........





Ahhhhhh....stunning , just as it always was . Growing up looking at this view every day I didn't even register it really . Views were not high on my list of priorities as a child ...but, BOY.... they are now .
Back then I didn't know anything else . It was just there . Today I'm in heaven to see it again , still almost identical to how it was back then .We get out of the car and I drink it in .Sigh......




 It's really hilly around here and that makes for great views ............


I'm so happy when the boys play in the heather, just as I remember doing as a child, great for hide and seek or just laying in the springy Heather and cloud watching.....




The moor in these parts is a mixture of Heather and Bilberry plants. These are looking particularly pretty in the sunshine. I'm interested to see  the little fruits growing already. .....


I've spent many an hour picking these ,they are  purple when they are ripe , like a smaller version of a blackcurrant.Great for jam or with apple for a crumble.
It's lunch time by the time the boys have finished playing . Just simple cheese and crackers  made then and there and enjoyed with milky coffee from a thermos , looking at the view and enjoying the fresh air and the peace ...


Next we walk into the village, along the footpaths and past these cute " Hen Pieces "as they are known around here.....


On the Main street it looks pretty busy, but this is quiet for Haworth . It's a very touristy place which is a mixed blessing when you live there. My mum used to say that you could buy the same thing in every shop on the main street, not quite true but that's how it felt.

Being famous as the home of the Bronte Sisters means the pretty cobbled streets have been preserved so that has to be a good thing......





After a quick look around we head out of the village , ice creams in hand, back to car . It's such a lovely warm day and I know a favourite spot for just such a day.


We drive past the reservoir...it's looking pretty empty for this time of year....


Then along another valley before the road climbs . Now we are much higher than my little moor.  No trees grow up here and it's a pretty bleak spot in the winter, but today the view is stunning...even the boys are impressed....


We are over the border in Lancashire now, and heading down into the valley bottom ...to a spot that was just a deserted hamlet when I was a child , but now is a country park.........


Back down among the trees . I love the dry stone walls.....


Wycoller has seven bridges of different ages and a lovely cobbled ford across the beck.....


this is the pack horse bridge and it has a slightly wonky look ,one arch being a different shape to the other...


Walking across it you can see the wear of the stone from hundreds of years of use.....


The boys have a great time playing in the water , building a "bridge" with the stones ...


You can see their handy work towards the top of this picture , though I've mostly included it because of the cute Mother Duck and her duckings...


It's so peaceful here too, I think the local children are back at school . I sit and listen to the gentle running water . Near the water the walls are covered in moss.........


Wycoller Hall, which is now a pretty ruin also has  a Bronte connection .....


It really is idyllic on a day like this......


Looking at this image I can see why Mum, a keen painter, loved to bring us here as children. While by brother and I played it the water she would sit and sketch this scene.....



I think this steep path used to be the main access to the hall......


And at the top of it we found this strange object......


The boys ran ahead to investigate but I turned around to soak in the far reaching views towards Pendle Hill, it's distinctive outline is easy to spot....


The strange object turns out to be this. It's fun to climb in and out of if you are a small boy ,and the windows frame the view.........


But on such a glorious day I'm happiest sitting on the grass and enjoying the panorama.........

Can you see the interesting stone walls behind my knees ? They're peculiar to this area , medieval walling, I've since learned they are called Vaccary Walls.

I sit for a while and drink in the Sunshine .You can just see my youngest at the edge of this shot , he kept running down the hills and I had to warn him to slow down . He's not used to such steep slopes ,ones where if you are not careful your momentum will mean you can't stop .....


All too soon it's time to get back in the car and head back over the moor into Yorkshire,back to Haworth..........


The boys are hungry and so am I . Ahhh fish and chips . They were darn good :0)


It really was a grand day out and one I will remember for a long time.
Jacquie x

P.S. In Yorkshire "Grand " is used for lovely , enjoyable , beautiful. Not anything posh or regal.

47 comments:

  1. Beautiful!!!!! Have you ever read the James Herriott books? The cobblestoned streets and the stone walls and endless green are just how I pictured the scenery that he writes about. I want to go there more than ever now! Thanks for sharing :)

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  2. Thank you for sharing this beautiful day out you had with your family. The scenery is spectacular. It's so lovely revisiting where we grew up. I'm so happy I get home to Western Australia twice a year to the farm and even get to sleep in my old room.
    Have a lovely day,
    Anne xx

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  3. Oh, Jacquie, I could look at your photos all day! My family and I are coming to England in about a month - doing a bit of Scotland, the Lakes, a 2 week canal trip from Derby to Nantwich and back down again through Shropshire, then the New Forest for a week. CANNOT WAIT!! We will be skirting the edges of the Y Dales Nat Park on our trip from the Lakes to Derby, so will hopefully see a bit of the countryside you've shown. What a wonderful day for your family! Just gorgeous! Fiona xx

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  4. Wow! You have no idea how much I wanted to jump through the screen and BE THERE!!! The view is beautiful! The village is so charming. And I want fish and chips for dinner now!

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  5. How lovely to revisit where you grew up, and to take your boys too! Stunning views and gorgeous surroundings!Such beautiful photos! My dad keeps telling me I should visit Yorkshire, I really must find time to go!
    So many places to go, so little time!
    Rachel x

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  6. Hi Bunny Mummy! I've been reading your blog for the last few weeks and I decided I had to write and say how much I enjoyed this post. The photos are gorgeous, the memories precious, but....being a Scot exiled in America, I have to say the pic of the fish supper did me in. Do you know how much I crave the smell of hot vinegar on fish n'chips? ...and such nice weather! Thanks for bringing us on this beautiful day out.

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  7. What gorgeous scenery! Breathtaking!

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  8. Oh my goodness, that's a delicious day for sure. Look at the gorgeous weather you're having, too--I'm so jealous. It's been pouring here in NY for a month. Thanks for taking us with you on your day in the country. :)

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  9. Hey Jacquie, I did and didn't want to click on your new post as judging by the teeny, weeny photo on my side bar I could tell it was going to be full of drop, dead gorgeous scenery.

    I knew I would be a teensy bit jealous it is just soooo beautiful over there.
    I can't believe it's 20 years since you've been back there. Don't leave it quite so long next time.

    It's been lovely sharing this outing, although it's a bit rough ending with a pic of those yummy fish 'n chips. Wish we had 'smell a vision' on computers, hehehe...

    Looks like the boys had a fun time. It's great to show them where you grew up and I must say Haworth looks like a wonderful village, love the cobbled streets.

    Thanks for popping by mine.

    Claire :}

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  10. Such a beautiful place. Its so good that you could take the boys there and now its a part of their childhood memories.

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  11. hey a Yorkshire lass!! Lovely post ,the Yorkshire tourist board should pay you.

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  12. Hello, i just think you did a super job giving us a tour and making us feel we were part of your day...just breath taking..thank you so much...can't wait for the next day out now lol

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  13. What a lovely post Jacquie, a perfect memory buildiing day! Beautiful part of the world, thanks for sharing it with us.

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  14. Just a beautiful post i had a lump in my throat reading it and seeing the children play where you used to i can imagine how that feels. It looks very similar to a place i grow up but i moved away 2o years ago, although my family still live there and i like you didn't appreciate its beauty as a child. Stunning photo's thanks for sharing such a lovely post, dee x

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  15. Isn't Britain wonderful?!

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  16. That all looks perfect :) How great that the places you remember haven't changed - thats the only danger of going back after a long time.

    We visited one of the villages I grew up in last year - the area I remembered most (the green outside the house) was ruined :(

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  17. what a beautiful virtual holiday tour I just had! It looks indeed like an amazing day, to keep in your memory for ever.
    Love, Maaike

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  18. I spent a lot of my childhood growing up in Yorkshire too - on an isolated moortop near Richmond - such beautiful views and scenery, but as you say you don't tend to appreciate it quite so much when you are passing it every day. I used to love going back to visit my parents in University holidays and afterwards for many years, went back periodically about 3 times a year. Last year though they moved to the Midlands - am very sad that the place I grew up and took for granted I can no longer visit at ease. I will definitely go back one day hopefully with my children (when I have some!) like you did. It looks like a stunning day, and one with a lot of memories xx

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  19. Hi, I'm not too far away from Howarth myself and have been there several times over the years, so it was nice to see such lovely photos of somewhere I recognise. I'm glad you had such a good day, and it looks like the weather was behaving itself for you too!

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  20. Oh that gave me goosebumps. Beautiful!!

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  21. It sounds like you had a great day out, I loved looking at the pictures it's such a beautiful landscape.

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  22. Oooh, how beautiful...
    I want to go too... (ever...)

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  23. Stunning!! I love Haworth - is "The Souk" still there? what a lovely trip you had. x

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  24. Your photos' are breathtaking, Yorkshire is a beautiful part of the country, we are so lucky to live in England.
    lily x

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  25. What a glorious day out! Lovely photos, I loved the cobbled ford and the pack horse bridge.

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  26. Lovely photos, it looks like a beautiful part of the country. Isn't this weather fabulous!

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  27. Ahh wonderful - you were on my home patch, this is our stomping ground as we only live the other side of Wycoller! You had beautiful weather for it, so glad the boys enjoyed it xx

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  28. As I said over at Lucy's, as a Yorkshire lass down south it's lovely to see your beautiful photos - we have some pretty views here in Hampshire, but I think few compare to those "up north"....

    S x

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  29. Stunning pics, was that a stash shop i spied... Rosie Bobbin i think it was called??

    I'm glad you veiw was just as you had remembered it, so often when you return to a place it just isn't the same and it's disappointing

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  30. I thoroughly enjoyed this post. Your photos are breathtaking! Thank you for sharing your lovely day with us.

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  31. thank you for sharing. i've never been to Great Britain. your pics are wonderful. you have a very artistic eye - no doubt inherited from your mother!

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  32. Wow, you packed such a lot in to a day! What a beautiful place and a lovely day. Thanks for letting me see the pics :)

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  33. Such a beautiful part of the world.
    x

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  34. Gorgeous! I know this part of the world really well and whatever the season, it is beautiful xx

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  35. Thank you for an amazing trip, Jacquie! I loved every moment and photo! Everything is just so beautiful! My dream is and has been to spend a month going around by car and seeing all that beauty!
    xxx Teje

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  36. What a lovely day you had and the weather looked amazing. One of my childhood views was the other side of Pendle Hill!

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  37. Stunning photos. Looks like you had an incredible day and the weather looks just perfect.

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  38. I feel all warm inside to think that my photos helped inspire you to have a grand day out (... and not a Jacob's Cracker or home made spaceship in sight?)
    Next time you are visiting the area drop me an email and we can go out for lunch :)
    xxxxxxxxx Heather

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  39. Just loved your pictures, really enjoyable!

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  40. Such beautiful views and areas! Thank you for sharing!

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  41. Thanks Jacquie for a wonderful tour of your childhood neighbourhood. What a beautiful part of your country. It looked like a perfect Spring day.

    Lishaxx

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  42. Jacquie, next time we are holidaying in the UK, I will get my tour info from you. So much better to get info from a local in the know! :-) I love the north of England and the wilds of the moors. Can't wait to get back... one day... one day... *sigh* Until then, your pics are a wonderful way to transport me there... thank you so much for this beautiful post.
    Caz :)

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  43. I love your blog and read every post. I thought of you when I read about these bunny poop earrings on another blog - http://blog.toadilypets.com/2011/05/product-bunny-poop-earrings.html

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  44. Oh Jacquie what a stunning part of Yorkshire, you couldn't of askedfor a more beautiful day, your photo's are truly gorgeous. I NEED to come up north ! xox Thanks so much for sharing really lifted my spirits x

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  45. Wow what beautiful photos. The English countryside is so lovely, it's a thing I really notice nowadays when I'm out on drives with friends. Your photos have really captured the beauty of the places you visited. Thanks for sharing x

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  46. Sitting here on a grey old day in Gloucestershire, I was so happy to read your post and enjoy the glorious sunny photos of your grand day out - thank you! Looks like a fabulous family day xx

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  47. A beautiful post, I really enjoyed reading this :)

    Your photos of Wycoller are lovely. Dave's dad lives about 70 miles north of me, not far from Pendle Hill and when we visited last year, we went for a walk in Wycoller but it was winter and bitterly cold. I'll have to go again on a nice day. We're going up to his Dad's for the weekend.

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