Hebden Bridge is a Quirky Little Town

Saturday just gone grocery shopping was on the agenda.   William elected to come along and suggested we go to Hebden Bridge for lunch prior to the shopping.

My favourite cafe in Hebden Bridge is Innovations and that’s where we enjoyed a lunch of tapas.  After which, in yet more brilliant sunshine, a stroll around the town was the right thing to do.

There was lots of quirky stuff going on.  The stone balancer. Stone balancing is a form of meditation for this Ecuadorian artist.  We’ve seen him before in the middle of the river doing his thing even when it’s been freezing cold weather.  And no, there isn’t any fixative of any description involved, those stones are literally balancing on each other.

Pavement artist.  Not quite drawing on the pavement itself but very close to it.

And this couple hugging in the street?  They didn’t know each other but…

… some people just can’t pass up on a freebie!

Another Weekend at Bay View

In fact Billy had booked Monday and Tuesday off work so last weekend was actually more than a weekend.   Travelling up on Saturday evening was a cinch.  Hardly any traffic on the roads and no hold ups on the motorway.  Sunshine too.  Wonderful! 

Sunday afternoon we had lunch at Beetham Nurseries Restaurant.  We had to seek the shade, it was just too hot to sit in the sun.  I hate to feel the sun burning the top of my head.  However, it’s fantastic to be hiding from the sun instead of taking shelter from the rain!!

Monday morning we headed down the coastal path looking forward to breakfast at Archer’s Cafe only to discover that Monday is the one day of the week they don’t open!  We were disappointed to say the least and guess what?  We won’t forget in a hurry that Monday is closing day.

The house above is to the side of Archer’s Cafe.  It must be the farmhouse.  The date above the door reads 1685.  I don’t think it’s changed much in those three hundred plus years.  If it had been built in more recent years it would be facing the sea and those views.  Definitely not away from it.  I’m sure there must have been a good reason for its positioning.  I wonder what it was.

Sheep on the salt marshes on the way back.  I was up close and personal but they weren’t one bit bothered by me.

Driving round and about we decided to take a look at another of the sites owned by the company that owns Bay View.  Five minutes the other side of Silverdale it’s a lovely site with great views of the estuary and sunsets.  I think I’d be very happy making the most of the summer months there myself.

Driving back I snapped this pic from the car.  Looked like a great place for a picnic.  In fact after telling Caroline about it she, Trev and Charlie spent a couple of hours there yesterday.  It’s a pity that what looked like sand from the car is more like mud when you get down there.  They had a good time though and will go again so that’s not so bad.

iPhone pic

Before we hit the motorway on Tuesday afternoon we finished our few days off with another visit to Beetham’s and coffee and a cake.  Very nice it was too.

Instagram Images..

..from the last couple of weeks. 

• Victoria and her team brought Max (their dog) to stay with us for two weeks while they jetted off to Fuertuventura.  They should be up in the clouds on the way back at this very minute.  I’ll be glad to have them back safe and sound and so will Max!
• Smiley faces.  Charlie and his mummy.
• The high temperatures continue.  Woohoo!!
• Charlie stripped down to shorts while he plays because of those high temperatures.
• The donkeys continue to delight me with their social skills.  They come running over to say hello every time I walk by their field.
• Breakfast with granddad in the sun.
• Walking the dogs.  Definitely a Simple Pleasure when the sun is shining.
• The fields behind our house.
• Whites hanging on the washing line.  A satisfying Simple Pleasure.

That’s it.  Short and sweet.

Levens Hall and a Car Boot Sale

One of the things that we knew we wanted to do during our week at Bay View was take a tour of Levens Hall and Gardens.

The Hall is famous worldwide for its topiary garden and if the information sheets are to be believed the topiary is the best of its kind in the world!  I can believe it.  We were both amazed by the size, shape and abundance of the specimens of topiary on offer.

  The rest of the garden was very pretty too. 

This little grouping of terracotta pots full of plants with little flowers caught my eye.  It must be nice to have green fingers and an artistic eye.  Think I’d settle for just the green fingers.

The Hall itself wasn’t so shabby either.  Photography wasn’t allowed inside the Hall but I can safely say it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the area.

On the last day of our holiday we drove a little way up the A6 toward Milnthorpe and tootled around a Car Boot Sale.

A huge car boot sale.

We each found stuff to look at.

There was something of interest for everybody.  I suppose it’s just a matter of opinion as to what is junk and what is a gem.  Neither of us found any gems but it was fun looking.

So that rounds up our week’s holiday at Bay View.

Until next time.

Beetham Nurseries and Village.

One of the reasons why we enjoyed our recent week at Bay View was the fact that John and Lesley came up to visit for a day. 

Naturally we showed them around Bay View and started the day off with the walk to and brunch at Archer’s Cafe and for some reason I don’t have a picture of that.  It was a very good start to the day though.

After which we took our visitors on a leisurely drive showing them the beautiful countryside around Bay View.   The scenery above, which isn’t far at all from Bay View, really, really pleases me.  I feast my eyes on it every time we pass it.

Later on in the day we found our way to Beetham Nurseries.  In my book this wonderful place has everything a self respecting garden centre should have.  The variety of plants, trees, shrubs et cetera is vast, varied and so colourful.  It’s such a pleasure to stroll around the grounds and then sit outside the very good cafe and admire it all.

Looking at all the alpine type plants.  Plenty of them to choose from.  I hemmed and hawed quite a bit over these plants but finally made my choice.

It had to be a Hen and Chicks.  I love these succulent plants and I’m just hoping that this specimen stays as healthy in the long run as it was the day we bought it.  Fingers crossed.

The picture above makes me laugh.  John and William look like two miserable naughty little boys sitting on the naughty step!  I can guarantee that if the naughty step had been around when they were little the pair of them would’ve spent a lot of time on it!

From the garden centre it was just a quick hop, skip and a jump to Beetham village in the centre of which is the 12th century church.

I’ll bet this very pretty pergola has featured in many a wedding photograph.

Walking further into the village we came across the village stocks.  My beloved looks right at home up there don’t you think?

I’m so glad John and Lesley came up to visit.  We always enjoy their company and now that they know where we are I’m hoping they’ll visit again… and again!

Until next time,

Coniston and Ambleside

William and I spent the first week of this month up at Bay View in our holiday home on wheels.

The weather started off fairly miserable but not desperately so.  On the first Sunday we drove north up to Coniston in The Lakes.  Billy was intrigued by the gate he was leaning against in the photo above.  There was a foot gap where surely there should have been none!

Walking around the village we came across picturesque scenes like this.  See how low the clouds were over the hills in the background?  There wouldn’t have been much of a view from up there that day.

Not much of a view from these cottages either but desirable nevertheless.  Probably a view with a high price tag too if they ever find their way into an estate agent’s window.

I can’t walk past an old church, especially one with an age old graveyard.  I just have to wander through and take a look at the inscriptions.

The day after we drove north again.  This time to Ambleside where we hiked up through damp, verdant countryside.

A couple of breaks along the way.

    The scenery although shrouded in mist was still something to behold with joy.

.

Our ultimate destination was Stockghyl Force.  We could have reached it within minutes via a more direct route from the town centre.  I didn’t share that little bit of information with William though until we reached the end because I know he would’ve wanted to take the short route.  And that wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun as the hour and a half long walk that we took instead to find it!  Now, would it?

The Sun’s Still Shining.

Charlie, my five year old grandson, spent the day with us today.

A few toys in a tub of water and an ice-cream meant Charlie was happy. 

I was able to grab a few photos of him.  That meant I was happy. 

Granddad was able to do a few jobs around the house and garden.  That meant he was happy. 

I’m loving this weather!

At Last…It’s Summer.

Well, finally summer has arrived and it’s been nothing but blue skies and sunshine all week and most of last week too!

Nicholas is on the left. With his tongue at risk of being bitten off!

Tuesday morning at 9.30 A.M., in brilliant sunshine, I met Victoria at the boy’s school to watch Nicholas take part in his Sports Day.  The heat was fierce but I don’t think the children noticed.  On the other hand, Victoria and I did!  We were definitely wilting before the morning was over.  I had taken my umbrella along not because I thought it was going to rain but because I knew it would come in handy as a sun parasol.  It did too.

George is on the far right.

After a lunch break we were back again to watch George in his races and if anything the heat was stronger.  My umbrella came in handy again.  I was glad for George that the sun was shining.  The last two years Sports Day for the juniors didn’t happen due to rain.

A few iPhone pics taken over the last couple of days.  All with one common denominator.  Every one of them taken outdoors.  And there are the blue skies I mentioned too.

• Screenshot of the temperatures we’re enjoying.
• Hanging basket.  We have several all made by the man of the house.  He does a good job on them.
• Blue sky with not a cloud in sight.
• I’ve been sitting in the garden reading at every opportunity I get. That is definitely one of my Simple Pleasures.  I’m reading Downtown by Anne Rivers Siddons at the minute and loving it.
• A walk through Ealees and a coffee outside the visitor centre cafe with John and Lesley.  Another Simple Pleasure.
• A look at the lake before walking back.
• Nicholas wearing my rings. He’s fascinated with them at the minute.
• My new Hen & Chicks.  I’m hoping I have more luck with this one than the last one.
• Muffin and Max enjoying a game of fetch!

Last week we were up at Bay View and of as yet I haven’t got round to blogging about it.  I don’t seem to have the inclination to sit at the computer and do the editing just now.  I will though, I have some happy memories to document.

And finally another iPhone weather app screenshot.  Seems this heatwave is set to last well into next week at least!  Hooray for summer!!