GERVASE PHINN, THE WEST END, A REUNION AND A RAMBLE

WEDNESDAY



Today we visited Gawsworth Hall Open Air Theatre for a picnic tea in the gardens, a tour the 550 year old house and an evening of cultural entertainment. The ex Inspector of schools and now author of many books, Gervase Phinn, recounted amusing tales from his working days. He had the audience in stitches for nearly 3 hours. It was a great evening. I purchased his latest book and managed to get his autograph and a cuddle to boot.

FRIDAY

Friday at Gawsworth was a musical evening with songs from current shows in the West End. Grease, The Sound of Music, Chicago, Jesus Christ Super Star, Mary Poppins, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Blood Brothers, Mamma Mia and of course Les Miserable. The music was of a very high standard and we enjoyed the night immensely.




SATURDAY and SUNDAY



We held our planned reunion this weekend with seven girls from my college year. 40 years since we left Nevilles Cross . Scary!!! The girls started to arrive mid morning on Saturday. Judy Sharp, followed quickly by Gill Hoad, Chris Taylor (Glaisedale) Jan Lickley (Eastbourne) and Linda Dix. Pat Butler and Dorothy Hailes would arrive on Sunday. They all organised accommodation in and around Macclesfield. It still amazes me how we just continued where we left off- so comfortable in the company of one another. The men knew the drill, they disappeared into another room and left us to it. We reminisced; we talked and laughed till we cried. Ten of us sat down to dinner. I made a couple of main dishes and Linda made a dessert, and all too quickly it was midnight. Sunday dawned a beautiful day. By 11.30 am we had a full house. I fed them lunch in the garden (yes the sun was shining), and then we were off for a hike. No problem for ex Phys Ed students! Bella needed a walk too! We drove to Rainow, walked the walk, and talked the talk, then ended up at the pub at Kerridge. The sun still shone. Our first good weekend of weather since we arrived in Macclesfield!!! Our evening meal was booked at a local pub. Colin and I had tried it out the week before and passed it as excellent value for money. Another successful night. Back to 265 for a night cap. All too soon it was Monday morning and they all called back in before leaving. We look forward to another reunion next time I’m in the UK.

MONDAY

Inspired by the thrill seeking escapades of the Pickles family in the USA; swimming the rapids and humming the desert ridges, we decided to throw caution to the wind and embark on a daring tea shop ramble. Our challenge would be to circumnavigate the National Trust Park at Alderley Edge without a guide book and with only the promise of the sun as a navigation aid. Progress was stunning for the first hour but slowly the realisation dawned that home base was not around the next corner, or the next, or the next. Showing signs of desperation Kerry again called out for a flock of guiding geese and once more her oneness with nature was rewarded. Unfortunately this bunch (they did not deserve their collective noun) had no sense of direction at all, as shown in the photograph. Even the cattle were too embarrassed to lift their heads. So we had to resort to native cunning and actually ask someone for directions. Worse still our pocket money did not stretch to an ice-cream, and even Bella showed signs of disappointment or tiredness. We must now have a crack at Kinder Scout.

LOST IN CHESHIRE

There was to be no mistake this time with a Cheshire ramble. Armed with a 2.5 inch to the mile ordnance survey map and a copy of Best Tea Shop Walks in Cheshire giving a detailed description of the ramble, (or was that a rambling description of the detail) we embarked on Walk 18 Prestbury. The first 50% was negotiated extremely well, even though at times we thought we were walking through people's front gardens. This part of the walk consumed 14 of the 16 paragraphs in "Best Walks". The second half of the walk was described as "Pass along the barn to another stile which provides access to Motram Wood. The path through this is clear and easy to follow". WE POLITELY BEG TO DIFFER.
In the final two paragraphs there was no description of a huge, ney an enormous, golf course packed with golfers replaying the British Open, or of the need to traverse at least four fairways. Fortunately while marooned halfway down the 18th and with a dog on lead Kerry eventually found the solution. She suggested that we wait for a line of geese to pass by and then just follow them. Luckily we did not have to wait long since from out of the long grass emerge a line of geese which led us to the grand Club house (see photographs - Gary I am sure you will be interested in the guides and club accommodation) and introduced us to the Chef. The Chef was the only person we could engage who knew that the path round to the toilets was actually part of the Penine Way or something sounding similar. With renewed hope we set off for the toilets and eventually after another short detour round the thirteenth green we were back on track for Prestbury, ending the ramble with only two bogies and a string of large birdies.

Having some spare time on our hands this week, due to the prevalence of rain, we have been busy re-decorating the dining room at 265 Oxford Road. We have also added a major water feature to the garden (See photographs, -- Dave and Val we hope you approve).

During a visit to Chatsworth House Kerry suddenly decided that the surroundings felt familiar and that she must be descended from Royal blood. Therefore we have embarked on a search for potential ancestors. The attached photograph shows some promising signs.







We are taking our house-sitting seriously. The cheetah prowling the garden has been captured and domesticated and Bella the spaniel has been mountaineering.

NOVEL WAYS TO AVOID THE RAIN

These ex-pats can be cunning. After eight weeks of record rains, and the broadcast forecast of further monumental torrential rains we decided to go sub-terranian. We went pot-holing, not a pursuit for the faint hearted. Clad in climbing gear and furnished with a senior citizens discounted ticket we descended into the cavernous under-world of the Blue John mine in Derbyshire. (What John has got to do with it remains a mystery). Led by a no-nonsense, abrupt Mancunian we descended through a labyrinth of tunnels and caverns to see the seam of Blue John mineral which is still mined, and is unique to the area. Who were we to question the claim, we had to get back to the surface and to feel the warmth of the overcast clouds on our face again. The reward for risking life and limb was lunch at the Cheshire Cheese at Castleton and tea at the Cat and Fiddle, a lone pub on the high road between Buxton and Macclesfield.

Flushed with yesterday's success, we decided to avoid the rain again and visit Manchester. Kerry explained that the Manchester Selfridges has the lowest recorded rainfall in the North of England and is worth every mega-penny. An all-day, all-vehicle seniors ticket saw us transported by Virgin bullet train into Piccadilly Station Manchester, and within minutes, into the sunshine of Harvey Nicks and Selfridges. Armani, failed to work his magic even with the sales in full swing, but Max Mara spoiled a clear round in Selfridges despite a couple of refusals. Note the garish bag in the photograph. The big wheel really was photographed in sunshine, but umbrellas were not far away.

LOUSHINE IN THE SUNSHINE

We needed some relief from the rain and so we have stolen a photo from Kerry and Gary's Outback Adventure. Using Gary's description, " Kerry deliriously happy"

RAINING - CATS AND DOGS - AND A VISIT TO BRUM

Macclesfield was developed as a Silk town, and was probably chosen because of the prevalence of rain in this region. The silk industry is no more, the mills are being re-developed into apartments, but the one thing that has not changed is the rain which comes down vertically and persistently every day - well almost. Yesterday we went to Zannah's (Robin's wife) 40th birthday party in Bromsgrove, near Birmingham. The sun came out and the day was warm. We caught up with Richard, Claire and kids, and Kate, Dan and Kids and had a lovely day. See photos at the party and also some photos of our charges in Macclesfield.
Following our failed walking effort on Wednesday we recovered brilliantly on Thursday. We were invited by the walk leaders from the Manchester Rambling Club to join their July walk near Macclesfield. The club is 100 years old, and so we were in very good rambling company. We rambled-on with the best of them, particularly in the pub afterwards.
Photos.
(1) Wally with cruciate ligament operation
(2) Bella the docile spaniel
(3) Lobby the wild-one
(4) Ramblers rambling in the pub at Kerridge)
(5) Relations relating - Some resemblance what?
(6) Kate Dan, Ethan and Erin in foreground

TWO MONTHS IN MACCLESFIELD - WHERE?

This is going to be exciting reading so hold on for a very enthralling ride through the last seven days in England.
Photos below show 265 Oxford Road; (1) Front view, (2) rear view, (3) kitchen, (4) dining (5) stairs,(6) upstairs.
Nicole, look carefully at the garden pictures. There is definite evidence of a master pruner at work!
Apart from walking the dog each day, some gardening and housework, (same old same old, and we're merely house sitters) we have strolled into town, tested a cappuccino, checked out Sainsbury's, Tesco's and a card shop. Had a few laughs in there matching up the people to the cards. Kerry Lou featured in many, as did JD ----- funny about that!!!!
Tuesday evening, wandered along to the local on Oxford Road, 50 metres away, to test the local brew. It was O.K. and so convenient, (only 100 yards home!)
This morning, I poured over a mountain of trekking books and ordnance survey maps to work out a walk in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Starting at the Crag Inn, Wildboarclough as recommended, we strode out with great enthusiasm negotiating two well marked gates leading into a field of sheep. (Andrew, it wasn't Mount Margaret Station let me tell you! Maybe 100 sheep!) We circumnavigated the fence line to find a way out ending up where we started, then panicked and retreated hastily back to the Inn. A grand trek of at least 320 yards!! Now that we have done the Peak District, we are heading to the Pennines. What odds the Himalayas?

The photos above were taken on Wednesday afternoon 11th July when I thought the sun was going to shine. I have just heard the weather forecast for tomorrow. It is going to hiss down - surprise surprise. It should be a lot better in York based on local (extremely local) reports.

T Rains T Rains and more Trains

On Monday night we had just decided to have a couple of fags in the local pub and immediately the British Government introduced a ban on smoking in pubs. So how does a pensioner tourist rebel, when the kids aren’t watching?
After making good use of the ‘Coliseum’ internet cafe in Whitby on Monday morning, (J will show all Whitby holiday makers the location,) and having a 3 way chat with Graham, Bruce jnr, and Colin (that was hilarious), we decided to head for Grosmont and catch the steam train to Pickering. There is not much activity in Glaisdale when it’s bucketing down with rain!!! Raining at Wimbledon too. That puts a stop to watching the tennis! As you would guess, Colin took a million photos of the train and of the journey as we wound our way slowly through the most picturesque countryside. We arrived in Pickering and saw the devastation that the rain and flooding had brought to the town earlier in the week. A skip outside the white goods store was filled to the brim with televisions and other electrical items. We walked passed houses where the flood waters had been 2 feet up the walls. You could see the damage it had caused inside each dwelling. It was all very sad. However, forgetting their misery and remembering our stomachs we headed off to The Forest and Vale for a late lunch. The rain had stopped as we wandered back to the station to catch the return steam train. We alighted at Goathland (Aidensfield)for an hour. I was a little girl the last time I walked around this village. There are a few shops but the place has changed little.
Back in Grosmont we decided to head back into Whitby and have fish and chips for tea at ‘Trenchers’. My first taste of f & c’s this trip. They were good, just as good as ‘The Magpie’ Colin thought. End of another day!
Tuesday July 3rd.
Another rainy day, so we decided to go trekking the moors in the car rather than use the new boots. How much rain can one country get!!! The touring was combined with a visit back to Colin’s old stamping rounds in Swinton. I am designated driver on all our trips. Col concentrates more on the views around him than the views immediately in front of him! Anyway, he’s the chief photographer and navigator. Bet you all can’t wait to come to Margate Street on our return and have viewings of many thousands of slideshows on the computer!!!!!! It was a long and winding car journey to Swinton via Rosedale, Hutton-Le-Hole, Bransdale, and a short visit to ‘Shandy Hall’ at Coxwold. Shandy Hall is where Laurence Sterne wrote his famous novel “Tristan Shandy”. We had a pleasant lunch in the Pub at Rosedale, followed by an interesting drive over the moors dodging billowing rain clouds and fording through a foot of water, tested by Colin in his Jesus boots. See picture. We eventually arrived at Dave and Jane’s house at 4.30 for a lovely farm tea. This was followed by a visit to see Colin’s cousin Freda and her husband, Martin Prest (Freda visited us many years ago in Melbourne.) They still live in Swinton, but sadly Freda has developed Alzheimer disease and we doubt if she recognised either of us. She certainly didn’t look like the Freda we once knew! Martin is a badminton player, so he took us down to the new Swinton sports hall. I hit up with them for a couple of minutes with plastic shuttles and a lousy racquet. I’m missing my badminton! Lovely facilities for such a small village though. We met up with Dave and Derek Cuthbertson who played football with Col. Then onto David (Butch) Barker’s house for a chat and then a pint at the Blacksmiths Arms. Butch remembers you well Andrew, all 6ft 7ins of you. He said you, David and Jane Raines and he, had a real good night at the Arms. I remember getting dropped off at Mum’s that night and you lot carried on to the Swinton pub. You obviously made a lasting impression!!!! Alison (Butch’s wife) joined us in the pub after she had won her game of bowls, and 3 more guys wandered into the pub. Col knew all of them through his football, but it just happened that one of them, Bruce Watson knew me from the Grammar School. I wouldn’t have recognised him, but once you talk to someone for a few minutes, you can see the person you once knew. We had a long chat and reminisced about the old days. It was really good to catch up. Colin talked to David Ward who was one of the best cricketers and footballers in the district, and who tragically had a leg removed at aged 16 following a hit on the thigh by a cricket ball.
It was a late drive home, but amazingly, Glaisdale is not as isolated as we thought. We were home before midnight. Dirty stopouts!! End of yet another day!

Well not quite. We have just read the first contribution to this blog by the well known York poet and wit JD. We appreciate the humour and the excellent typing skills demonstrated on MOD time!!!

NORTH TO GLAISDALE

The last two pictures above show the front of the cottage with a slightly disguised Liverpool United house plaque and the view from the rear of the cottage over Egton and then up to Goathland Moor where I followed John's car journey for 18 minutes. The earlier pictures are taken during our walk through the dale at Glaisdale then back across the moor. The top display is on the bank opposite our cottage. There is a display of "scarecrows" throughout the village as part of the village gardens open day.

Monday 25th June, our last summer (?) day in Harrogate, was a day of deluge and floods across Yorkshire. We left the garden in good shape, but waterlogged.
On Tuesday night we had a beer at the Bishopthorpe Club and provided the guest audience for J&T’s Rock and Roll Club. We were impressed. They were very good.
Kerry accompanied J to see their Mum and Dad’s names in the Book of Remembrance at the Scarborough Crematorium on Wednesday 27th June. They came back to Malton, and had lunch at The Wentworth Arms in Old Malton where Kerry did waitressing in her College days. They then walked round old haunts- The Grammar School, The Avenue and round the town. I called on my eldest cousin Brian Boyes in Malton, then drove over to Cloughton with Brian to see another cousin John, and have a beer at the Blacksmiths Arms. John is a very accomplished oil painter and he showed us some of his many paintings. In the evening, J & T took Kerry and me to see Beauty and the Beast at the Old Opera House in York. It was very good.
Kerry’s college friend, Christine, and her husband David, offered us the use of their holiday cottage in Glaisdale. So on Thursday we were off up to the North Yorkshire moors. Because of flooding in Pickering, we drove to Glaisdale via Castle Howard, Hovingham, then on small moorland roads through Hutton le Hole and Rosedale. Kerry bought some walking boots and socks in Whitby on Friday and these were given their maiden voyage over the moors on Saturday morning. We walked up Glaisdale then out of the valley onto the moor and back to Glaisdale along part of the Coast to Coast walk, a total of around 12km. (see photos). We are staying in an old miners cottage high up in Glaisdale with spectacular views over the Esk valley and across the North Yorks Moors. J&T visited on Friday and when they left I was able to follow their car with binoculars for 18 minutes until they disappeared over the moor top. The forecast of heavy rain curtailed our weekend walking ambitions, so we settled for tea and scones in Sandsend on Saturday and in Staithes on Sunday. The scenery is spectacular and the rain clouds add to the general drama but make photography difficult.
Kerry did a fitness test at York Hospital on Friday morning. (Post hospital check.) She passed with flying colours. She reached stage 4 of the test. Apparently most patients don’t get past stage 2. Nothing wrong with her heart, so the trip to hospital was most likely a severe digestive responsive.