up hill and over dale

Friday 26 February

Today was bitterly freezing but spectacular.  The grey skies never really lifted, although we could see bits of sun on distant hills.

Our walk started near the Charles Bathurst in Arkengarthdale.  We were wrapped up in thermals that we'd taken up beyond the Arctic Circle in December!  I had on 3 pairs of gloves . . .

Found a great walk and followed it (more or less ..... OK we did get a bit lost on the top of the fell)

skellies littered the tops of the fell - just around the area we were lost in . . .

but lost or not, the views were worth it

that lovely 'on top of the world' feeling and our picnic spot for a chunk of bara brith

not another soul in sight

and thankfully we regain the path and find our way down to Booze

'Black Sheep' all over again

and as for this monster sheep - we still don't know if it was gigantic hybrid or just standing on a bale of straw!!  Didn't want to venture close to find out either!

Ahhh one of those lovely Dales' fords

reminded me of the start of All Creatures Great and Small intro when James Herriot's little car splashes through the ford!  And the actual one they filmed it in isn't far from Arkengarthdale.  Take a listen:

however there were bridges too

and murky tunnels to navigate

scary or what

but a lovely pub down in Langthwaite ....... sadly closed til the evening - so no warm up here

Just LOVED This almost perfectly symmetrical tree they seem to have designed their garden around at Scar House

and here endeth our amazing 6 mile adventure and safe and sound and back to Winston for the best ever stone baked pizza from the Stable Hearth in the nearby Gainford and a cosy log fire.

And as we were so near to Swaledale on our hike, I'll leave you with a Sheffield 'local carols' rendition of the song I was singing to myself from the top of that wild empty fell.
This is from the Royal Hotel at Dungworth where I sing once a year.   A lovely rendition and much loved as is ours at the Black Bull in Ecclesfield sung by the wonderful Eric on November and December thursday nights.

SWALEDALE 

I will sing of a place that is dear to my heart,

A place where I always would dwell,

And if you will kindly lend me an ear

A few of its beauties I’ll tell

Chorus:- In that beautiful dale, home of the Swale,

How well do I love thee, how well do I love thee?

Beautiful dale, home of the Swale,

Beautiful, beautiful dale.

    

Oh, it’s far far away from the noise and the din

Of colliery an’ factory an’ mill,

From the bustle and stir of town life, shut in

By verdant and radiant hills.

And how often as boys have we wandered along

Beside of the river so clear;

The birds never failing to sing their sweet song

And lend a charm to your ear.

And if fate ee’er compels me to leave this dear spot

In other lands far away roam,

My earnest wish whatee’er be my lot

Is to end my days here at home.

And you can read on to our next day - when we venture out to the magnificent east coast - read here for Saturday's adventure.

If you missed the start of this birthday weekend then just click here.

in a pear tree

Oooooo nearly there!!

These are my twelve pics of Christmas

1.  We'll be trying the trendy Aperol Spritz (discovered at my birthday dinner) with our present-opening this Christmas

2. Spontaneous carol singing in the foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank in December after our wonderful concert by the Morley Chamber Orchestra in the Purcell Room.  They were of course the 'new' carols, but we'll let them off!

3.  Christmas gig in Putney.  The amazing Police Dog Hogan featuring the one and only Tim Dowling from the Guardian on banjo, harmonica and vocals

4. My first flash mob participation!  Singing local carols in the concourse of Sheffield Station at 10pm one December night after a stupendous evening on the Folk Train to Edale.
5.  Total hilarity at work when Movember fundraising managers took to the (moving) paternoster in the Arts Tower to sing to us as they passed - you had to be there!!!!

6.  The one and only, my favourite caroling pub - our beloved Black Bull, with old friends over there in the 'corner' and sublime, roof raising choruses.

7.  and while I was out singing last Thursday, the little Greno elf had put up our wonderful bendy Christmas tree - Caroline the Pine is this year's chosen name

8.  The final Friday night at the Top Red with Ray and the band and friends old and new, while the wind and rain lashed in from the woods, but we were cosy and warm and in good voice inside.  Christmas wouldn't be Christmas in Sheffield without these songs

9.  The arrival of my great neice Tilly - can't wait to see her when we have our family outing to Oliver

10.  Our wonderful new fairy lights - after a trip to the Moor on Saturday

11.  Winning entry from the Christmas jumper competition at our Christmas Dance last night!  We didn't manage an entry but I like to think we conducted ourselves well in the Tangos and Waltzes

11.  A big hurrah for the floorboards being put back down in time for Christmas preps!

12.  and last but not least - the dear old Greno elf checking in with Santa

hOpE eVeRyOnE hAs A vErY mErRy ChRiStMaS

wItH lOvE aNd MiStLeToE kIsSeS

mE

x X x X x

(in my loverly Christmas earrings)

(Oooops - just noticed I've got two '11's - never mind, consider it a bonus and 13 is 'lucky for some' after all)!

And those not on ipads or iphones will be able to have a bit of musical accompaniment - we voted this our favourite Christmas childhood song in the office last week - click and play . . . Christmas Alphabet

 

down paradise row

Sunday 1st December

Day 3 in London for my birthday weekend and it's a lovely day of chance meetings, sunsets-on-fire and rousing sing-songs.

Catch up from the start of the weekend if you prefer by clicking here)

First it was a tasty Turkish breakfast of spinach, onions and eggs at the trendy, friendly Z cafe in Stoke Newington.  Then, walking down Church Street, past this cheerful Christmas tree . . .

who do we bump into but Helen - time for another photo!

After a bit of shopping in the tempting crafty places, it was a diversion into the calm of Abney Park Cemetery, which was absolutely amazing.  So if you'd like to see my notes and pictures of this then please click on Abney Park Cemetery visit.  London's so full of these little surprise gems in the midst of the bustle.

Next we headed over to the new shopping mall next to St Paul's and up onto the roof for the most incredible sunset - and metal on the roof below gives the illusion you're at the seaside with the sun slanting over the water - stunning!!

As usual too many shots, but sunsets were always my weak point and the light changes so quickly.
After a quick shop in Oxford Street - all be-decked for Christmas,

It was on another incredible sing-song again at the Duke of Kendal.  My old man followed his van, Mother Kelly sat on her doorstep and Lily the Pink had a drink a drink a drink . . . it was hard tearing ourselves away for the last tube.

On the rails

This had to go straight onto the blog!!!!  Such an amazing night, as us Grenoside Top Red carollers led the Folk Train from Sheffield to Edale.

It was all aboard the 07:14 on platform 5a and a quick tune for the cello and fiddles

Then a good rousing rendition of Hark Hark and the rest as we rattled through Grindleford and Hope, carriages packed to the gunnels. Finally pulling into Edale where the masses alighted and the train continued across the silent dark mountains to Manchester.

The Ramblers Rest glowed in welcome as we marched up the unlit lane.

The moon was high in the sky

And the carolling recommenced as glasses were filled with Farmer's Blond

The Sword dancers danced their dance outside in the cold fresh night

And all too soon, after a final Diadem, it was back to Edale station

spilling over its little platform to await the 9:28 to Sheffield

Moon still high

And singing all the way back to the city.

Then a brilliant bonus as we set up shop in Sheffield station concourse for an impromptu sing. Quick tune first . . .


Smiles and photos from passing travellers and acoustics to die for.  It might have been a small one, but for all the world it felt every bit a flash mob!!  I like to think we're now out there on Youtube somewhere . . .

Off to bed now with all the old favourites zooming around my head!!

(All pics taken on my phone so not brilliant standard, but you get the gist!) 


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