Waterfalls Walk, Swimming & Cricket

The driest Thorton Force we've ever seen!

We ended up having a really busy day today.  Not sure how - but it happened.  So it dawned another lovely and sunny day (what's new - we have got to the stage where we don't bother drawing the curtains in the morning anymore to see what sort of weather it is going to be.  We know it is going to be hot and sunny - it's like living in a foreign country!!!!!!)

All Sudz were here at 9am,  Matt had tooth ache and booked himself an emergency appointment in Settle so we were without the car.  Neither me nor Tom have done the waterfalls walk for a while (me because of my bad leg and Tom because he's always busy doing other stuff!) so we headed out.  We were out early enough for it not to be too busy and we marched our way round - there wasn't really that much to see - it hasn't rained for ages now and of course it has been hot too.

Picking up a tree?

The river bed was wider than usual and when we got to Thornton Force, it was the driest we have ever seen it - just a dribble going over rather than the usual pounding water.

We continued on round the trail - it was very hot and muggy so we were both quite sweaty as we headed round, and with no little waterfalls on the banks as we headed round, we didn't really get the chance to cool down.

We did the course in record time (Tom is so fit now).  On our way out we met a lady with a blind spaniel and we stopped for a chat.  Get this they relocated here from 'near Reading' in December - wanting to live somewhere nice with hills.  They have a girl in Reception and another toddler.  Once she said 'near Reading' my heart sank.  Where near Reading I ask...'Burfield' is the answer.  Phew!  I say I used to live in Wokingham, to which she says, "Oh, I used to teach in Wokingham in a school called St. Crispins",  so I immediately get the heebie jeebies as 'that school' still gives me the shivers!  She tells me that it is a really good school now, however, she said she was aware of it being bad, in fact she says 'I hear it used to be called Dustbins it was so bad'  Yes!  That is what we called it!!!!!!!!!!  I can't get my head around the fact 'that' school could possibly be good now?!!!!  Anyway we laughed, it is impossible to get away from your past isn't it - no matter how far you move away!!!!!!  However, she's enlightened and has escaped too, so figure she has to be OK and she was one of the first to book on the 2018 camp out, so must be OK.  She said she would like to get involved in the PTA as well which is good as we are desperate for new blood and new energy.

Tom and I headed home, I had a shower, we got Tom's swimming stuff ready and then we headed to the swimming pool.  We were determined to get in today, so we grabbed some sarnies from the Co-op and went to queue.  The queue was full of people who hadn't got in earlier in the week, lots of people from school, so there was plenty of people to chat to and Tom had lots of friends to play with.  I therefore spent a very pleasant afternoon in the pool chatting to people and sunning myself.

We got home, made a quick tea and then headed off to cricket - a match for Matt and All Stars for Tom.  I stayed with Tom and helped where needed and chatted with Alice for the rest of the time.  We then headed down to watch Matt in his match.  Didn't get Tom to bed until quite late.

Edinburgh

Atop Arthur's Seat

As generally happens during school holidays, Tom and I had a day out on the trains. I noticed the previous evening that advance tickets are available at very short notice on Virgin trains, so we managed to get return tickets to Edinburgh for £24, pretty good for a fairly long journey.

Nik dropped us off at Oxenholme station at about 10 o'clock, and our Pendolino (City of Edinburgh, ironically) turned up a few minutes late, but deposited us at Waverley station a few minutes early. The journey past pleasantly enough, with Tom writing up his cub camp diary and me doing a bit of work. Just as well we had things to do, as we managed to get seats with no view at all.

After a quick Trip Advisor search, we had lunch at a restaurant near the station called Tempting Tattie, where Tom had a baked potato filled with a mountain of prawn mayo and I had one with a similarly enormous quantity of delicious peppery haggis.

On the way down

This fortified us enough for our main activity of the day, a brisk stroll up Arthur's Seat, seemingly with every tourist in Scotland - I've never seen so many people up there. After the obligatory photos at the summit, we headed back down via a path I'd never been on before, but which gave great views over the city. We then walked back around the base of Salisbury Crags to the Royal Mile, where we had drinks and cakes, unfortunately sat next to the family from hell. I just don't understand how some parents can allow their children to behave so badly. It took me a great deal of willpower to prevent myself from saying something to them.

We still had a little bit of time before our train home, so we went window shopping along the Royal Mile, where most of the gift shops feature a dazzling array of Highland cows. The temptation was all too much for Tom, so we now have yet another Highland cow (McTavish) to add to the collection. There was one enormous example (Doris according to Tom) in the window of one shop, so I had to ask "how much is that cow in the window?". I decided £550 was probably a bit over budget.

Doris and Tom

After a brief period watching trains at Waverley station (a busy place!), we bought our tea at Marks and Spencer and boarded our train home. This time our seats faced backwards and still had very little view, but we pass the time eating, drinking, playing Top Trumps and, in Tom's case, writing a bit more of his diary.

Nik was there to meet us on the platform when we got back, and once we got home, Tom needed pudding (of course), and was then sent to bed to get some well-earned rest.

Another nice boys' day out. I wonder where we'll go next time.

Quiet Day

Playing in the river

So today was a quiet day.  The morning was spent doing laundry and putting away clothes.  Then we watched the Railway Children together.

After a quick lunch we headed out to the swimming pool for a dip.  Oh my word, the queue for it was unbelievable.  None of the locals had ever seen it like that before!  We queued, but we didn't get in.  We cut our losses and didn't hang around.  Tom played football with Harry for a while and then we went for a play in the river for an hour or so before heading back home.  They were queueing already for the 4.30 session as we left, the place has gone berserk!

We had a fish supper and then Matt headed out for senior cricket practice.  Tom went with him and found himself a useful job retrieving balls from the out field.  He stayed for the whole session.  Then straight to bed.  Not an exciting day, but useful and needed.

Brimham Rocks & Tired Cub

Clambering

So Monday dawned another lovely day.  We packed up, paid our £1.50 for electricity and headed on our way back west.

First stop was Brimham Rocks.  Now I had heard of this place, and had assumed it was one or two rock formations to admire.  Oh no, I was wrong!  It was tens of rock formations, all of which were accessible for clambering on - no fences, no health and safety - all at your own risk.  Fantastic.  Our inner children came out and we clambered all over.

It reminded us of Dartmoor - but Dartmoor on steroids - think all the Dartmoor tors in one area and some gigantic.  It was fun and we will have to bring Tom back here with a friend to play with (he's always braver with a friend).  We had lunch sat on top of one of the formations, admired lots of different views and then went in search of an ice-cream.  They only had 3 flavours: vanilla, raspberry ripple or toffee, none of which either of us like, so we decided to head to Pateley Bridge to see if they had better there.

View from a rock

We got ourselves parked in the car park which was extremely cheap and wondered up the high street where we found some ice-cream: cherry for me and chocolate for Matt.  We then headed down to the river for a stroll.  Did I mention it was hot, really hot?  It was good to be in the shade for a while. We decided to head down stream, which just happened to be where the Cub camp was and we spied across the river to see if we could find our little man. We found him and watched him for a while, not up to much, larking around, was good to see him having fun.  We carried on and did a small circuit before heading to a park for a sit on a bench until it was time to go and pick him up.

Balancing act

Tom spotted us straight away in our car and we got a happy wave.  We walked over to him and he launched himself at me.  I got an almighty hug.  He put so much energy into it, he forgot his other parent who got a little upset at being ignored (I would have been upset too!)  He had missed us and he was glad to be going home, but he had had a great time.

All the children were quite subdued.  They all looked completely knackered.  We thought they would be excited, but no.  Tom could only say 'yes' or 'no' to each question.  He then said he was really thirsty so we stopped to get him a drink.  Immediately afterwards he fell into a deep sleep.  He slept all the way home.

When he woke up he was very floppy.  I headed to the Co-op and bought some ready meals and we slobbed out on the sofa and watched the sumo.  Bad news, our favourite didn't win but he has got promoted.  Tom asked to go to bed early and so he did.  Maybe we will get some news about what he did tomorrow...

Nice to get him back x

Long Weekend in York

The view from our lodge

So, what do we do when Tom is away for 3 nights.  Well, no point being at home, it will be too quiet so we got ourselves a little log cabin set by a pond in the outskirts of York for a more reasonable price than any Air bnb or hotel we could find.

After 'sort of' saying goodbye to Tom we headed over and got there in really good time.  In fact somehow we managed to miss all the traffic, not bad for a bank holiday Friday night.

We checked in to a little semi detached lodge with one bedroom and a lounge / kitchen.  Not luxurious but very adequate and with a lovely outlook over the pond / lake.  Just round the corner is a huge Tesco so we headed over and collected some drinks and breakfasts and then got ourselves settled in knowing we could sleep in as long as we wished and could drink and make noise without getting told off!  We drank lots and almost forgot we had a boy!!!!!

Ice cream boat

Saturday we kept ourselves busy exploring York.  We did some shopping, Matt got himself a jacket he didn't know he wanted and I spent my White Stuff vouchers on a dress and a top.  It all seemed too easy.  We then went for a wonder in the Shambles and looked around York Minster.  We didn't go in as it was £16 to enter which was more than we wanted to pay - I never 'get' churches.

We did some more wandering around and then found ourselves at a Japanese restaurant for lunch - we both had a bento: veggie tempura for me and ebi katsu for Matt - very lovely it was too.  We then went for a walk along the Ouse.  The sun was out by then, glorious blue sky and hot.  It turned out to be a lovely walk, made better by the fact we came across a ice-cream boat on the river selling Yorvale ice-cream.  We couldn't say no, so Matt had lemon curd ice-cream which was wonderful and I had rhubarb ice-cream which was good but not as good as the lemon curd.  We then continued along our walk, a whole fleet of pleasure boats came past us, with lots of loud music, and people in fancy dress - it was an organised regatta and made our walk more interesting.  The best one was Thunderbirds, where all the people were dressed up and they had fake smoke etc.  

Scarborough harbour

On our return back into the city we decided to go for a walk on the walls (York is very like Chester - with walls, racecourse and wealth!). We were just getting thirsty when I spotted a Brew Dog pub below.  Matt's face lite up and we headed in.  Seemed to stop for a pint (all research of course) before heading back up the walls and to the Rail Station where we got a bus back to our lodge.

We spent the afternoon at the lodge, very pleasant it was too, enjoying the sunshine and doing, well nothing really.  It is very rare that happens for us and it was very enjoyable.  

A bracing dip in the North Sea

We tidied ourselves up and went out again.  First stop was the York Tap a bar in the Rail Station with lots of craft beer for a a couple of drinks and then we went for a walk in to the City Centre to find somewhere for dinner.  We ended up in a Turkish place, Kapadokya, which was brilliant.  I had a starter of yoghurt dip with bread and would have quite happily just eaten a vat of that with unlimited bread - it was ultra delicious.  Matt had calamari which just dissolved in your mouth - also ultra delicious.  After gorging ourselves with starters, we then had a huge lamb stew (me) and mixed grill (Matt) for mains, I couldn't finish mine, but we did manage to finish a rather lovely bottle of Turkish red wine.  WE then had to wait an hour for the next bus home, so went back to the York Tap for another couple of drinks.  A very boozy but lovely day out in the sun.

Sunday we headed to Scarborough for the day.  I have been before but it was a long time ago (29 years I think) and to be honest only had very very scarce memories of the place.  Anyway after not the easiest of journeys there (for a number of boring reasons) we arrived to deep blue sky and sunshine.  We walked along the main street down to the seaside.  First stop was the Life Boat cafe for lunch.  We had already decided on fish and chips, it has to be fish and chips when you are at the seaside!  I had cod, Matt had scampi - which is just about fish and chips isn't it.  We then went for a walk along the prom.  It was heaving, but even so, it was pleasant.  I hadn't realised how nice the place is.  The buildings are nice to look at, the situation of the town in the bay with a castle overlooking it is very handsome.  Overall we had a very enjoyable day.  We lost £1 each on the 2p machines very very quickly, went for a walk along the prom, saw and smelt the fish (it is still a working port) watched the pleasure boats (including a proper pirate boat) go in and out, walked along the jetty, then up to the castle (English Heritage wanted £8 for each of us to visit so we didn't!) and then along to The Grand Hotel, up the cliff on the funicular railway, along a rather lovely Victorian bridge and down to The Spa where we had ice-creams (banana split ice cream for me which was very lovely) before walking along the prom back towards the town.

Scarborough Castle

The tide was in, so much so that most of the southern beach completely disappeared.  The town beach was, as a result, very very crowded as there was only a narrow strip of beach available.  I had to dip my toes - well you have to when you are at the seaside don't you?!  I walked down to the sea and let it ripple over my feet - wowsers, it wasn't cold, it was numbingly freezing, how anyone could be in it was beyond me.  I am more than happy to be called a Southern softie if it means I don't have to swim in it!  Just as well I didn't jump in, think I would have had a heart attack!!!!!

We browsed a couple of tacky shops (always fun) before heading back up the hill to the train station.  We had a much better trip home.  

Anyway, it was a good day, would love to come back with Tom for a fun day on the beach.  We believe there is a little train to ride and a water park to explore as well.  

Cub Camp

Excited ahead of the event

So after much excitement and apprehension, the day finally came: cub camp day!  750+ cubs from all over North Yorkshire meet at Pateley Bridge for 3 nights of camping and fun.  Tom's been excited about it since he found out about it, and rightly so, who wouldn't be excited to spend 3 nights camping with your friends and having fun?  I'm jealous - would love to go myself.  It was just seconders and leaders that got to go, it is all done on age and Tom is the youngest of all the children - he just made it - phew!

We had spent every available window this week packing and repacking for the camp.  We had a kit list which was huge, and weren't sure how the kids got to camp: did they have to carry it all themselves, could we help?  It was all a little vague.  Anyway, we got him to the point that he could fit everything in his bag himself which was good.

Biking

On Friday, we picked him up from school, brought him home, he had a good shower (no showers on the camp site) got dressed into his cub uniform and then packed the car and headed over to the campsite.  He was excited and nervous all at the same time, I don't blame him.

Home for 3 nights

Sumo with Lucy

We stopped off at a rather good pub, The Clarendon Hotel in Hebden for tea where Tom talked about his butterflies.  He ate well though, he chose tomato pasta, which he scoffed in no-time and then we supplemented it with gammon steak and chips from me and fish and chips from Matt until he complained that he was full.  We then continued on to the camp.  To be fair it was well organised.  We were shown where to park and then after studying a map we found out where Ingleboro' cubs were located and headed over.  There we found the camp already up.  Some had already arrived.  Tom found Charlie and headed straight into his tent (Ingleton cub attendees are 3 boys and 5 girls), he had his roll mat and sleeping bag set up instantly.  He was so so so excited that he was barely able to say goodbye to him.

Unfortunately it was raining, but not too hard, but it meant waterproofs and wellies were out.  Anyway, we left a very excited Tom and Charlie behind, they zipped the door down on us, we figured it was time for us to leave!  They are going to have a fab time!

Photos from the Scout FB page - think they had fun!!!!!

Bradford School Trip

So on Tuesday I got to go on my first school trip.  This is a school trip which all Year 4s do, and ticks the 'diversity' box for the school.  Ingleton has a 'twin' school in Bradford and every year they visit each other, so the city kids get to see life in a rural area and the Ingleton kids get to meet kids from an inner city and therefore a diverse background.

This isn't a popular trip so I finally got asked to go.  On Monday the joint Head, Mrs Barry came up to me to give me a warning on what to wear!  A little insulting, but that's Mrs Barry - didn't occur to her to ask if I had ever visited a Mosque before and if I knew what to wear.  I did tell her that I have lived in the Middle East before but still she went on!

So on Tuesday morning, I made two packed lunches which I packed with my headscarf and got on a mini bus to Bradford with 24 excited children.  Mrs Barry was also with us, along with Mrs Bromley and Anne.  I find Mrs Barry hard work - she's very fluffy, talks to you as if you are 5, doesn't really listen to what you are saying and never voices her opinion directly.  At least with Mrs Colledge you know exactly where you stand as she tells you exactly what she thinks.

Anyway we arrived at the school and were more or less immediately whisked away to the Mosque.  Now you would think that if you are going to visit a mosque with a class full of kids who have probably never been in one before AND this is a trip that the school do each year, you would at least prepare the kids and do some sessions on Islam and what to expect etc.  It didn't seem to be the case.  All the girls had headscarves and put them on - we were accompanied by some class champions from the school - 2 of whom were girls, neither of which put on a headscarf, as I had suspected it isn't required of a 9 year old, but I guess it is a lesson in respectability and anyway it was novel and fun for the girls.

He asked where we were from and one of the kids from St Stephens said St Stephens.  No-one told him that the majority were from Ingleton.  The headteacher was with us so I didn't think it was my place to speak up - but really?!!!  He of course had no idea we were from a rural location - he would have changed his talk I'm sure if he had known!

We then listened to a guy from the Mosque - he asked lots of questions - do you know what special time it is for Muslims at the moment - no-one knew, it is Ramadan!  How many months are there in the Muslim year?  No-one knew.  What number month is Ramadan - no-one knew.  It was obvious there had not been any lessons about Islam.  Luckily Tom knew that a Mosque is somewhere you go to pray (I was very proud) and Rosie knew you had to wash before you pray but that was it.  Then when the guy asked for questions, none were forthcoming.  In the end Mrs Barry, Mrs Bromley, Anne and I asked a question each but the guy said that normally when a school visits they have questions prepared.  It was embarrassing.

One interesting fact: the call to prayer.  It can't be broadcasted in public in this country, instead the Mosque broadcast it into people's houses via a radio transmitter.  They press a button and the call to prayer is broadcasted directly into people's houses.  I never knew that!

However, the kids were well behaved.  Afterwards, once the kids were allowed up we got to chat to the guy and Anne explained who we were, he didn't know.  He was interested.  He was also very very approachable.  He should have known!!!!  Once he found out, he wanted to show us more, so we could get an understanding of what they do in the community.  They have more than the Mosque, they have other buildings, they have safe accommodation for women, they have education programmes for adults, one of the essential parts of Islam is looking after your community and charity which he wanted to show us.  He quickly showed us around but we didn't have time for it all.

The same tattoo!

The ladies were working very hard!

We returned to school for our lunch.  Now Tom has written letters to boys in Year 4 of St Stephens and they have written letters back.  You would think that the schools would match them up so everyone knew who their penpals were.  No!  It was manic, it was busy and there was no attempt on the teaching side to get the kids together.  The idea was for them to eat lunch together.  In my section, the Ingleton girls ate their lunch on one table and then Tom was on his own with Bradford kids on his table and Charlie on his own with Bradford kids.  Well done Tom and Charlie.  I sat with Tom and chatted with the kids, all of whom were lovely.  Then the kids went out to play.  They have a small paved over playground.  But it didn't matter, they played happily and our kids and the Bradford kids intermingled no problem.  Which is how it should be: kids playing with kids.  Anne and I stood in the playground.  Anne tried to match up the penpals so at least everyone knew each other.  We got involved in some playground politics: Miss, so and so said this to my sister etc - of course I have no idea of what to do so told them to see a St Stephens teacher.  I didn't see Mrs Barry or Mrs Bromley - but I guess they were doing their thing.  I was a bit like a rabbit in headlights, I have never been on a school trip as a parent before and didn't really know what I was supposed to do - how involved I should be, what sort of things I could say to the kids etc.  It is really difficult, I'm not a natural teacher.

Twin tattoos

The afternoon was then manic:  20 minutes to try some homemade food (delicious, but most of our kids were not up for it - scared of what it might be). 20 minutes to learn a dance and 20 minutes to have a henna tattoo and dress up.

Get this - Tom and I were in different groups.  There were a good 100 henna designs and we chose the same one!

We then got on the coach to get back to school for 3.30.  Not the most exciting school trip, but the kids seemed to enjoy it.  I don't know if I'm being super critical, but I thought if it was to be educational, then at least educate the kids before hand and be in dialogue with the mosque so they have learning opportunities?!

Royal Wedding and Cricket

So this week was the first week of All Stars Cricket.  Tom has been attending cricket sessions since the beginning of term on the Community Field on a Friday with a couple of others and we have managed to get some newbies involved, but this week was the first official week of the training programme.  Ingleton this year are doing it on two nights a week: Thursdays and Fridays.  You sign up for one but can turn up to either or both!  As soon as Tom found out he could do both days we of course wanted to and because he enjoys it so much and (I'm told) is quite good - especially at bowling, we thought it would be good to get in as much practice as possible because it is such a short season.  So between Matt and Tom cricket is taking over my summer weekends.  Oh hum, no point fighting it!  However, this now means that Tom is doing something every night of the week which means term time life is getting a little manic:

+ Monday he does Box Fit with Tomi Tatham after school
+ Tuesday he either goes to Xanders and then cubs or Xander comes here and they go to cubs together
+ Wednesday - he has a friend home and then swimming lesson at 7.45
+ Thursday - cricket
+ Friday - cricket

Saturday / Sunday - Matt and or Tom have cricket match!

I have been quite busy at work with orders and developing new ideas, so it's all got a bit crazy and out of control.  Looking forward to half term when we can relax a bit, although cricket still happens!

Ingleton Under 11s

So, on Saturday there was no football - hurray.  We decided to have a slow day as with all the weekday activity on top of hay fever, he needed it.  It was another beautiful weekend as well, so no need to go too far.  Plus I have done something to my leg meaning I can't walk far at the moment and was on enforced rest from the doctor.

It was also the Royal Wedding.  Now, I hadn't got caught up in the pre-wedding stuff, but thought that as Tom was 9 (about the same age I was when Charles and Di got married) I should let him see it, experience the pomp and ceremony etc, it is something us British do well.  Quite glad I did.  Matt was against it, but once it started he came in and he got drawn in as well.  It certainly was a lovely event: handsome people, gorgeous sunny day, lots of love - obviously a good match.  As Meghan is American and mixed race, the wedding was much more diverse than previous ones: gospel choir and the best thing was Michael Curry the preacher who was from Chicago and was brilliant.  British CofE ministers are ALWAYS very very dull, too caught up in their own importance to realise that they deliver deadly boring and monotonous sermons.  This preacher had style, energy and a whole new way to talk about God.  There were some great glances between the royals, he stole the show and showed us how to make God interesting - although I still don't believe (I would be more likely to want to with preachers like him around!)


Anyway we managed to watch it until they went to sign the register and then we headed to Inglesport because Matt was starving.  They were watching it at Inglesport too so we didn't miss much.  When we got back Tom wanted to play cricket, so we headed over to the Astro pitch for a bash around and then we headed home for a quite afternoon, another BBQ and early to bed.

Tom batting

Sunday was an exciting day for Tom - it was his debut for the Ingleton Under 11s Cricket Team.  He was so proud to be asked (although it isn't about how good you are, just if you are available and willing)  There was quite a spread of ages and ability in the end.  They play completely different rules: each team starts with 200 runs, then batsmen pair up and face 4 overs each.  They loose 5 runs each time a wicket falls, but remain in until the 4 overs is completed.  This means that you can't get out straight away which is a good thing.  Ingleton batted first and ended up with 150 runs which tells you all you need to know.  Tom did OK - he scored a couple of singles and he didn't get out  (apart from once when he got run out by his partner - not his fault!)  Most lost quite a few times but a couple were brilliant and made loads of runs which was lucky.

Bowling: Tom was on first and didn't do too badly, although he didn't get a wicket.  In fact some people we didn't know behind us remarked on 'the good little bowler' and Bob who was watching was able to shout out that it was his grandchild which was nice.  Anyway it was a really good atmosphere and Tom enjoyed himself, that's what matters.  Took about 2 hours all in all!

We went home for lunch and then Matt headed out for cricket as he was playing for the first team.  We stayed in waiting for Sainsbury's - they never turned up, long story and then we had a visit from the Bickerstaffs which included doing their laundry for them as their washing machine had gone bang, by the time the washing was done and we had returned it to them we had missed Matt bowl.  Typically he bowled really really well.  I then had to make tea so we didn't see him bat either!  Oh well.

So a nice lovely sunny crickety sort of a day!  The first of many to come I think...