|
Update 26th August 2003
Hello again!
Halfway through August and we have left Foulridge behind and are back in Skipton.
We actually spent a week in Foulridge (locals pronounce it Fullridge - well you would!). It is said to have got it's name from Oliver Cromwell who thought it was a "Foul ridge" to fight a battle on.
In the last report we mentioned Stew and Hard, which David had on two occasions. On the third visit, we took my camera, only to be told they hadn't any hards on.
So, a basic description would be...two large oatcakes, very thin and I'm told they would have been dried on the "Creel" in the kitchen, which made them curved and look like enormous crisps. These dried oatcakes are buttered and then slices of "stew" (which is like a pate/brawn but nicer) are laid along the length of one with slices of onion and another "hard" is placed on top.
Very crunchy, very tasty and keeps you busy for quite a while.
One thing they did have, which wasn't on the menu or the specials board, was a barber!
The picture below shows a customer getting a number one.
ANYTHING FOR THE WEEKEND SIR?...
Not a lot at Foulridge but it's quiet and popular for walkers, bikers, anglers etc.
The weather is being very kind although it can take a while for the mist to burn off in the mornings. As you can see from the next picture we have a friend on the next boat "Shalom". He's quite happy as he seems to have access to the web via his bike
PETER'S BIKE ON THE WEB...
Lots of outlaws in-laws called during the week and Pamela's sister Pat stayed for a few days. Rosie, Pat's dog seemed to settle ok on the boat much to "Gromit's" dismay.
PAT'S DOG ROSIE...
We spent quite a few days wondering if our boat would fit into the Foulridge tunnel so on Saturday we turned the boat around and tried to back in. We decided it was a bit too tight and not worth the hassle.
MIGHT BE A BIT TIGHT...
We quite often had fishermen setting up camp on the bank at the back of the boat.
The staging they set up looked like something from a pop concert. They caught fish alright but often the size of a small sardine, nothing compared to the one a young girl called "Charlotte" caught. I managed to get this picture and from what her father said, it was going to be featured in Colne's weekly paper
CHARLOTTE'S 5 POUND CARP...
When it did eventually rain it was very, very heavy.
RAINY DAY IN FOULRIDGE...
I'm sure the heron used to be in the Prehysterical films?
HERON AT SALTERFORTH...
No doubt living next to the canal hasn't always been popular. But I'm sure that it is a much sought after position today and the property value must be increasing with all the interest shown from people from all walks of life.
ALIVE AND LIVING IN BARNOLDSWICK...
All the travelling can really knock you up and fatigue can eventually catch up with you so there is usually only one thing for it.
THE AFTERNOON NAP...
I caught this heron (not literally) looking into the canal for fish and just managed to get this picture before the people in the picture got too close to it to scare it away.
When it did fly, it just went across the canal and stood watching for fish. I was too slow and missed the shot when it actually caught one by leaning right into the canal with its feet still on the towpath.
FISHING IN SKIPTON...
Time to replenish our provisions and the local supermarket didn't mind us bringing our shopping back to the boat in their trolley, as long as we took it back.
SHOPPING IN SKIPTON...
We managed to get our e-mails when we went into the library at Silsden. No red tape, very helpful and just 10p a sheet if you printed anything. Saw these pretty cottages on the main street. How often we rush through places without giving them a second glance
SILSDEN IN BLOOM...
Moored here overnight and woke up to a lovely sunny day
THE CANAL AT SILSDEN...
The canal can be very shallow at times and we quite often touch the bottom. At other times we seem to collect a whole manner of things on the propeller. One day it was a washing line complete with washing - I kid you not! Another day, it was one of those long black keep nets that anglers have in the canal. The picture below is fairly typical of what you find.
A TYPICAL PROP FULL...
Luckily we have something called a weed hatch which give access to the propeller and allows for clearing the rubbish off. The next picture shows what it is supposed to look like.
DOWN THE HATCH...
Without going into too much detail, the chap in the next picture thinks it is ok to leave a "6 year old" boy, clinging on to the iron ladder in the lock in order to keep the canoes steady. Now we've been boating for about 3 months now and so you can imagine we know it all! So, when David suggested to this chap that there was a good chance of the boy drowning and that using a rope might be a safer option, he thought David was over reacting and called me a "jobsworth" to Pamela (he didn't know we were together). Now we are not too familiar with the term "jobsworth" but if we are name calling and I could find another one like him they would probably equal a "halfwit".
A JOBS WORTH...
We picked some blackberries at one point along the canal and with the aid of a granny smith apple and some pastry mix, we made some very nice apple and blackberry pies. Anyone who knows Eric Hinchliffe (alias "Dave Conrad") who worked at Joseph Barraclough Ltd, will know that blackberrying was, and probably still is, one of his favourite pastimes in the summer. Gillian Edmundson who still works at Joseph Barraclough Ltd would think this pie would be to die for.
ONE FOR GILLIAN...
On the way to Lancashire we met John and Irene who have a broad beamed boat called "Moet Chandon". It's a long story but they intend taking their boat to France.
They are also the proud owners of an apartment which overlooks the Royal Armoury and Clarence Dock. A very nice couple who we will hopefully see more of as time goes on.
JOHN AND IRENE'S...
We managed to get into Clarence Dock again over the August Bank Holiday weekend and "Moet Chandon" turned up. We had a look around the Royal Armouries and David took this picture whilst Pamela was having a rest.
A GOOD PARKING SPOT...
We saw someone else taking a picture looking up the tower at the Armouries, so David tried it.
KALEIDOSCOPE OF WEAPONS...
John and Irene invited us to go up and have a look at their new apartment. State of the art with fabulous views and what I always thought living in 2000 AD would be like. The three pictures below were taken from their balcony and show the Armouries, our boats and the cranes in the background helping to transform the rest of Clarence Dock.
THE ROYAL ARMOURIES...
JOHN & IRENE ON THEIR BALCONY...
JOHN & IRENE'S PAD...
Two of Pamela's ex colleagues (Eileen & Bill) called while we were in Leeds and we spent a relaxing morning together eating the chocolate muffins they so kindly brought. Bill took some photos and the following two are down to him.
GROMIT WITH ATTITUDE...
PAMELA + EILEEN...
We will be setting off back to Mirfield on Wednesday 27th August and should be back, hopefully by Friday teatime. It has been a very good trip and a great learning curve. We will have plenty of jobs to do when we are back in Mirfield but would like to get out to York before the season ends in October. Will let you all know how we get on in the next update.
All the best,
David and Pamela
|
