Wolds Diary: Scenic trip to my old stomping ground

Last Sunday we had our monthly service at All Saints Church when a decent number assembled in the choir and we sang three anthems.
The drive towards Grassington has the most fantastic of views.The drive towards Grassington has the most fantastic of views.
The drive towards Grassington has the most fantastic of views.

One of my dogs, Brock the Staffie, had a high temperature and a cough and I have been treating her with tablets the vet had prescribed.

I was quite worried about her for a while. She is a very special dog to me, even if she is not the easiest creature. A more loving dog it would be hard to find, considering she was horribly treated until she was rescued and came to me.

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I have been trying to complete one of my patchwork projects this week, and this takes time. I hand sew each piece and at the moment my hands are rather tender as needles tend to stick into you from time to time.

I went up to York one day to fetch some ties that the lady at the Sue Ryder shop there had put aside for me, and had a pleasant afternoon looking around the shops. York was heaving with tourists and trying to walk down The Shambles was a bit of a challenge.

I treated myself to a naughty delicacy last week, a packet of prawn crackers. This sin did not go unpunished as eating them caused a large filling to come out. I thought they were very crunchy!

I was due to go for a check-up at the dentists anyway on the Thursday so it was quite opportune. I still go to the dentists in Grassington, because he is very good, knows me and my few remaining teeth well and I doubt I could find a better one on the National Health Service.

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I also needed to deliver a letter to a friend there, which I wanted to do personally, so I set off in plenty of time. I usually travel via Knaresborough and through Pateley Bridge. It is a very scenic route with fantastic views. Passing from the splendid Nidderdale into Wharfedale you drive quite high up to, and then through, the village of Greenhow. You can see for miles over Nidderdale and I always take the opportunity to stop and admire the view.

The road then carries on down towards Stump Cross Caverns, which I know well. Just after them, I noticed that something was going on to my left so I pulled over to see a large number of men and their beautiful working dogs obviously combing the moorland. The sheep were gathered at the top of a crag to let the dogs through. There were magnificent spaniels, Labradors terriers and some other dogs all busily quartering the ground, while their handlers were walking on. I watched them for several minutes and then after taking a few pictures headed towards Grassington.

The scenery here is pretty stunning as well. The dry stone walls are everywhere and the hills quite magnificent.

Once at Grassington I delivered the letter to my friend and had time to go up to the lane and saw my previous home had been well restored, before I headed back to the village, parked and then had my teeth seen to.

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Afterwards I headed into the village, met up with several friends and then drove to Skipton, which has changed quite a lot since I knew it. I did a round of the charity shops, bought some fish and chips and then drove home via Ilkley.

It seemed to take ages to get home but I managed it in time to see to the dogs before heading to church for a rehearsal of HMS Pinafore, which we’re performing on October 28. I think it’s going to be good, and it is one of my favourite Gilbert and Sullivan’s.

My next door neighbours, a lovely couple, have been having their garden done up and it looks beautiful. Their family has done a wonderful job and one of them knocked my door, and said they had some spare turf rolls that they couldn’t use and offered them to me.

The next morning, I cleared the area of my garden that I wanted them on and laid them. Just as I finished and had persuaded Brock she did not need to drag the turf round the garden (she is better now), I was about to connect the hose when it began to rain. The rain made the vegetables flourish again at least and I picked six cucumbers yesterday.

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