14/10/20 - The Crown at Pateley Bridge

Distance - 6 miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine October 2015

I could either describe today's adventure as simple or classic.  I'll go with classic.

A classic walk - following the River Nidd downstream to Low Laithe, where there is a wild climb along the banks of Fell Back.

Pateley Bridge Crosses the Nidd

Man Made Pool near Glasshouses

Wilder Walking up Fell Beck

There is the chance of a 2-4 mile diversion to look at Brigham Rocks.  There's a few things of interest - the only Geocaches on route.  Those wind moulded boulders in odd shapes that you typically get in the Peak District.  Prehistoric art-work marked on the OS Map as "Cup and Ring marked Rock".

Normally, I would not be one to miss out on such interest to bring to the attention of my blogfans.  However, two things have transpired to make this a no-go today.

Despite a 25% chance of rain, this - as I have discovered - is Yorkshire. It's hammering it down and the break to the rocks requires leaving the comparative dryness of a wooded copse and making a dash across open moorland. This, I could have potentially coped with if I hadn't have had my second worse fall in a long walking career spanning 17 years. One slimey rock in the grass, a misplaced Scarpa and I am going to black and blue all along my shin tomorrow morning. No one heard the scream as I used a holly bush to break my tumble with my face.

So I hobble back, hoping to find the Nidderdale Way at White Houses - only to met with another challenge.  I cannot wait to get back to Worcestershire to review my Country Walking Guide - as there is no footbridge to cross Fell Beck - which is more than just a trickle after three days of rain.

But the God of walking always provides an alternative.

I can't wait to see if CW described this in the instructions

The way back to the village is on the high side of the valley and the views are classic Yorkshire.  Lush greens under brooding grey skies, high ground on the other side of the valley, a patch work quilt of fields with the odd tumbledown abandoned farm building.

Even a one legged man, picking spikey leaves out of his fizzog enjoyed it.

Yorkshire Classic

Soon back in the Pateley Bridge where entertainment options are either finding the World's oldest sweet shop or the pub.

I based my decision on my fillings

The Crown is a plainly classic Yorkshire boozer, hosted in a 1767 building.  No fuss and the sort of place that you know will have a pie on the menu.

In a war that has been raging all week - Timothy Taylor Boltmaker ran out victorious against Theakstons Best.

Perfect walk and Pie and Pint combo of a day.

13/10/20 - Masham - Loving the Smell of Wort in the Afternoon

Distance - 9 Miles

Geocaches - 3 

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, November 2012

Masham is one of those Northern towns that you just instantly fall in love with.  It's as if the whole place is built around a huge Market Square - operating on rainy Tuesdays as the short stay honesty car park.  Pubs, butchers, green grocers crowd around on all sides and when you exit the car - the distinct aroma of brewing hits your nostrils.

Which came first - the brewers or the town name - as surely masham is phrase used in production.

First a walk and I'm going to be honest, I've not picked a good day for it.  One item of clothing - my Goretex XCR Mountain Equipment raincoat, is going straight into the bin when I get back to Worcestershire.  It took around 20 minutes before I got that most unpleasant feeling of a trickle of ice cold rain water running over little Mappiman as the coat reached the point I think they call "saturation".

Its a shame - as the first five miles or so should have been glorious river walking along the delightful River Ure.  Just me and some more appropriately wader attired fly fishers are out today.

Masham Market Square - Needed a panoramic photo to do it justice

River Ure - I was no dryer than the distant fly fisherman

I'm following a trail called the Ripon Rowel Walk - which I must have been enjoying, as I missed my exit turn at Hack Fall.  A precarious path up the cliffs allows me to double back.  The only consolation - I do find an unnamed ruined tower which I have no idea is authentically ancient or part of the landscaping that was commissioned in the C18th.

Google Hack Fall for the details

On higher, exposed ground, the walking takes a turn.  The rain is driving in and the only respite from the meteorological misery is catching an elderly rambler taking a dump in the woods.  What was more laughable was his wife trying to explain that he was merely "sheltering from the weather".  As he re-emerged from the undergrowth, doing up his belt.

Masham below - and that's not the steam from the breweries

Back to the town and an investigation of the breweries.  It's harder than you would think.

Theakstons - the original - is easy enough to find the main production area and it instantly becomes my second most beautiful brewery visited.  Hook Norton doesn't need to breathe a sigh of relief - its position is unassailable.

Rain drops on the lens but it is lovely

The brown signs in town indicate there is a visitor centre but I'll be damned if I could find it - or indeed find anyone to ask.

Still, there's another chance at shopping - at the Black Sheep Brewery - all of 0.2 miles away.  

For those unfamiliar - and until I get hold of Roger Protz's new book on the Family Brewers of Great Britain, I can claim to be no expert - a massive family dispute 35 years ago led to the new brewery being setup.  Hence the name and probably had something to do with all the brewing equipment being taken to startup the new enterprise.

It's was therefore rather a shock to find the White Bear Hotel being a Theakston's Pub - when its literally in the grounds of the Black Sheep Brewery.  I'm not in a good place sartorially but I thought I would chance my arm and see if there was somewhere I could stand and have a pint.

As the only punter, I was given the best standing place in the house.

Too posh for a wet and dirty rambler?

Not when I am allowed to stand here

What an experience - a lovely Theakston's Best Bitter in my hand and I stayed until my trousers started to steam.  The bar staff came to my side of the bar and shouted "You're smoking...".  

Damn right.

After a reminder that I need to make a will, I head into the Black Sheep Visitor centre, where I would like to say I brought a T-Shirt as I needed something dry for the drive home.

I'm currently sat in the Old Bell, Harrogate, wearing it now as I blog.

Do I like my friends enough to leave them 288 pints?

12/10/20 - Good Beer Guide Ticking in York

Distance - Probably about 10 miles

Geocaches - 2 Trad and 3 Adventure Lab Caches that caused me to go around and around

Walk Inspiration 

Pub Ticking on a Monday. I must be mad. On the day of Boris's traffic light announcement, when I set off this morning, I wasn't sure how much longer such simple joys would be available. Turns out that as long as you drink in a Wetherspoons (or other Gastropubs) - you are OK even in the Red Zones.

There may be a trip to Knaresborough this week.

Before the pubs - I need to work up a thirst. A combination of a good City Centre route from www.urbanrambles.com and three Lab Caches to take in the Walls, the Snickets and the Roman Ruins and I've got a good feel for the City.  There would be a lot of photos - so I'll just publish the flickr photos for blogfans of a more architectural bent.

York in all its Glory

By midday, I find myself in the far East of the City and ready for a drink....  harder than you would think on a Monday, where many are closed all day (some on Tuesday too) and a few aren't open till 5pm.  Wagon and Horses, Rook and Gaskill, Brew York Tap House and the Gillygate remain waiting for a future tick. 

But fear not - there's plenty of other ticks available and the first is probably the best of the lot.

The Blue Bell - Timothy Taylor Landlord

You cannot help but make a dramatic entrance into this tiny looking, yet Tardis-esque classic. The door to the front bar badly sticks.

Starting Small

But it goes back a long way

Bursting in - I take stock of my surroundings - a long table in the window - free now but reserved by the Morris Men at 7pm.  Two other tables - one occupied by a man with information and one free near the fire, which the land lady offers me.  When I say "near", I am glad its not lit - as I my bottom would be aflame.

The landlady has problems with a lively yet lovely TT Landlord that requires phone calls and a card reader that doesn't work.  I get talking to the man with the info.  He works at one of three Tadcaster breweries.  Not the angry one but the smooth one.  Tadcaster gets added to the list of walking locations this week now that I know the bridge is re-opened.

Pint delivered, discussions with the landlady about the traffic light system.  She thinks they will be forced to close even if York is in the middle category.  

I hope the rules are simple enough that they will be able to make an informed decision.

I leave with the promise that I may be back later in the day, if I am passing.   More caching to complete.

Pivni, Bristol Beer Valley of Eden

If you going to drink in an ancient city, you may as well drink in a ancient building.   Pivni is hosted in a three story timber framed construction dating back to 1190.

Boozer - 1190 Style

I am met by the door and whisked away from the bar where I would have had a chance to see what World Beers are on offer.  Answering the question "do you know what you want?" with "What beers do you have?"  is met with "There are 17 on tap".  

Neither of us can be bothered to go through the full list - so I stick on the second one that is offered - a lovely foamy pint of pale from Bristol.

Cracking

Shame there was no menu - as I could only look on with envy as future customers - who know the lie of the land - ordered exotic European beers in glasses that even I couldn't identify.

Or they may have been pornstar martinis.

The Ackhorne Inn - Jorvik Flaxen Blonde

Next stage of the Adventure Lab Cache has me looking at stones in the base of a church down an alley and low and behold - another tick awaits.

I'm starting to tell the types of pub simply by how they are dealing with a crisis.

Always read the small print

As unpretentious a place that you could hope to find and much loved by the locals.  Its about 2pm on a Monday and busy - but there's nooks and crannies for self isolation. 

Keeping out the way, I make a friend.  As my pint is delivered, it is explained it is the pub dog, who is friendly but will lick my shoes.

My walking footwear with the remains of whatever I found in the Harrogate countryside keep him busy for the pint and provide me with company.

Tasty Scarpas

The Maltings, Black Sheep

Making my way back to the side of town with the railway station for my escape should York be instantly in Stage 3 and I need to flee the city like Tom Cruise at the start of War of Worlds. Except on a Northern Train.

I pass the Maltings on high and drop down to get the tick.

The Maltings

This is the first place that I asked if there was somewhere quieter to sit - having been offered a small table surrounded by three others that couldn't be 2m away. They obliged and I had prime position in front of the bar to entertain myself by reading the many tin advertising signs around the bar and trying to work out where they got their toilet signage from.

The Slip Inn, Timothy Taylor Boltmaker

Two more to do before the 18:11 whisks me back to Harrogate.  This is a tiny back street community pub.  I'm 4 pints into the day and maybe this is when paranoia starts to kick in. I don my full face black mask, enter, do the scan and hand sanitise at the station by the front door.

Every single person in there is staring at me.

It's not even my skull face mask - which would have deserved the stares. Although they cannot see my lips move, I offer an hello - hoping to break the ice and they all say hello back.  

When I get my quiet seat and take stock of my surroundings, I see that the station is under a silent TV, with subtitles trying to explain whatever the hell Boris is mumbling on about.   That's a job you don't want - deciphering Boris.  You'd wear the UHM keys out.

Everyone in the pub was desperately watching the TV to see if they could come back tomorrow.

Slip Inside and agree that Boltmaker is better than Landlord

The Swan, Timothy Taylor Landlord

Just up the road and aimed by the same people as the Slip Inn is a Tetley Heritage Pub, complete with a blue plaque that made me think someone famous had drank and/or died there.

More Back Street Lovliness

A long corridor, providing access to an empty snug that I commandeer for myself and I have chance to reflect on my days work with a TT landlord.

I may have been hasty with my Boltmaker assessment.

Proper Pub Interior

A short walk for the train and I am 30 minutes early for the 18:11.  Then I hear the tannoy announce I have 4 minutes to find platform 8 for an unexpected 17:44 to Leeds via Harrogate.

I make a run for it, burst on board and then get that sinking feeling only felt by users of British Public transport that I probably have the wrong ticket for this type of train.

I know.  I'll wear a disguise - in case I am caught.

11/10/20 - Harrogate West Geocaching

Distance - 10.5 Miles

Geocaches - 66 Available

First Cache

I had a plan of 6 activities to do in my week in Harrogate.   And then I was intrigued by this on the Geocaching Map.

Look at all those potential smileys!

I loaded up the details for the first cache and my mind was instantly made up.  Something (yet to be decided) is getting demoted.  The clincher?  The trail starts at a pub.  

You could argue that #1 is actually attached to a pub :-)

Shepherd's Dog

After having no chance at #2 due to muggles, reality hit home at #3 (or maybe 2.5).  I'm going to be out for ever and day if I am searching for a mossy tree in pathless woodlands.  My GPS is elderly, has lovely OS Maps loaded on it but doesn't like woodland.   Round in circles I went, getting increasingly suspicious looks from the dog walkers taking advantage of the fine weather.

So I decided to just plough on and just enjoy the walk, spending no more than a couple of minutes at each GZ.  Potential excuses for failing to find include, but are not limited to;

• Muggles
• Not being arsed to walk down steep embankments
• Romantic couples in old T4 vans parked bang on a GZ
• Farmers
• Cows - lots and lots of cows
• Being a fairly impatient and hopeless solo cacher
• Did I tell you about my GPS?  Might be going on eBay.

The walking in the main was fine but the rains have taken their toll at the section after Whin Hill Farm.  It was here that I hoped the sloppy stuff was only mud. 

Here are the best of the photos...

Early stages and a DNF GZ

Nice Yorkshire views over the route back

My favourite GZ - where the clue was Oak.  And there were two Oaks :-)

I know the cache pages have a roll call list.  I am sure that my pathetic attempt today probably wins me a wooden spoon.

I leave plenty for another day

I pondered this back that the Shepherds dog, where I paid for my parking with a pint of Harrogate Brewery Yorkshire Pale Ale.  

Very nice, in the sunshine.

Thanks to JimmyLizDewhirst1809 for the setting up and maintenance of a challenging round.

Feel free to message me through the App as to what ENT means on a cache hint. Must be a Northern term to confuse midlanders :-)