Skipton Auction Market Day Out

Cattle being sold at the market.

Both Andrea and Me spent time going to Life Stock Markets when we were kids, Andrea went to Otley with one of the local farmers and I spent time at Bingley (now a housing estate!) with Dad buying and selling pigs and goats. It's something our kids have never seen, so for a change we thought a day out at the market would show the them the sort of thing we used to do 35 years ago.


It was very busy when we arrived and it took a while to find somewhere to park. There was lots of different sales taking place, as well as the life stock there was poultry, clutches of eggs, farm clearances, Antiques and Machinery for sale.


We spent the morning looking around and explaining to the kids what was happening. I enjoyed looking at the poultry and was surprised how much some of the bantams where selling for. It was funny watching the life stock in the auction ring, especially when a pygmy goat was sold. It looked very scared when it entered the ring and many of the people watching laughed at the tiny animal being paraded in the ring!


Jack spent ages looking at the farm machinery, and I had fun explaining what it all did. There was lots of hay making equipment, perfect time of the year to sell this type of machinery.


We bumped into a few local people at the sale, it just shows how far people now regularly travel to this type of thing.


Finlay enjoyed climbing on all the railings and generally running around. It was an interesting morning and I enjoyed reminiscing my childhood.


We headed into Skipton for some lunch and a walk around the shops!

Cadwell Park Track Day

Charlies

Booked a cheap deal a couple of weeks ago, so it was pot luck with the weather! Showers were the order of the day and after 4 laps in the opening session the heavens opened and it stayed wet until after lunch. We did get two dry sessions at the end of the day, so it wasn't a total waste of time.


It was one of those days when as soon as the track dried it started raining (or hailing) wetting the track again. A little bit frustrating! The first dry session in the morning was cut short due to an accident in the Expert group, ambulance carting someone off the hospital at 9:30am. I didn't bother going out in the wet, I don't want to crash and I can't get any enjoyment out of wobbling around.

Charlies onto the straight

Once it did dry out for the last couple of sessions it was fun in the Intermediate group, usual routine of getting blitzed down the straights and catching back up in the bends.


I'm getting more confident in the faster bends, I was getting my knee down going up through Coppice, pretty good for me.


I didn't really get into the grove and I was just happy to blast the cobwebs away. It was an okay day but the weather did screw things up. Four seasons in one day. Better luck next time!!

Ingleborough Walk

Route up Ingleborough

Eight adults and 8 kids, most of them younger than 10! Sounds like a recipe for disaster going on a 6 mile walk up Ingleborough. Surprisingly we all enjoyed the walk and the kids did great. We all met up at the pay and display car park in Ingleton on the road towards Ribblehead and Hawes. It's a short walk up the road side to the start of the path. The weather was dry but overcast and cold. Soon we were up on the moor heading directly towards Ingelborough. The kids were running around and once we got away from the walls that lined the path they were climbing on the limestome outcrops that are everywhere up here!

Ingleborough

Someone suggested that we have a race to the top to see if boys or girls got there first, Jack took this to heart and cleared off, he quickly became a dot on the horizon and got the the top about half hour before everyone else!!


As we got to the steep path the wind picked up and Finlay didn't like it, he thought that the wind was going to blow him away. I had to first hold his hand and then carry him until we got beyond the windy spot.


Jack was waiting for us in the sheltered wall on top, he was cold and ready for something to eat. Everyone soon joined us and we had a drink and a sandwich, however it was too cold to hang about so once we'd admired the views it was time to set off back down out of the wind and cold.

Limestone outcrops

On the way back we kept the kids entertained with a couple of Geocaches that were on route. We stopped at a lower level and finished the food before heading back to the car.


A good afternoon! We've now done Penyghent and Ingleborough this year, so hopefully we'll get up Whernside soon to complete the 3 peaks. (It will take us a year NOT a day!!!)

Hayfield Camping

Got away from work at lunch time so we could beat the Friday rush. Arrived at the Caravan and Camping Club site early evening. The road from the village center to the site was pretty narrow, and there were lots of parked cars all good fun in the motorhome!

Kinder Downfall Walk

Hayfield is a great place for walkers. The mass trespass in 1932 started very near the camp site at Bowden Bridge, this was a well publicised example of ramblers confronting land owners who didn't want people on their land. Interesting how it took until 2000 to get legislation passed by parliament.


On Saturday we did an 8 mile circular walk, up William Clough and out onto high ground. We spent most of the afternoon 'up top' walking along the edge of the moor. Walking has always been a passion, but never in the Peak District. I think we're always drawn to the achievement of making it to the top of a mountain, but here it's different. Once we'd gained height it was an easy walk along the top and there isn't any lofty peaks that stand out.

On Mount Famine.

The views are great, Manchester is off to the North West, away from the Peak District everything looks low and flat. Looking further around the Pennines stretch northward and we could see the Holme Moss Transmitter, something I often point out to the kids when we are at home.




We stopped at several rocky outcrops and the kids climbed around and explored all the unusual shapes. The scenery becomes much more dramatic at Kinder Downfall and the kids were told to 'act right of your heads', we didin't want any accidents. Water was flowing over the edge of the cliff, Jack and Finlay found a sandy deposit that was like a beach and started making sand castles!!

The Kids in William Clough.

Strange Rocks.

On Top.

We continued along  the edge and made our way to Kinder Low, at this point we headed back into the valley and after walking through several fields filled with newly born lambs we headed back down the farm tracks back to the camp site.

The Kids above Kinder Downfall.

The kids did really well and still had plenty of energy to play with the other kids on the camp site before we set off into Hayfield for some tea. The food at The George Hotel was both reasonably prices and nice to eat, so much so we came back on Sunday!


When walking back to the camp site Finlay found a toad and wanted to keep it as a pet. He get upset when we had to release it back into the wild, it was like watching 'Born Free'!

Walk to South Head.

Sunday and the weather was good again so we headed off on a second walk, this time heading to Mount Famine and across to South Head. It's a five mile walk and again there are great views once you get up high. This time the kids did moan a bit but we kept them occupied by talking about toys and played word games. Jack and Finlay love to have our undivided attention so they happily walk along while babbling on about the latest video game.....


We had a good weekend and saw the Peak District from up high for the first time. All good!