Malham Cove

malham Cove

This walk turned out to be one of the best we have done to date. For the scenic views this walk cannot be beaten. We started from the small village of Malham, be careful car parking is mostly on road and it does fill up fast.  We first walked to Gordale Scar and you can go over this but it looked well dangerous so we back tracked back and found an alternative route. The top of Malham cove is where they filmed a sene from one of the Harry potter Films and it is one of the strangest places we have been. The route  goes over some steep steps but the path is well maintained. 

Malham cove is a large limestone formation that looks like a large curve from the bottom, however its the top where it gets interesting , it looks like large slabs of limestone with deep crevices laying in-between its good fun jumping from rock to rock. Heading back is a well kept steep rocky path with large steps so be careful on the way down. 

on top of Malham Cove

GPX Data from my Outdoor Active

https://out.ac/I4pRHT

York

A nice train ride to York for the day. We had a look around the many shops and side streets called the shambles and had a pint in a lovely little pub called the lamb and lion that I see from walking along the city walls. The highlight was a trip to York minster and then a walk up 275 steps to the top of the highest tower. The views from the top were great. We also had a 1 hour river cruise along the river Ouse to see the sights. A good trip out. 

York Minster
The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe
The City walls
York has, since Roman times, been defended by walls of one form or another. To this day, substantial portions of the walls remain, and York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England. They are known variously as York City Walls,

Knaresborough

The weather was not great so we took the train from Harrogate  to Knaresborough only a ten min journey. The little village has one of the nicest train stations looks like something out of the 50’s. There is a nice viaduct that takes the train over the river and looks spectacular from the riverside views. Also take a trip to the castle it is free to get in. Have a look at the Wikipedia link for some more info.


Knaresborough viaduct  is a viaduct in the North Yorkshire town of Knaresborough, England. The viaduct carries the Harrogate line over the River Nidd in the town
Knaresborough Castle is a ruined fortress overlooking the River Nidd in the town of KnaresboroughNorth Yorkshire, England.
The early-fifteenth century Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag is located in an old quarry on Abbey Road beside the Nidd Gorge at Knaresborough and is an early 15th century chapel cut out of the sandstone of the river gorge cliff face

Bronte falls waterfall walk.

A great Circular walk from the town of Haworth in Bronte country. You will find car parking easy enough it costs about £4.50 and the car park we picked was close to the start point of the hike across the moors. The walk is about 7 mile in total and you work your way along good paths for most of the journey, it a bit rocky near to the Bronte bridge but easy for all the family.

The Bronte bridge

The Bronte bridge runs across South Dean Beck and you will find the waterfall close by, at the time we walked there was a lack of water running down it so we never got to see it in all its glory.

Top withens farm

Top Withens (SD981353) (also known as Top Withins) is a ruined farmhouse near Haworth, West Yorkshire, England, which is said to have been the inspiration for the location of the Earnshaw family house Wuthering Heights in the 1847 novel of the same name by Emily Brontë. From Wikipedia.

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Bletchley Park home of the codebreakers.

A great trip to Bletchley park home of the codebreakers. Its been ten years or so since our last visit and was pleasantly surprised they has spent a lot of money on the place. Entry fee is £21 for an Adult but we had some free tickets that where given to us by a friend. you will find some great exhibits and its all explained in great detail for you. How it all worked and how the germans never discovered it is amazing for so many people played a part in the cracking of the code thus saving many many lives and shortening the war. make sure you give it a visit you will not be disappointed.


From Wikipedia

Bletchley Park is an English country house and estate in BletchleyMilton Keynes (Buckinghamshire) that became the principal centre of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War. The mansion was constructed during the years following 1883 for the financier and politician Sir Herbert Leon in the Victorian Gothic, Tudor, and Dutch Baroque styles, on the site of older buildings of the same name.

During World War II, the estate housed the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), which regularly penetrated the secret communications of the Axis Powers – most importantly the German Enigma and Lorenz ciphers; among its most notable early personnel the GC&CS team of codebreakers included Alan TuringGordon WelchmanHugh AlexanderBill Tutte, and Stuart Milner-Barry. The nature of the work there was secret until many years after the war.

According to the official historian of British Intelligence, the “Ultra” intelligence produced at Bletchley shortened the war by two to four years, and without it the outcome of the war would have been uncertain.[1] The team at Bletchley Park devised automatic machinery to help with decryption, culminating in the development of Colossus, the world’s first programmable digital electronic computer.[a] Codebreaking operations at Bletchley Park came to an end in 1946 and all information about the wartime operations was classified until the mid-1970s.

After the war, the Post Office took over the site and used it as a management school, but by 1990 the huts in which the codebreakers worked were being considered for demolition and redevelopment. The Bletchley Park Trust was formed in February 1992 to save large portions of the site from development.

More recently, Bletchley Park has been open to the public and houses interpretive exhibits and rebuilt huts as they would have appeared during their wartime operations. It receives hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.[2] The separate National Museum of Computing, which includes a working replica Bombe machine and a rebuilt Colossus computer, is housed in Block H on the site.

Pitstone green farm Museum

We have visited a few times before so as the weather was grim we thought another visit was in order. Close to the village of Ivinghoe underneath the Chiltern Hills is the museum . Only £9 to enter for adults car parking included its great value for money.  From Lace making, vintage cars, traction engines you will find loads of interesting stuff from days gone by on display.  Visit the website to have a look at open days etc. 

Links

Pitstone Green farm Museum home page

Google Maps

Oundle, Fotheringhay castle , Welland viaduct.

A great trip into Northamshire for a visit with a Tudor theme.

An historic market town in Northamptonshire that lies on the banks of the River Nene. We had a stop over on a trip of  east Northamptonshire and glad we did as it contains many old Georgian Buildings with one of the oldest being the Talbot Hotel dating from 1626. It is made from the stone from Fotheringhay Castle and the staircase is said to be haunted  with the ghost of Queen Mary of Scots. 

St Peters Oundle

Fotheringhay castle 

A small distance from Oundle lays Fotheringhay Castle where Mary was Beheaded. All that remains now is the motte and Bailey there are also some remains that lay near to the river. The castle was dismantled in the 1630,s  and Queen Mary was executed in 1587 there.  The site of the castle goes back to 1100  often changing hands many times with various owners please have a look at Wikipedia for more info

Welland viaduct. 

So glad we stopped here and marvelled at this great site of engineering. The viaduct crosses the valley of the River Welland.  The viaduct is 1,275 yards (1.166 km) long and has 82 arches, each with a 40 feet (12 m) span. It is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in the United Kingdom.[5] Built by the contractor Lucas and Aird, a total of 30 million bricks were used in the viaduct’s construction.[2] Completed during 1878, it has since become a Grade II listed building.[6]

The Welland Viaduct is on the Oakham to Kettering Line between Corby and Manton Junction, where it joins the Leicester to Peterborough line. The line is generally used by freight trains and steam specials. In early 2009, a single daily passenger service was introduced by East Midlands Trains between Melton Mowbray and St Pancras via Corby, the first regular passenger service to operate across the viaduct since the 1960s. The viaduct is on a diversionary route for East Midlands Railway using the Midland Main Line route.

Bibury in the cotswolds.

A great walk in the Cotswolds starting in the village of Bibury. Arrive early else you will not park. Our first view was of the cottages that make up Arlington Row which were first built in the 14th century as a wool store, they were converted into weavers houses in the 17th century. They are owned by the National Trust and all are private dwellings apart from one which is rented out as a holiday cottage. We walked along farmland and woods until we got to the village of Winson, a very small but pretty village along the river Coln. There is some beautiful properties all along this walk all built in the traditional limestone, the mill building at Winson being a fine example. Apparently there is a long barrow which we walked right past but couldn’t manage to see. All in all a beautiful walk which we did in lovely weather.

https://www.outdooractive.com/en/route/hiking-route/bibury-in-the-cotswolds/217407638/

Wendover Woods Walk.

Wendover Woods

On a lovely summers day we decided on a Ten Mile hike starting in the market Town of Wendover in the Chilterns Hills. Parking was easy and we soon found the Ridgeway – Chiltern Link Footpath, this path is 87 mile long and runs from Avebury to Ivinghoe beacon. We soon passed Grim’s Ditch Earthworks dating from the Iron age and then onto Hale Wood and then Wendover Woods. Haddington Hill stands as the highest point in the Chiltern Hills at 267m you will find a small marker a Cafe and Toilets and plenty of parking. On the final leg of the journey we walked along the Grand Union canal Wendover arm now disused but with water still flowing into it its a haven for wildlife, the canal was completed in 1799 but closed 100 years later after leaks forced it to shut.

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Monmouth

The first time out for a while due to the Pandemic , we made a trip down to the borders and a visit & stay in Monmouth Wales. The Town has a rich heritage and History with some grand old Buildings, museums and bridges over the river Wye. We stayed in the [Mayhill Hotel](http://themayhillhotel.com) just a small distance and nice walk across the river right into the Town centre. A Visit to the Monnow Bridge is a must, this old bridge circa 1272 is the last fortified river bridge and it is now pedestrianised so you can walk across no problem.   Other great places to visit are the Monmouth military museum and the old castle . 

Symonds Yat

On the way to Monmouth we paid a visit in the Forest of Dean to a local well known beauty spot Symonds Yat. We found  parking however you have to pay so take some cash or pay by the Ringo App on your Smart Phone.  There are a few well placed Viewpoints on Symonds Yat Rock where you can get some nice photos, also plenty of Walking routes nearby if you fancy walking. 

Symonds Yat.

From Wikipedia

Symonds Yat is a village in the Wye Valley and a popular tourist destination, straddling the River Wye in the English county of Herefordshire, close to the Gloucestershire border. It is within a few miles of Monmouthshire and the Welsh border.

The two settlements either side of the river are known as Symonds Yat (West) and Symonds Yat (East) and are linked by a footbridge and passenger ferries. Nearby is Symonds Yat Rock. The Seven Sisters Rocks are an outcrop of rocks forming cliffs above the Wye at Symonds Yat.

Ross-On-Wye

We stopped on our journey to Monmouth in the town of Ross-on-wye. It’s a small town but has some nice shops and bars. We had a picnic down by the river wye.  I enjoyed this place and would recommend a few hours of your time to have a good visit, there are some good walks along the river bank if you so wish.  

FRom Wikipedia

he name “Ross” is derived from the Welsh or Celtic for ‘a promontory’. It was renamed “Ross-on-Wye” in 1931 by the General Post Office, due to confusion with other places of the same or similar name (for example, Ross in Scotland).[3]

Ross-on-Wye promotes itself as “the birthplace of British tourism”.[4] In 1745, the rector, Dr John Egerton, started taking friends on boat trips down the valley from his rectory at Ross. The Wye Valley’s attraction was its river scenery, its precipitous landscapes, and its castles and abbeys, which were accessible to seekers of the “Picturesque”. In 1782, William Gilpin’s book “Observations on the River Wye” was published, the first illustrated tour guide to be published in Britain. Once it had appeared, demand grew so much that by 1808 there were eight boats making regular excursions down the Wye, most of them hired from inns in Ross and Monmouth. By 1850 more than 20 visitors had published their own accounts of the Wye Tour, and the area was established as a tourist destination.

Foxton Locks

Foxton Locks

Been many years since we visited Leicestershire and a visit to Foxton Locks. There is easy parking however a bit expensive but its worth the visit. You have Ten locks in total working its way up a fair incline and only one boat at a time !. Back in 1900 they built an ingenious incline plane to help with boat congestion however it was not commercially successful and was disbanded after only ten years. You will find a museum there however its currently closed due to the pandemic but hopefully will open soon. We visited the Pub on the banks called the Foxton Locks Inn it sits on the bank of the canal with plenty of outside seating .

From Wikipedia

Staircase locks are used where a canal needs to climb a steep hill, and consist of a group of locks where each lock opens directly into the next, that is, where the bottom gates of one lock form the top gates of the next. Foxton Locks are the largest flight of such staircase locks on the English canal system.[citation needed]Bottom of Foxton Locks

Building work on the locks started in 1810 and took four years.[7]:3 Little changed until the building of the inclined plane resulted in the reduction in size of some of the side pounds.[7] While the inclined plane was in operation the locks were allowed to fall into decline to an extent and in 1908 the committee released £1,000 to bring the locks back into full (nightly) operation.[7]:35[8]

In 2008, the locks became part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage, a network which seeks to recognize the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe.[9]

The locks are usually manned during the cruising season from Easter to October and padlocked outside operating hours. This is done to prevent water shortages due to misuse and to ensure a balance between those wishing to ascend and descend. There can be lengthy delays at busy times but the actual transit should take approximately 45 minutes to one hour to complete; it is made quicker by the fact that the locks are narrow beam and the gates are light.

Ouzel Valley Park October 2020

A 7.5 mile walk around the lakes and canal in Milton Keynes. The weather was not great but we managed it rain free the whole route. The colours of autumn looked nice on the trees. It was all on easy paths a little muddy on the canal towpath but a good walk this one. The river you follow is the river Ouzel and this flows past Caldecotte lake  you will find a large weir and on the day we visited a huge amount of water was flowing over it. 

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Ivinghoe Beacon Walk September 2020

We took penny and roger for a hike around ivinghoe beacon a 9 mile walk. The weather was not great but at least the rain held off we did manage a nice pint at the Valiant trooper pub. Ive done this walk a hundred times but is always great this time of year, the autumn colours always look good. A nice easy route along good paths, can be a little muddy but nothing dreadful.

Mapping with Viewranger

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Carlisle 7th September 2020

Carlisle Cathedral

Gail says we have visited this city before but I cannot remember one bit of it. We arrived after a hours drive from Rowrah and parked up for a visit. It’s a lovely old city with a castle and cathedral that we visited inside, the weather was not up much but on a nice day it looks like a great place to visit.

From Wikipedia. Carlisle (/kɑːrˈlaɪl/ kar-LYLElocally /ˈkɑːrlaɪl/ KAR-lyle;[1] from CumbricCaer Luel;[2][3] Scottish GaelicCathair Luail[4]) is a border[5][6] city and the county town of Cumbria as well as the administrative centre of the City of Carlisle district in North West England. Carlisle is located at the confluence of the rivers EdenCaldew and Petteril, 10 miles (16 km) south of the Scottish border.[7] Originally in the historic county of Cumberland, it is now the largest settlement in the county of Cumbria, and serves as the administrative centre for both Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council. At the time of the 2001 census, the population of Carlisle was 71,773, with 100,734 living in the wider city. Ten years later, at the 2011 census, the city’s population had risen to 75,306, with 107,524 in the wider city.[8]

Helvellyn September 2020

A great walk to the top of Helvellyn in cumbria in bad weather. Helvellyn stands at 3118ft and there are many routes to the top some hard and some rather easier. To the West of Helvellyn you find Thirlmere and and with the A591 right by it you will find a couple of large car parks we parked in the one called Wythburn . From the Car park just head East uphill, its hard going for the first mile but it levels off a bit there after however it is nothing challenging just watch your footsteps in bad weather. The views were great to start with then the cloud come down and spoilt everything I’m afraid we could not even see Striding Edge. A great walk but best enjoyed in better weather. PLease view our Viewranger Link.

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Ennerdale Water

Ennerdale Water

It’s grim up north !  Well due to the weather not being great we set off on a low walk around lovely ennerdale water. It’s a walk we have done many times I also have run it many times but this time we completely went over anglers cragg. Well it was a bad move as we have never seen rain like it in all our travels up there it threw it down and we got completely soaked to the skin, but we shall probably do it all again one day !  

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Packwood house a national trust home.

Packwood House

A lot of the National Trust properties are shut down due to the ongoing pandemic so you currently have to book a times ticket to gain entry. This list was to Packwood house that lies on the county of Warwickshire. The house dates from 1550 and has substantial gardens that you could freely walk around, just nice to finally get out and about . 

From Wikipedia

The house began as a modest timber-framed farmhouse constructed for John Fetherston between 1556 and 1560. The last member of the Fetherston family died in 1876.[3] In 1904 the house was purchased by Birmingham industrialist Alfred Ash.[4]It was inherited by Graham Baron Ash (Baron in this case being a name not a title) in 1925,[3] who spent the following two decades creating a house of Tudor character. He purchased an extensive collection of 16th- and 17th-century furniture, some obtained from nearby Baddesley Clinton. The great barn of the farm was converted into a Tudor-style hall with sprung floor for dancing, and was connected to the main house by the addition of a Long Gallery in 1931.[5]

In 1941, Ash donated the house and gardens to the National Trust in memory of his parents but continued to live in the house until 1947 when he moved to Wingfield Castle.[6]

Hatton Locks 15th August 2020

Hatton Locks

Well after the year gone due to the pandemic we finally got out and visited Warwickshire to visit the 21 locks on the grand union canal at the village of Hatton. The weather was fantastic so we had a walk from top to bottom and it surprised me, the incline was huge and it must of took ages to get from top to bottom.

he flight was opened in December 1799 on the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. In 1929, the canal was renamed as the Grand Union Canal (on unification of a number of operators) and the decision was made to widen the Hatton stretch. In order to accommodate traders with heavy cargos of coal, sugar, tea and spices up the flight, the locks were widened to 14 feet (4.3 m) – allowing navigation by industrial boats or two single narrowboats.[1] The widening was completed in the mid-1930s using a workforce of 1,000, and the revolutionary concrete lock system was opened by Prince George, Duke of Kent.[1]

The flight was known as the “stairway to heaven” due to the difficulty of the flight and the subsequent easier journey to Camp Hill where the workmen would receive their wages.[1]

Bournemouth & Poole 29th Feb 2020

We had a trip to the coast for a couple of days and stayed in a nice Hotel and close to the sea.  Weather was not brilliant but that did not stop us going out and enjoying ourselves. We had a lovely tea in a tea shop paid for by James and jade for a Xmas present. A nice trip was had and Bournemouth is worth a visit plenty to sea and some nice bars and restaurants.   

Bournemouth. from Wikipedia

Bournemouth /ˈbɔːrnməθ/ (listen) is a coastal resort town on the south coast of England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest in the administrative county of Dorset. With Poole to the west and Christchurch in the east, Bournemouth is part of the South East Dorset conurbation, which has a population of 465,000.

Before it was founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell, the area was a deserted heathland occasionally visited by fishermen and smugglers. Initially marketed as a health resort, the town received a boost when it appeared in Augustus Granville‘s 1841 book, The Spas of England. Bournemouth’s growth accelerated with the arrival of the railway, and it became a town in 1870. Part of the historic county of Hampshire, Bournemouth joined Dorset for administrative purposes following the reorganisation of local government in 1974. Through local government changes in 1997, the town began to be administered by a unitary authority independent of Dorset County Council, although it remains part of that ceremonial county. Since April 2019 the unitary authority has been merged with that of Poole, as well as the non-metropolitan district of Christchurch to create the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority.

Bedford for the Day 18th January 2020

A very flooded River Ouse

We visited Bedford today the first time we have ever been there. We took the train from Bletchley train station its only 50 mins to Bedford and was nice looking at all the stops along the way. Bedford high street is like all the old towns a little run down but down by the river it was nice and the sun come out witch made it all the better. We visited the Higgins Museum and found it one of the best we have found on our travels, lots of local interest so would recommend a visit. 

The Higgins Museum

From Wikipedia – The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum is in the Castle Quarter which occupies the site of Bedford Castle to the east of the High Street on the north side of the River Great Ouse embankment. The quarter also has the Castle Bailey gardens, the Castle Quay development of flats, restaurants and shops, the Castle Mound, and the John Bunyan Museum. The Art Gallery & Museum reopened after an extensive refurbishment in June 2013.

Bandstand By the River

The Clash at the Museum of London 4th January 2020

We went down to London by train and went to the museum of London to see an exhibition showing items of the Punk Band The Clash. It was 40 years since the clash released the great Album London calling one of my favourites. Never been to this museum before but must say it was one of the best we have visited on our travels over the years. The exhibition was showing a lot of memorabilia from the Album including old guitars and Song Lyrics etc. As always after the museum we had a slow walk back and as per normal found other things interesting they will wait until another day.

Paul Simonon’s Bass guitar.

Stony Stratford Christmas Light Switch on. Nov 2019

The Annual walk to Stony Stratford for the Christmas light Switch on. This day will always start with popping into the Kardamom Lounge for a festive Curry followed by plenty of Christmas Beer. I can say with all honesty that i have never seen the Switch on because Beer and curry are more important but when you come out it does look very festive. They always put on a great display but watch the crowds they are huge and getting up the high street is hard work, however we shall be there next year (!)

Bury St Edmunds Christmas market. Nov 2019

his is without doubt one of the best xmas markets we have visited in a long time. We booked a Hotel only a Mile away from the centre and once you get into the City centre it was crammed full of stalls and shops. Plenty of xmas food and drink was consumed during the festivities and if you visit on the opening night you have a fantastic Firework display. We shall definitely visit this again next year i hope. Have a look at the official Website for details.

Ennerdale Water 25km Trail run

At last the finish

great race on the full 25K Trail course, the first time I have ever run it. It was the most hardest course I have ever run but the views and weather were great for once. I took about 2:40 to run the course and this year I only fell twice, however I did fall into a pool of freezing cold fell water that went complexity over my head and certainly put a spring in my step just to keep warm.

Shaw’s Corner A national Trust House

A nice afternoon to a National trust house to look at Bernard shaws house. The weather was good so we made the most of it and had a walk around the gardens. With winter coming we shall not be visiting any new NT places now in 2019. 

Shaw’s Corner

From Wikipedia

Shaw’s Corner was the primary residence of the renowned Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw; now a National Trustproperty open to the public as a writer’s house museum. Inside the house, the rooms remain much as Shaw left them, and the garden and Shaw’s writing hut can also be visited. The house is an Edwardian Arts and Crafts-influenced structure situated in the small village of Ayot St Lawrence, in Hertfordshire, England. It is 6 miles from Welwyn Garden City and 5 miles from Harpenden. To view more please click here.

National Trust Website – Shaw’s Corner

Barcelona Spain September 2019

Well we arrived at the hotel in Barcelona in good time and was pleased with the accommodation in the gothic quarter. A basic room but it was clean and had a nice shower. Breakfast was good value with plenty of choice for you. The Spanish bacon was nice and was worth the money I think. It was in a great position in the city and close to many attractions nearby. 

Barcelona (/ˌbɑːrsəˈloʊnə/BAR-sə-LOH-nəCatalan: [bəɾsəˈlonə]Spanish: [baɾθeˈlona] or Spanish: [baɾseˈlona]) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits,[7] its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people,[3] making it the fifth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid, and Milan.[3] It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres (1,680 feet) high

The Picasso museum Barcelona

You Can visit the Picasso Museum for about 25Euro but watch out for the massive queues, I think you can purchase Prepaid tickets online beforehand and this would be a wise choice. From Wikipedia The Museu Picasso (Catalan pronunciation: [muˈzɛw piˈkasu], “Picasso Museum”), located in BarcelonaCataloniaSpain, houses one of the most extensive collections of artworks by the 20th-century Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. With 4,251 works exhibited by the painter, the museum has one of the most complete permanent collections of works. The museum is housed in five adjoining medieval palaces in Barcelona’s La Ribera neighborhood, in the Old City, and more specifically, it is located on Montcada Street,[1] a formerly very prestigious street home to wealthy merchants and nobility from the Gothic to the Baroque periods. It opened to the public on 9 March 1963,[2] becoming the first museum dedicated to Picasso’s work and the only one created during the artist’s lifetime. It has since been declared a museum of national interest by the Government of Catalonia.

Fountains abbey a national trust house.

We found this great national trust abbey on the way from Cumbria to Skegness. I’ve seen this place on the tv somewhere so a visit was in order. It was one of the best places I’ve visited in many a year. Please have a look at the photos  below. 

Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. It is located approximately 3 miles (5 kilometres) south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, near to the village of Aldfield. Founded in 1132, the abbey operated for 407 years, becoming one of the great monasteries in England until being pillaged, by order of Henry VIII, in 1539.

Please click this link to view more from Wikipedia.

National Trust Site

The Emily stone poem by Kate Bush

The Emily Stone, poem by Kate Bush

On the last leg of our Yorkshire walk we went off to find the Emily Stone. The Stone lies in Ogden Moor near to Ogden Reservoir in a place called Great Scar. On the Stone you will find a [poem](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43897500) that was written by Kate Bush and was finished in 2018, there are 4 stones in total and they all lie on a trail from their birthplace in Thorton to the family home in Haworth

Many trails make there way to the stone however we were pushed for time so we found a car park near to the Reservoir [click here ] from here we traced the beck into great scar and whitewall end when you get to end just head uphill you can’t miss the outcrop of large rocks called Ogden Clough. It takes a bit of finding the stone and there are a few steep banks so watch out. Coming back we tracked back along back lane to the car park.

Mapping where to find the Stone.

For street map OS mapping click here for Stone location.