There was no drag at breakfast yesterday, sadly. In fact there was no one at all, at least during the time I ate -- it was just me and the continental buffet, and an attendant who stayed in the kitchen. Oh well.
After breakfast I walked along the Rochdale Canal (above) to Mytholmroyd. It was a quiet walk and I was virtually the only person on the towpath. I saw lots of Himalayan balsam, an invasive weed that I don't see much in London -- it has really laid claim to the landscape of the Calder Valley.
This boat amused me. It's called the "Avon Lady." (And she needs some work.)
It's only about a mile and a half from Hebden Bridge to Mytholmroyd, where I didn't really see anything worth writing home about. But I enjoyed the walk and the exercise and afterwards I happily sat out in the town square at Hebden Bridge, had a coffee and texted with Dave.
At 10:30 the antique store opened for business, so I went and continued browsing the old photos. I spent another hour and a half or so in there, and wound up buying 40 pictures, which is probably way too many but oh well. I'll make a post out of the best ones and as usual all of them will go on Flickr.
Then I caught the train back to London.
I saw this graffiti message out the train window while rolling into Bradford.
It's a 3.5-hour journey from Hebden Bridge to London. I changed trains in Leeds, where I had time to grab a quick soup and sandwich -- posh cheddar and pickle, with tomato soup -- from Pret.
And now I'm back home, my little Yorkshire adventure at an end. If I'd stayed an extra day I could have gone up Stoodley Pike, which is only a few miles from Hebden Bridge, but that wasn't really on my radar so it will have to wait until next time.
Dave was here, fresh from his trip to see Adam and Tim in Ireland. He says it was good to see them but the trip was so short it almost wasn't worth the time waiting in airports.
Olga, seeking shade under the hydrangeas (and sometimes on top of them), is happy to have us both home!
Love that boat. As far as I remember that brilliant BBC TV series Happy Valley was filmed in and around the Calder valley and many shots in Hebden Bridge.
ReplyDeleteLovely photo of Olga, she sums up summer perfectly.
ReplyDeleteHimalayan Balsam is rife up here...plenty in Wales as well... perhaps it prefers the wetter West?
ReplyDeleteCanal tow paths are so popular for walking and cycling. I would like them because they are flat...until you reach locks.
ReplyDeleteI can live with that kind of graffiti.
Mission accomplished. Did you have to show your passport at the Yorkshire border?
ReplyDelete"Avon Lady" will need a lot of work
ReplyDeleteYay Olga! That's a great photo of her. I am sure she was glad to have both of you under one roof!
ReplyDeleteOur dogs always never fully happy unless everyone is at home and accounted for. It's always good to get a photo of Olga!
ReplyDeleteOf the choices, Yorkshire, Ireland and under a hydrangea, I think maybe Olga made a great choice.
ReplyDeleteWe were hoping you would provide the drag..
If I ever retired in England, I think it would be aboard a boat like the Avon Lady that I could fix up and then motor through the myriads of canals or tie up along shore and watch life pass me by.
ReplyDeleteThe Avon Lady seems to have retired.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a second viewing to see the message in the graffiti.
Olga, again, has the right idea,
I need to learn more about that canal boat life. It just looks fascinating to me. It sounds like you had an almost perfect little get-away and pilgrimage. And Olga barely had time to worry. If indeed she does worry.
ReplyDeleteYep - definitely my kind of adventure. Except I probably wouldn't have bought a bunch of old photos. Ha! (However, I look forward to your post about them.)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'd like a ride in the boats . they are in terrible condition. Surprising that there are so few people.
ReplyDeleteIf you hadn't told us it was a message, I wouldn't have caught it!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Olga has found a nice, cool spot to nap. Y'all owe it to her to spend some time home together as a family unit.
Your canal walk brings back many memories. Lovely walk. Avon Lady's owners appear to not maintain their boat. Sad. So many canal boats are pristine and beautifully equipped. Olga's world is perfect now that you and Dave are home.
ReplyDeleteThe message, haha! I would like to visit Yorkshire but have no real reason for doing so. At my age, I need a reason to make such a long trip.
ReplyDeleteSuch great photos. The Avon lady needs an Avon makeover.
ReplyDeleteI'm so intrigued by those canal boats. What fun they must be.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Olga was thrilled to have you back. I love those boats -- I wondr what it's like to live on one?
ReplyDeleteI have just caught up with your visit to Hebden Bridge, and it is probably having known about Sylvia Plath‘s grave there that made me think of a connection with literature.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it looks like a place well worth a visit. How unusual, though, to display the other guests‘ names at the hotel like that! Maybe it‘s just me, and due to my work in privacy/data protection, but I would not wish for my name to be on that blackboard, or at least not without having given my consent.
Oh my, the Avon Lady needs a lot more work than Avon can provide I think. Sounds like a fun trip. Those canal boats are always interesting to see. I can understand Dave's feeling about the short trip. All the airport time seems like such a waste.
ReplyDeleteI have just caught up with your visit to Hebden Bridge, and it is probably having known about Sylvia Plath‘s grave there that made me think of a connection with literature.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it looks like a place well worth a visit. How unusual, though, to display the other guests‘ names at the hotel like that! Maybe it‘s just me, and due to my work in privacy/data protection, but I would not wish for my name to be on that blackboard, or at least not without having given my consent.
The difference in those two boats is a bit startling! I like the first one but if I lived on one it would probably resemble the second one. I had to look at your video three times before I figured out where the graffiti was and then, reading it, I had to laugh.
ReplyDeleteA bit of lipstick and the Avon Lady will be fine.
ReplyDeleteSabine: Yes! It was set in Halifax, I believe, which is near Hebden Bridge.
ReplyDeletePoppy: Doesn't she? The epitome of relaxation. :)
GZ: Maybe! I've seen small clumps of it on Hampstead Heath. Perhaps people keep it more under control here.
Andrew: Yeah, they're a great place for walking in an otherwise hilly environment!
YP: They weren't going to let me in until I'd proven I had a Yellow Fever vaccination.
Roentare: I'll say! She may be beyond rescue.
Michael: She is indeed happy to have us back. She always falls into a deep sleep when we're both home, as if she hasn't been sleeping normally in our absence.
Jennifer: Yeah, they really are pack animals and want the pack together!
Boud: Ha! I would make a terrible drag queen. Of course, sometimes drag is intentionally unconvincing.
Ed: I've always been intrigued by the narrow boats but it seems like a very damp existence.
Bob: Yeah, the graffiti isn't super obvious but once you work out the lettering style you can see it right away.
Ms Moon: Olga was on her own during the daytime Monday, aside from her dog-walker, but that's how it is on a normal workday. So I don't think she was too bothered.
Bug: You might have bought something else! This antique store had quite a lot of stuff.
Red: Most of them are actually in very good condition, but I'm always drawn to the less maintained ones, for some reason. "A Day in the Life" is a nice boat.
Kelly: Yeah, we DO owe her some time now. Unfortunately Dave is going to the states in early August. It's always something!
Susan: Maybe if Avon Lady had a good scrubdown she'd be in better shape than she appears.
Margaret: I think having never been there is a good enough reason!
Mitchell: To say the least!
Colette: They DO look fun, but I wonder about having to work the locks. That seems exhausting.
Jeanie: I'm sure it's a very compact life. I wonder what it's like to be on one in a storm!
Librarian: I had the same thought about the names. There are good reasons why someone might not want their name displayed. But it was behind a locked door in an area where only other guests would go, so that limits the exposure.
Catalyst: The first boat had a Beatles connection -- not only in the name but also all the artwork behind it on the railing. Someone is a Beatles fan.
Debby: Ha! I think she needs a good long bath, too.
I love how colourful these canal boats are. They remind me of traditional fishing boats you can see on Malta.
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