Introduction To Scotland

Posted on April 27, 2018 by wonko

We awoke bleary, I picked up some fresh pork pies, we packed and motored away from Ripon on our way to the border region as our bridge to Scotland. Our first stop for the day was High Force Waterfall, in the Area of Natural Beauty in the North Pennines. Due to poor signage and our poor sense of direction we walked off in the wrong direction (without rain gear) and had to rush back because of rain (quite predictably). We then found the correct path and a forceful waterfall, obviously bolstered by recent rains.

We then motored on to Chester’s Roman Fort. Built as part of the fortifications connected to Hadrian’s wall, this fort lay buried until a farmer chanced upon it when digging a drain. Quite complete and fairly well preserved, we wandered among barracks (each tiny room was designed for 3 guards and their horses to conserve heat, imagine the smell), houses and a rather splendid bathhouse with intact hypercaust (thanks Timeteam) floors. We originally were going to picnic here, but the weather once again was cold and wet so we ate lunch in the warmth of the car – our take on a ploughmans.

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Return to Yorkshire

Posted on April 26, 2018 by wonko

After our time in Ireland, a return to “normality” seemed in order. As a gateway drug to Scotland, we decided to visit Yorkshire again with the added benefit of being able to visit our good friends, Mike and Colette in Boroughbridge.

After the flight into Leeds Bradford, we picked up a hire car (a rather gutless Fiat Tipo) and managed to fit all our goods and chattels in, set up the cockpit, revive the phone and check the maps worked, then set off for Skipton. After an uneventful car orientating drive and a flummoxing parking adventure we went on a lovely ramble along a canal through forest parklands in Skipton Castle woods.

We then headed on to Linton for a pub lunch (Fish and Chip Friday) and a pint of local ale – a flat, warm pale ale that was hand-pumped meaning the barkeep essentially filled the glass twice. Lovely bit of fish, light lunch and then on the road again. We passed a quarry and turned into mystery (to me) location, Jo said “you will need your camera”, we puffed up a hill to a massive stone maze-like structure on top. Called the Coldstones Cut, a mega sculpture overlooking a huge quarry (or Diggosaurus hive), it is brilliant.

Suitably brisked (underestimating the windchill factor and ambient temperature), we drove on to Ripon to meet up with Mike and explore the cathedral (which is what you do in Ripon as a day visitor). Suitably cathedraled, we walked to find our in-town accommodation (a renovated apartment in an old stone building, fabulously quirky, more levels than should be allowed) and checked what was supplied before going provision shopping to set us up for a couple of days. We then went over to Boroughbridge for catchups and a bang-up Indian feast at a local restaurant, brilliant end to a busy day. Read more »

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Eating Ireland – Diddley Dee Potatoes.

Posted on April 20, 2018 by wonko

Usually, one of our organisers when planning holiday is food. That is easy with places like France where the national cuisine is known to us, but we really did not have a frame of reference for Ireland beyond potatoes. Now I know that is borderline racist, but it is what it is, we had heard of Irish stew but all research suggested it was a loose casserole. Through the cooking shows I watch I had heard of champ and colcannun – both potato side dishes, but we came in knowing very little for certain.

Carbs are pretty high on a traditional Irish diet. Potatoes are important and we have had them many ways. I had mash with spring onions (champ) with a rather lovely puddle of Beef with Guinness stew in a pub one evening- filling and delicious. We also had “boxty” which are potato pancakes, deliciously (and perhaps oddly) filled with curried lamb. Packs of Tayto crisps are also a national tradition. Getting plain salted crisps is impossible, standard taytos are cheese and onion, but you can get enamel dissolving salt and vinegar, bacon and other odder flavours. Cheese and onion crisps are nice, good for a chip buttie.

Bready carbs are also important. Soda bread is sort of like a mealy  damper, served everywhere, often buttered, sometimes toasted but filing and delicious. It was a side dish for soup, in the bread basket at high end restaurants and available as a slab of sliced in the supermarket. It differs from damper in texture and grain – most soda breads are brown, some whole grain, delicious.

I was surprised how diverse the menus were in pubs, pub grub is important here, and the pub culture in Ireland (and the UK) is so profoundly different to Australian pub culture. Here, families come to the bars, eat meals and sing along together, that is rather wonderful. My experience of Australian pubs is based on country ones where it used to be rare to see women in the main bar (thankfully that has changed) and people go there to drink and get drunk. While I am sure there is an element of that in any country, the “going down the pub for a few pints of Guinness” is seen as very normal and not at all boozy, talking blarney and singing songs is also the norm. People are really friendly and the pub vibe is welcoming, warm and wonderful. Read more »

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