Blowy Barnie

Sneaked in a couple of days at Barnard Castle. Highlights in brief were rabbit stew, Bowes Museum, the lateness of taxi drivers, the B6276.

Slightly dull site, as you can see

The site was a very posh Caravan Club one with every facility you could think of, but I didn't have any pegs for hard-standing so couldn't use the awning. Which was just as well as we were in the tail of hurricane Martha and so it was VERY WINDY!

I walked down in to the town and went to the Old Well Inn for tea - rabbit and black pudding stew with mashed potatoes, cor!

Searched in vain for a taxi at the rank, but the chap in the Turk's Head gave me a number to call. Taxi couldn't be there for over an hour - oh darn it, looks like another pint then. Watched Indiana Jones on the big telly and listened to heavy metal including Metallica and Black Sabbath, so I presume it was the barman's iPod rather than a jukebox. Excellent evening all round.




Next day I walked over to Bowes Museum, via the castle and river. The purpose of the trip was to see the silver swan automaton, which was duly wound up at 2pm and dipped its lovely head for the silver fishies in a glass river, so beautiful. See a video here:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOXqCuqDOiI.
Also collections of costume through the ages, funny Hockney prints, and far far too much porcelain for any sane person.

Got the bus back to the site with tea from the deli and had a quiet night in.

Returned home via the road to Brough, very lovely.

At last, it all comes good

Van all fixed, stayed at Hebden Bridge site (bring your own loo - tends to keep the crowds down). Walked up to a pub for pork sarnie and chips, plus gravy! how odd. The on Saturday got the train in to HB where the temperature hit 27 degrees... oh lord too much. Bought the King Creosote CD and a skirt, flopped about feebly in the heat, watching the metro cool hep cats swanning about in the ex mill town. 

Nice chat with two ladies on the bus from Huddersfield, who told me the new bus service that went over the tops was worth a trip. And when I drove over I could see what they meant! It is the longest single ascent in England  - full of Tour de France bunting, over 12000 metres - a world record.