All roads lead to Pateley Bridge

We're in the middle of a long, hot spell and so I took off to make the most of it.

I spent a lazy weekend at Pateley Bridge, sitting in the sun, apart from walking in to visit the museum, taking a walk over to Brimham Rocks with the Meetup group...

and a short drive up to Scar Reservoir.

York! So good they named it once

Smashing trip to York with Angela, stayed on a pretty CL all enclosed in a glade, with a small pond and cute ducklings.

Arrived Friday and spent the evening sitting out in the summer evening, gassing and sipping G&T until late.

Due to a slight mis-calculation on gin quantities, rose very late and 'feeling peaky' so wolfed down a cooked breakfast before heading in to town on the bus.

Spent a day in the sun on a river trip, in the museum gardens and roaming the Shambles.

Struggled with my feminist credentials while watching the parade of young women in miniskirts teetering along in OUTRAGEOUS heels on the cobbled stones. The devil on my shoulder was shouting 'they're dressed like whores and will break their ankles and it's only lunch time!' and the angel whispered 'leave them be you hypocrite, women can do and wear what they like - that's feminism for you'. Still not sure who wins the debate, must be my Methodist upbringing.

Sunday we headed off to Fountains Abbey which looked fantastic under clear blue skies.

Home to find my favourite son called David watching the footie, so had a nice catch up.

Gate to Southwell festival

Lovely weekend at Gate to Southwell, between Newark and Nottingham.

Highlights were Gretchen Peters (so sad!), Cara Dillon, Truckstop Honeymoon, Luke Jackson Trio, Ol'Savannah, Mongoose and Dan the Hat. Full listing here: http://southwellfolkfestival.org.uk/line-up-2016/

Even better, met up with old friends 4 vans down! Paul and Sue Thomas from Sheffield days - at least 25 years ago. Great to see them again.