|
BB2332
: Chantilly Lace
|
Wednesday
22nd November 2023
"Oh
Baby- You know what I like!"
That
was Tony's response when I posed
the question about where to
go this week.
He
added, as a challenge, "Which
song is that from?"
As
if I didn't know. It's
my ring tone. J P Richardson.
"Hello
Baby. Yeah, this is the
Big
Bopper
speaking!"
Chantilly
Lace. Recorded not long
before 3rd February 1958. The
day the music died.
|
|
What
Tony had liked was the prospect of a gentle
stroll starting from RSPB's nature reserve
Leighton
Moss.
In a way it was a bit of a surprise
that Bryan was with us, it being rather
less of an adventure that those to which
he is accustomed, but, as it turned out,
he was very glad he was.
.jpg)
We
met Robin in the cafe and then set off across
the Moss, Robert tracking our every move
with his Relive app.
.jpg)
At
the hide, we could see quite a lot of birds
though we needed TV Mike to be with us to
know just what they all were.
.jpg)
Yes,
even I know that those were swans!
Once
across, we climbed the gently rising path
to Leighton Hall where, some months ago
I had watched display of hawks. I
explained how my grandson Alexi had astonished
the handler. She asked if anyone knew
how fast a peregrine falcon like the one
she had on her arm could fly. Quick as
a flash, he told her it was over 300 kilometres
an hour. My doubting friends didn't
believe that was right.
.jpg)
The
path to the that strange patch of land at
the top of the hills is slightly steeper.
Is it the site of a large prehistoric stone
circle, as the large boulders circling the
field would suggest. Or, do the boulders
mark the boundary what was once the village
cricket pitch? Or is it a Victorian
folly of a prehistoric stone circle?
.jpg)
We
continued down onto the footpath that crosses
the grounds of Yealand Manor, a path that
was very familiar to those making their
way back from the pub to the manor in the
days when it was the Provincial Insurance
training centre. Today, the European
Flag was hanging at half mast, where it
presumably has been ever since the referendum.
Ironically, at the bottom of the field
is a plaque recording the planting of trees
to commemorate Britain's entry to Europe
in 1993.
Down
in the village, the New Inn is closed which
is a bit of a surprise as it used to be
a thriving destination serving excellent
pub grub.
We
walked on through Yealand Conyers to Yealand
Redmayne, passing many fine old buildings
and rather more modern weather vanes.
A
bus shelter with perches served as our lunch
stop. I asked how many of the boys
remembered milk tablets. They looked
at me blankly. I explained that when
I was in primary school, for a while we
were given milk tablets instead of real
milk. My doubting friends didn't believe
me.
A
strong wind had got up but we managed to
avoid it by taking the path through the
woods of Yealand Hall Allotment. We
decided that we would visit the Pepperpot-
the monument to Queen Victoria that stands
on the top of King William's Hill.
.jpg)
Sadly,
today we were unable to see Blackpool Tower,
nor many more places much nearer!
After
dropping down into Silverdale we popped
in to St John's Church where from under
the bell tower, a stained glass window appears
like a hologram.
From
there, it was a short walk over the golf
course and back to the car. Next and final
stop- the Old School at Wharton. This
a micro brewery that has a small idiosyncratic
bar, not dissimilar in some ways to
one that you might have found in the Tyrol
in the days before ski resorts became glamourised.
.jpg)
I
reminisced about how one of my university
friends had drunk 30 pints of ale in 24
hours. My doubting friends didn't
believe me.
|
Riled
that this was the third time they had questioned
my veracity, I pulled out my phone and asked
Uncle Google.
Correct
he replied. Wikipaedia
confirms that a Peregrine Falcon does achieve
a speed of over 200 miles an hour when
diving. Alexi knew because it's a
great card in Top Trumps.
Correct
he replied. Hansard
confirms that milk tablets were given to
school children in 1955. Don knew
because he'd had them.
|
|
Sadly
Uncle Google was not present when the 30
pint feat was achieved but given that my
first two claims were proven, how could
they doubt the third? I was there!
The
Old School was a revelation for Bryan who
insisted that any time we were to walk in
that area he would join us for the simple
pleasure of visiting the bar. He was
in full support of Tony who, when the young
lass in Chantilly lace and a pretty face,
asked if we wanted another round of ale,
responded predictably:
"Oh
Baby- You know what I like!"
Don
Wednesday 11th November 2023
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
