Sunday 3rd April
Today was Sandra’s last full day with me and we took the opportunity to cross the border into Scotland again, just a short run up the M6.
Our destination was Gretna Green - no we weren’t getting married, to each other or to anyone else - the fit and horny 25 year old had sadly slipped his handcuffs during the night - nevertheless I wanted to see what it was all about.
There are plenty of wedding ‘venues’ once you cross the border all offering a quick tying of the knot, however we were heading to the original Blacksmiths shop.
The area has been heavily commercialised over the years - nearby there is even a big retail park which we decided to avoid, however the original site still retains some olde world charm. Coffee was taken in the café of course and a look around a shop selling all manner of Scottish related gifts. I was drawn to the impressive range of whiskies on offer, plenty of which I’d never heard, but despite Patsy’s stock of single malt having recently been depleted my wallet stayed shut. There was some pricey stuff here.
Over in the clothing section there were ready to wear kilts but you could also be fitted for the full works and there were some very smart outfits on display. My purchase was limited to a scarf - you can guess the colour.
Sadly the original Blacksmiths shop was shut - in fact several of the adjacent buildings were closed up for renovation but we took the chance, on what was a relatively quiet morning to grab some photos and me to pose in the latest addition to the Blogger in Black’s wardrobe - the ‘Pervy Priest’ coat, another eBay bargain. I’m planning a blog post detailing my collection of long leather coats which will no doubt be riveting reading….
We took a gentle run back through the country rather than reverse our trip on the M6 and had a lazy but enjoyable afternoon and evening back at Patsy.
Monday 4th April
Time for Sandra to head home but with her train not until 11:30am and Carlisle station only being 20 minutes or so away there was no rush and a leisurely morning was enjoyed by both.
At the station I took advantage of the 20 minutes free parking, setting a timer on my phone to avoid a no doubt heavy fine, then we said our goodbyes on the platform. We had had a fab time together as we always do and I was sorry to see her leave. I’ve learnt that sometimes I need the company of another to motivate me to do things rather than just lounge about the ‘van getting maudlin.
Back at said ‘van I had lunch - the usual cooked baguette with home cooked gammon, had a beer and a nap then ventured out into what was a chilly afternoon with some very threatening clouds overhead.
Patsy was in need of a clean and I set about her mucky rear with the waterless wash and a pile of microfibre cloths. Not as good as a proper wash but a handy way of sprucing her up on site, I hadn’t committed myself to doing all of her which was just as well. My lack of enthusiasm welcomed the arrival of the rain as an excuse to go inside and put the kettle on. Part of her at least looked a lot smarter though.
Tuesday 5th April
Sadly a lot of this trip has involved frequent glances at the weather forecast - I don’t care about the cold but don’t find exploring in the rain much fun - although to be fair my usual attire does generally keep me dry. No wonder cows wear it!
It was looking grim again so I decided to knock another ‘thing’ off my list - the famous Settle to Carlisle railway - or in my case Carlisle to Settle. Parking at the station was expensive - in my book anyway but there were plenty of options only a short walk away at half the price. I was there in plenty of time but it was still busy, even so I managed to grab a seat by the window, the views out being the main point of the trip. It’s perhaps worth pointing out that although special steam hauled services run from time to time this was the regular Northern train that continued on into Leeds.
I was not disappointed - the views were stunning, even in the rain and it is undoubtedly some of the most delightful countryside I’ve travelled through. I was joined by a lady at some point, heading to Leeds for a shopping fix who, it turned out, not only worked in a school too but was also a caravanner. We talked - well she did, occasionally I got a word in - she reminded me of someone, can’t think who!
There was even a trolley service for a caffeine fix and 90 minutes later we arrived in Settle having crossed the iconic Ribblehead viaduct. Plenty got off there, equipped with sensible walking shoes, rucksacks and wet weather gear.
I had no plans in Settle other than a mooch around taking in the sights. I decided to pass on the walk up to Castleberg Crag even though I’d chosen footwear more suitable than my usual winklepickers. Instead I traversed a few of the back lanes before heading down to the river.
It was dry for a bit but the rain soon returned so Plan B - well A+ - was put into operation, namely a pub. The Talbot Arms looked good and to be honest it was so warm and welcoming I could have happily stayed there all afternoon. Conscious that Hetty was waiting back in Carlisle, I limited myself to just the one - a nice locally brewed porter that will appear on the Ale Archive at some point in the no doubt distant future.
Back in Carlisle I called in at the local Aldi. It was quite probable that I already had enough food to last the remainder of the trip but was keen to use the slow pot again. I picked up some basics that would provide several meals that might even be edible and back at Patsy I threw half a pack of diced beef and the contents of a stew pack in the pot along with some water and a stock cube. I say diced - it needed scissors to cut it into more suitable chunks but it was lean and just as importantly cheap. It would cook on low overnight and I just hoped the smell wouldn’t keep me awake!
Wednesday 6th April
Not the best of days if I’m honest. First, the weather forecast was grim so I decided to stay put for a bit. Patsy got some attention inside with Henry taking care of some of the dust that seems an inevitable consequence of a blown air heating system - and so did the blog but by late morning I was getting cabin fever and went for a short walk in High Stand Woods, right next to the site. The trees helped keep the rain off and for once I eschewed a long leather coat in favour of a water resistant long jacket. It was a pleasant half hour or so but was glad, once again, I’d decided to bring my Doc Martens as it was often muddy and slippery underfoot.
Today was the day 16 years ago that Trev and I got married - or more accurately did our Civil Partnership which was later upgraded - and it was playing on my mind a bit. What could have been, what should have been and so on. I was also contemplating a recently discovered crack above the centre window at the front. I’d filled the crack as best I could and covered with tape but it really needed to be sorted. In my mind just then my beloved Patsy was starting to fall to bits around me and I even contemplated packing up and going home, I was that cheesed off. Even the toilet flush had decided to throw a wobbly and needed the application of a screwdriver and a few choice words to put things right.
Aware though that although these moments come, they also go and I know not to act when they come. I cheered myself up with a dose of Nile Rogers & Chic at full tilt - through the headphones - then busied myself with dinner and was well pleased with a cut down version of Spanish Potatoes - new potatoes rolled in oil and smoked paprika - that I served up with a batched cooked portion of one of my favourites - Spanish Chicken.
And that’s it for now. More soon - sorry!