After a few wrong turns, we stumbled on a huge American style shopping center and the Tesco. We found the hair dryer we were after, and then spent a goodly amount of time wandering the store. We picked up some more groceries and some box wine, which we had not found in any of the previous stores, and necessary supplies for a future dirty Martini! We returned over the moors, rather than along the larger highway. Sheep in the road, glorious open skies and the purple of the heather against the green and brown of the sedges. A beautiful drive.
Before we had left Gunnerside in the early afternoon, we had made a 7:00 PM reservation for our first dinner at the neighborhood pub, the Kings Head. Deb enjoyed her usual Shiraz and Soda while Mark tasted a few pints of the local Sheepshead Ale. Dinner was a steak and ale pie for Deb and a cheeseburger for Mark (the pub man suggested a double and Mark agreed.)
Thursday morning, off to a slow start. As Mark was preparing his first English breakfast (eggs, sausage, bacon and toast but no baked beans or grilled tomato) we were visited with the site of a cockerel and two hens floating into our rear garden and spending an inordinate amount of time rooting the ground for dropped birdseed from the feeder we had loaded the evening before. New meaning to “as the cock crows!” The breakfast was excellent! The hens didn’t bat an eyelash (they don’t have any of those) at our frying of their eggs.
The rest of the morning was spent with Deb working some and then we went out touring again, headed this time in a different direction just to see what we could find. Again the most gorgeous scenery. We returned and decided on a cheese and crackers meal from our provisions and an hour or two of British TV. Some new (to us) episodes of the Midwives and Midsomer Mysteries.
Friday enjoyed toast and coffee, took a short walk up the street in front of our cottage and were visited by the resident Cockerel and his faithful followers hoping for a handout (we had nothing to offer)
and then we climbed into our vehicle and headed again towards Leyburn. We needed to test out a TOASTED cheese scone at our favourite little tea shoppe. Toasting made all of the difference for a dry cheese scone. It was delicious which meant that Deb shared only a small piece with Mark! We also had to return a defective item we purchased, and also buy a new rain jacket for Deb. The jacket she brought was shedding its interior coating and was not very good at shedding water, only wind. We also needed to stop at the Wensleydale Longwood Sheep Shop to pick up a batch of yarn as specified by our in-family knitter Abigail. She had found the store web site and texted us her exact requirements. Deb also found a sample sweater she really liked.
Another trip across the moors, and then back to Gunnerside. We made our first Friday Dirty Martini and then crossed the road for a dinner reservation at Kings Head Pub.
This night we dined on a lamb curry with basmati rice and a pair of roast lamb kebabs. Both were delicious and there will be more lamb dishes in our future as we venture forth.
Saturday we headed back into Richmond and the Tesco. Two goals - first to return the hair dryer as we had found one tucked away in a drawer of our cottage. Again, we wandered the store and found only a salad, some dressing, and a few small items to gather, although we did spot, but didn’t purchase, a unique brand of Gin.
Sunday morning, another visit from the chicken brood searching for seed and another English breakfast. Not as good as the first one, but getting used to the cooktop and the less than great pans is taking some experimentation. Today we headed out on a southerly route, our first goal was to the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes. This famous creamer produces some wonderful cheeses and butter. We picked up a few different types for our snacking pleasure and some more butter. Then we set off for another long trip around the dales and areas we had not yet seen. We stopped in the village of Dent for a quick bottle of water and a walk about. The birthplace of Adam Sedgwick, the father of modern Geology.
Next we made our way to Kirby Stephan, a market town whose square was set aside as a market area under order of King Edward III in 1302, at least according to the sign posted on the wall. Deb honoured the market with the purchase of a warm cup of coffee and a soft serve ice cream cone.
We drove back over the Buttertubs Pass and back to Gunnerside. This evening Deb took over chef duties and produced a wonderful penne pasta with tomatoe, onion and mushroom sauce. Also we used up a days-old baguette as garlic cheese toast. We also added the arugula and frisée salad we had purchased at Tesco. Again an evening of TV, then reading and into bed. So ended our first full seven days in the Yorkshire Dales.
