Thursday 15 January 2015

A good blow out

Hello. The things I do to take some photo's for my fab readers. Yes folks, this is me all wrapped up, stepping outside of my comfort zone, aka my living room, and forging my way through the countryside in a force nine gale. It looked a nice day when I looked out of the window this morning, it was a lovely warm car journey to Epworth, the start of the walk, but, chuffin heck, was it BLUSTERY when I set off, and it didn't let up all day. Definitely brass monkey weather. Like the scarf? Yep, I found it, been chucked.
On the outskirts of Epworth now, you can't see my trousers flapping like crazy, if I had one of those wing suits on I would take off. 
I've seen these Alpacas at Epworth Show, here they are on their home ground. There are six of them but the others were huddled inside their shed. They have such cute faces.


Here is John Wesley's house. Not open today.  Blue skys all day, but don't be fooled, it was bloomin cold.
What do you think of this black and yellow shed, oooops, sorry, it's a house. It doesn't look right on the main road, the owners of the bungalow next to it must have been a bit miffed when it went up, goodness knows how they got planning permission.

It's connected by a covered passage to the brick building next to it, which looks like a converted barn. Oh my, what a sight for sore eyes.

Across the road are the council offices. This sign made me smile, it's on the front of a planter against the wall next to the entrance.
 The Council Offices are also the entrance to the cemetery.

Off I went following footpaths along the field edges. This is an old bridge that the railway used to go over, which is long closed, no tracks left.

I climbed up on the bridge to have a look down.

Lots of horses around here, shredded wheat for lunch. I often wonder if horses get bored standing around all day. Doesn't look a very exciting life, waiting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to be served up. 
The path was long and straight and came out on a tarmac road at Epworth Turbary. I wondered what a Turbary is. Here is a bit from Wiki.
Turbary is the ancient right to cut turf, or peat, for fuel on a particular area of bog.[1] The word may also be used to describe the associated piece of bog or peatland and, by extension, the material extracted from the turbary. 


I was ready for a bite to eat but nowhere to stop and sit down, then I saw a farm and sat on a lump of concrete with a bit of shelter from the side of a barn. The wind was blowing all the plastic crates across the road, there didn't seem like there was anyone about to pick them up. Then I had a long walk down Greenholme Bank. It's a wide track used by farm machinery and was very muddy. The fields all around had recently been ploughed. Black clouds were up ahead and it started spotting with rain. I decided to take a short cut through Haxey Turbary to give me some shelter from the biting cold wind. This was a bit more pleasant, and low and behold the rain passed over and the sun came out again.

Past some farm buildings at Haxey Carr, then I came across a graveyard for Massey Fergusson farm machinery at Haslams Farm. There must have been a hundred or more, all crammed together in a big yard, and spilling out onto the track outside. I have tried googling but I can't find anything connected with MF. Some of these are really old, maybe they are butchered for spare parts, or exported whole, who knows. 


The track takes me across the fields towards Haxey. This is looking back at Haslams Farm.

Aaah, small ponies, aren't they cute, I want one, ha ha. 

The church gate at Haxey is a bit unusual, it pivots on a centre pole though doesn't go all the way round in a circle.


The church is massive for such a small village, there are several good views of it, but this one doesn't show the clock which is on right hand side of the tower. 
And I will finish off with some colour. Some people don't like artificial flowers on a grave, but I don't mind. It's too expensive to keep putting fresh flowers out. More colour I say. 
From Haxey I got onto the disused railway track again. It runs parallel to the A161 for a while, then there is a path further up which joins the road back to Epworth. It was 4.30pm when I got back to the car, just right, it was getting even colder once the sun had gone down. Ten miles walked, some of it hard going against the wind, but it was good to get out, I needed the exercise. Talk about a good blow out, constant runny nose, and watery eyes, the sinuses are now clear.
Toodle pip.

32 comments:

  1. HI,Ilona,really enjoyed reading about your outing and photos.Such cutey pie faces on the alpacas and ponies-oh my ! Something I have found to ease windburn after many years on a windy hilltop was "bag balm"ointment used for cow's udders and sold at farmer's co-ops here.It has lanolin in it and all the farm ladies swore by it,especially good for raw scratched up hands, chapping, and wounds. After the gales you endured you might end up with chapping.Glad to see the glasses protecting your eyes from airborn grit.I had eye infections from being in windy conditions all the time for years until I regularly wore wrap around uv protected fishing glasses and never had conjunctivitis again.Ahh the country life,haha.Hope your spared any of that.Love the shots of beautiful and interesting things along the way.Colourful free scarf very handy and warm.Why would someone throw that away?Good to see you out and about again.We will have 22 below this weekend again so I made sure to get out with the dogs for a nice stroll as it's only 5 below today.Almost balmy!Regards, D.

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  2. We really enjoyed going on your walk with you even though it was so cold and windy! Liked the old railway bridge and loved the alpacas and ponies. The church gate was so interesting too.
    Your scarf was a really pretty find and was obviously doing a good job today.
    Wendy (Wales)

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  3. Love love love these walks you take us on. Beautiful church. Thanks!

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  4. Hi Ilona,

    Thank you for posting your photos! I love your walk. When you pick up your toy pony can you get one for me too!!?!?!?

    Danielle from California

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  5. I want an alpaca! They are SO cute.

    Your colourful found scarf is lovely. I'm sure that you put it to good use with that biting wind.

    The council office in Epworth is very attractive. I don't know what to make of the yellow and black house. I'm glad that it isn't next door to my house.

    Love your photos but don't get sick going out in such cold weather. Hope that tomorrow you stay home and have hot tea and maybe some soup. Have a good day.

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  6. Wonder what Flamborough was like in force 9 gales. I remember caravans and cars being blown over the cliffs there.

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  7. You found an amazing variety of interesting subjects to share with us. I like the ponies too. John Wesley's house would be great to visit, and the handsome large church, large for the town it is in, and that gate that pivots.

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  8. Had to laugh at "Chuffin Heck" which was what my Wolverhampton family used to say and I had totally forgotten.
    We have the same weather here and walked /toughed it out yesterday but today capitulated and walked inside the Mall for 2 1/4 miles.
    Good for you though, the fresh air feels so good especially once you get inside and feel the benefit!
    Jan F

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  9. Really enjoyed all your photos!
    Loved the ponies, and the pivot gate!

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  10. Of course the old houses look much better, but I quite like the black and yellow one. At least it has the form of a house, not of a shoebox, and I think new building materials demand a new design, too.

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  11. What a lovely (cold and windy!) day to get out for a walk - so bright and sunny. Your photographs show it off beautifully.
    Haxey - is that the Haxey Hood Game's home?

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    1. Yes John, it is. I have read about it in the paper, but never really understood it.

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  12. That was one great walk!
    Love the scarf aren't some people SO wasteful? Just my colours too!
    Bet you slept well too!

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  13. Really lovely pics and great commentary. The alpacas are gorgeous. Best wishes Barbara, South Shields x

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  14. Ugly house, beautiful pony. Looks like a great walk regardless of the cold. Debbie

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  15. I really enjoyed accompanying you on your walk from my warm sofa. You take such lovely clear and colourful photos, thanks for sharing, Ilona. There is talk of Alpacas coming to a field near us once the elderly horses are gone, which would be lovely. A friend of my hubby used to breed Shetland ponies, they are so cute.

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  16. I really enjoyed your walk and photos. Natalie

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  17. What an interesting walk. It was really windy here, too, yesterday...cold and wet too! Agree the 'shed house' is an eyesore!

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  18. I like your posts because you always enrich your writings with beautiful pictures!
    I love the english countryside and as I don't think I will ever be able to travel to UK, these photos are candy for my eyes.

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  19. What a lovely walk you had! Thank you for braving the cold and wind to share it with us! :-)

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  20. Looks like you had a lovely walk, it was very cold here too and is today. Taste is a funny thing, I don't mind the house too much and am more offended by the artificial flowers. Not because they are on a grave, I just absolutely hate them wherever they are. I also loathe those real flowers that have been dyed awful artificially bright colours too! Ah well it wouldn't do for us all to be the same and variety is the spice of life!

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  21. That house looks just like one built on Grand Designs. It was built to blend in with the other Agricultural buildings around it. Each to their own I suppose.
    You are braver than me to walk in this weather I have relegated the dog walking to hubby as I just cant get warm today. What I would give for a little home tucked away somewhere and not built onto a hill with gale force winds blowing straight at us.

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    1. Hi annie. Yes, I did remind me of Grand Designs, this one didn't blend in though, more stuck out like a sore thumb.

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  22. Really enjoyed this post, thank you. You are a damn good walker...10 miles! Wish I could do it. Lincolnshire is lovely, despite being so flat. Just come back from Hull, visiting again. Didn't venture your side of the Humber bridge this time.

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  23. Have you tried a balaclava? They're brilliant, can have it either right up with just your eyes showing or can have it under your nose or under your chin. They're so snug round your ears too.

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  24. Lovely photos Ilona, I love Alpacas so cute. You're right though, it's chuffin freezing !
    Twiggy

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  25. What materials is the "ugly" house made of? Wood outside walls?

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    1. Hi. Not sure what the structure is made of, steel or brick, but the cladding is wood painted black. Would look more at home on an industrial estate. It's very tall, looming above the bungalow next to it. Concrete driveway to the front, parking, no garden. No signs on the front to say what it is. It is joined to the brick barn with a covered walkway, pity they didn't build it in the same style to match. Just didn't look right in that setting.

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  26. We have some of those very modern houses that get plopped down in the middle of a neighborhood of traditional houses. They look very out of place, like a little kid shouting "look at me!". Lovely walk, thanks for sharing. Now I have to go make a cup of tea - I'm all worn out!

    ellen in Seattle, WA

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  27. Hi Ilona, I too love your island. I've only been to London, Bath and a quick look at Stonehenge but loved every minute of it. I get to see some of the rest of the island through your great photos and your walking trips. Although I'd like to see the rest of it in person, at least I see some of it through your blog. Thanks for that!

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  28. I, as ever, love the details of the unusual things you saw.
    Arilx

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  29. I must say I don't like that house at all, like you say, how on earth did they get planning permission for that!!

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