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" Yorkshire and Steve's 60th "

Date & start time: Saturday 18th August 2012, 2.15 pm start.

Location of our walk : Kildwick near Silsden, Yorkshire, Uk ( SE 009 462 )

Places visited : Kildwick Hall, Crag Top Farm, Farnhill Moor Jubilee Tower and back.

Walk details :   1.5 mls, 300 ft of ascent, 1 hour.

Highest point : Farnhill Moor 748 ft - 230 m.

Walked with : Liz, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan for the walk.

Weather : Sunshine and blue skies.

" Yorkshire and Steve's 60th " at EveryTrail
 

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It was always going to be a busy weekend as we had arranged a visit to Yorkshire for my brother's birthday

and we had also received an invite to join a Loweswatercam viewer on her 214th Wainwright summit walk.

The lady in question was Shirley Knight who I met a few months ago on a Mellbreak walk.

Roll call and it turned out that we knew many of the faces . . . once they removed their hats and hoods.

Shirley is the lady in the centre with the black waterproofs and the camera bag.

The rest are too many to mention . . . you know yourselves !

Just a quick mention for Gary Jones, Sharon Whitley, Shirley . . . and a few rain drops !

It was Sharon who drew the stunning "pencil portrait" of our two retrievers that we were presented with at my 60th party a while back.

An impressive 214 t-shirt !

 

Shirley's plan was to have a "sunny" walk

up from Gatesgarth via Fleetwith Pike

and across to her 214th fell which was to be

the lovely summit of Haystacks.

 

She had a specially made 214 t-shirt

and her walk was incorporating a certain amount

of Olympic spirit by the look of it.

 

As you can see from the photos it was a rather damp start.

We couldn't stay, so wished them well for their walk

and took our leave.

 

If you are on Facebook check out her page here

 

Hold your cursor over the picture to catch her attention.
- - - o o o - - -

Next stop for us was Silsden on Yorkshire . . . where we met up with Liz.

She has offered us accommodation for the weekend of my brother's party.

After a very pleasant and chatty lunch with Liz we all ventured out for a walk.

The starting point was just down the road from this imposing building . . . Kildwick Hall in Airedale.

- - - o o o - - -

 

A real change of scenery for us as we move from

the slates, shales and volcanic rocks of the Lake District

to the Millstone grit outcrops of Yorkshire.

 

Our walk, deliberately a little shorter

due to our afternoon commitment, took us up onto

Farnhill Moor and across to the

Jubilee Tower.

 

- - - o o o - - -

The village of Cononley on the other side of the Aire Valley.

Liz and I up on the open moorland.

Through a gap in the birch trees . . . The Jubilee Tower.

It was originally built in 1887 for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, probably built as a stone cairn, later rendered and painted.

On the top is a stone-carved cross with a rose, a shamrock, a thistle motif and the initials VR (Victoria Regina).

Many thanks to the Geograph website for confirming the info.

Harry (it is easy to tell him apart for a little while longer) checks out the view

and also studies the inscription on the stone in front of him !

The stone mentions that the Jubilee Cairn

has been restored twice, once in 1935 and again in 2000.

 

Careful reading of the first inscription indicates

that there is something missing.

" And was restored ... " implies that there is another rock

or rock inscription somewhere

but I couldn't find it.

A quick look around failed to find it, but I did find these.

This one dates back to 1881.

In comparison, a certain Mr J Harris appears to have carved this as recently as 2005.

The cairn was looking nice in the sunshine, especially as it has been recently re-painted.

It was a good place to sit and chat for a few minutes before returning to the car.

On a botanical note there was plenty of  . . . Rose Bay Willow Herb . . .
. . . and heather in full bloom.

Looking back at one of the local grit-stone edges.

This was an man-made quarry alongside the track that led back to the car.

The presence of the quarry would explain the wide track at the start of the walk . . . it would have been the roadway into the old workings.

Back at the start . . . this is where we came in . . . Kildwick Hall.

Who knows, some of the stone from the local quarry may have made its way into this fine old building.

- - - o o o - - -

The other event on our schedule and the reason we planned a Yorkshire weekend

was a 60th birthday party for my brother !

Picture of nice water feature in his garden . . . just to set the scene.

Family and friends gather for a quiet get-together and a chin-wag.

There are members from both the Hiley and Waters families.

. . . plus friends, in this case Chris Kirby from Bath.

Hidden under the other sunhat is Ann, then Paula and Jenna, my youngest (explain why are you taking a picture of me?) daughter.

Peter (my big brother ... he's really old !) and his wife Mary.

My sister Pam chatting with her hand . . . the other one was busy holding the glass.

Cheese and Cheese . . . him and me !

" Birthday Boy Stephen "

How can he look that happy on orange juice ?

The camera has found its way into the hands of Alexander, our grandson.

Wine for Jenna . . . and . . . well you can't drink real ale all afternoon can you ?

Our other grandchild present today . . . Abigail . . . taken again by Alexander.

Lazing on a sunny afternoon . . . overlooking Langbar and Denton Moors.

For those with hats on (or off for that matter) . . . Ilkley Moor is behind us.

Elaine's family lasted outdoors a little longer . . . but they had the advantage of the fire to keep the midges away.

On the left, Stephen's son Tim plus his partner Mari (over from Columbia).

Also there are Elaine and her two brothers, Eric and Alan and their families.

- - - o o o - - -

An inevitable change of location to 'indoors' for all the guests

and Stephen is centre stage for the brief birthday celebrations.

Only allowed one roll over to blow all the candles out !

Hold your cursor over the picture to help Steve blow out the candles !

Good job he didn't have 60 candles as he would never have blown them all out in one breath !

Peter does the honours with the bubbly . . .

. . . and Stephen with the cake.

Cheers !

A short address followed . . . he couldn't remember his full one !

Our daughter Cathy . . . sitting close to the window . . . and the Avon "Skin so Soft" midge repellant.

Time passes pleasantly as the sun begins to set over the moorland opposite.

Mike Kirby had dug out a few photos and video which he has recorded on DvD for Stephen.

The picture on the television is of Christmas Dinner circa 1957 . . . that's me bottom left of the screen

and probably Stephen, the small lad on the bottom right.

Our Granddaughter Abigail, who would be joining us for a few days holiday in the Lakes.

The evening drew to a close and we left Stephen a year older and joining the rest of us in the over-60's club.

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220, my Canon G10 digital cameras.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . lots of space on the Loweswatercam Calendar to fit everything in.

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Previous walk - 8th / 9th August 2012 Pin Mill and The Clamp

A previous time up here - Monday 20th July 2009 Granddaughters on Sharp Haw

Next walk - 19th August 2012 Yorkshire Nab End & The Doubler Stones