In April of this year, it snowed in the middle of quite a warm spring. The snow stayed on the hill tops for the next couple of days, despite the spring sunshine. It created a great new vista of the Lower Wharfedale valley.
Lower Wharfedale
The climb out of Burnsall
A nice day in the Yorkshire Dales
Clouding over
Moorland
Sir George Cayley, 27 December 1773 – 15 December 1857 was a Yorkshire born engineer, inventor, and aviator. He is one of the most important people in the history of aeronautics. Many consider him to be the first true scientific aerial investigator and the first person to understand the underlying principles of aeronautics.
Cayley, from Brompton-by-Sawdon, near Scarborough in Yorkshire, inherited Brompton Hall and Wydale Hall and other estates on the death of his father, the 5th baronet. Captured by the optimism of the times, he engaged in a wide variety of engineering projects. Among the many things that he developed are self-righting lifeboats, tension-spoke wheels, the “Universal Railway” (his term for caterpillar tractors), automatic signals for railway crossings, seat belts, small scale helicopters, and a kind of prototypical internal combustion engine fuelled by gunpowder. He suggested that a more practical engine might be made using gaseous vapours rather than gunpowder, thus foreseeing the modern internal combustion engine. He also contributed in the fields including optics and land reclamation, and held the belief that these advancements should be freely available.
Often acknowledged as the founder of modern aeronautics. He was first called the “father of the aeroplane” in 1846 and was also called the “father of aerial navigation.”
Arguably the most important paper in the invention of the airplane is a triple paper ‘On Aerial Navigation’ by Sir George Cayley. The article appeared in three issues of Nicholson’s Journal. In this paper, Cayley argues against the ornithopter model and outlines a fixed-wing aircraft that incorporates a a separate system for propulsion and a tail to assist in the control of the airplane. Both ideas were crucial breakthroughs necessary to break out of the ornithopter tradition.“http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/cayley.html
Parkin and Gingerbread are two famous Yorkshire favourites with their own local recipes and variations. Which do you prefer? Perhaps like me are you partial to a bit of both?
Gingerbread distinguishes itself with golden syrup and brandy in a Wakefeild concoction that sounds almost too good to be true. In North Yorkshire the Startforth version of gingerbread in the book ”Yorkshire Teatime Recipes’ uses black treacle, brown sugar and a good pinch of bicarbonate of soda plus the usual suspects. Bi-carb dates from the 19th century when it was first used for aeration to produce light cakes.
Parkin is a Yorkshire favourite containing oats or oatmeal and in my favourite versions with far more ginger than in gingerbread. Sticky Parkin was made by my mother in law but I hanker for the fresh irresistible parkin made by my own mum. I can’t be waiting a week or so before sticky parkin has matured in a tin to become truly sticky.
Rhubarb Gingerbread has the normal attributes of it’s kind with the added attraction of a layer of crystallised ginger and rhubarb pieces like a rhubarb sandwich. Wakefield, the home of the rhubarb triangle, has its own local version of gingerbread worth tracking down in a local cafe.
I tried to drop subtle hints in the last paragraph combined with the absence of full recipes which could be found in the amazon book. Why bake yourself? Instead, enjoy yourself tracking down as many varieties of homemade gingerbread and parkin in tea rooms and cafes around the county. You could be in for a ‘reet treat’!
Ginger Sponge and ‘Soggy Moggy’ are variations on the theme which can combine elements the products above. I like a bit of plain cake containing a generous portion of dried ginger, I’ll leave the fresh ginger to others.
To go with custard, a good Ginger Pudding can’t be beaten especially if there is some golden syrup at the bottom of the pud. I don’t think I have ever had a ginger suet pudding but now there is an idea for the chef to ginger up desserts.
Warning the road bends sharply left under the narrow railway bridge. (When I say narrow I mean breath in). Unfortunately the number of the bridge and safety instructions are obliterated by the similar graffiti on the plaque fixed to the bridge wall itself.
A word to the graffiti (so called artist). Banksy you are not! If you aspire to be the King then it will only be as Kong. This rendering on a blanked off window is on the Saltaire Brewery offices. Let us hope the king is soon old enough in years and mentality to stop defacing property with his so called tag. If the graffiti artist is self identifying as a female then why use ‘King’
Looking over the wall where Otley Road crosses the River Aire in Shipley makes you wonder about the rubbishy nature of our commitment to the environment.
There are at least two companies involved with sign manufacture advertising their wares on the edge of the riverbank. Many of the signs are in disrepair and about to slide into the river (plastic and all). It is a steep slope into the river and once over the weir the flotsam will drift down stream at a rate of knots especially after the recent rain.
Broken signage is not the only problem as pop drinkers and crisp eaters have found where to lob their rubbish just over the wall. It looks like this sort of rubbish breeds with itself. It will soon be blown or washed into the river to become some onelse’s problem.
Turning on to Dockfield Road and heading towards the Leeds Liverpool canal there is a turning circle for barges that also formed part of the spur to the Bradford canal. I think you could walk across the canal on top of the detritus that is so compact and noxious.
A little light relief was displayed by the parking arrangements in the middle of the canal.
All photographs taken on 13th March 2018 – how long before Shipley Rubbish is cleared? From these few photos it is hard to disagree that Shipley is currently not much cop (Rubbish). I have fallen in to the trap of blaming authorities who should be cleaning and tidying up. The real responsibility is us the public and some businesses.
Have you got the brains you were born with? If so do you keep them under your flat cap?
March is ‘Brain Tumour Awareness Month’ in the UK and the charity Brain Tumour Research and Support Across Yorkshire, at Wagon Lane, Bingley are urging the people of Yorkshire to join their Flat Cap Friday campaign to help raise vital funds and awareness for the Charity No. 1095931 . The flat cap is seen by southerners as the iconic hat of Yorkshire.
March is also the month of Wear A Hat Day and is the braintumourresearch ( charity number 1153487) biggest campaign. Wear A Hat Day returns on Thursday 29th March 2018 led by our patron Caprice, a survivor of the disease. Wear A Hat Day raises over £1,000,000
I know it is a T shirt not a hat!
Yorkshire is a significant producer of eggs and chickens. It is also as humane as practical in the way it treats the flocks including some re-homing of aging birds.
The British Hen Welfare Trust have regional co-ordinators to help with ‘Hen Re-homing’ when the birds get past the age to lay eggs. All commercial laying hens are sent to slaughter at around 78 weeks old when their working life reaches an end unless they can be re-homed. The British Hen Welfare Trust work with schools and 92% of the hens they find homes for come from formerly caged birds not free range chickens. Very occasionally they take barn hens but supporters prefer to offer the old birds a life they previously didn’t enjoy.
Ikkle Chooks Yorkshire Rescue is a re-homing hub. for ex battery hens or ex-commercial hens, with a no cull policy. All rehomed birds are as pets not for commercial activity.
White Rose Forest plans are in place even if the trees aren’t yet but the plans are inspirational. In fact it will be many years before the plans are complete but by then there will be a continuous belt of trees across the county. The Woodlands Trust has received a welcome boost to membership and participation as a result of the publicity.
Plans to plant 50 million trees to create a “Northern Forest” include new woodland in and around Leeds and other major urban centres. Planting is planned over the next 25 years, beginning in March, across a 120-mile stretch of the M62 corridor between Liverpool and Hull. Its aim is to boost habitat for wildlife including birds and bats, protect species such as red squirrels and provide more public access to woodlands. The Northern Forest will connect the North’s five Community Forests, including the Leeds White Rose Forest, the HEYwoods Project in Hull and South Yorkshire Community Forest.
Community Forest is a partnership between local authorities and local, regional and national partners including the Forestry Commission and Natural England. The founding basis for each Forest is a government-approved Forest Plan, a 30-year vision of landscape-scale improvement
maps with thanks to Community Forest Trust charity no 1072706.The community charity trust is an environmental charity passionate about community forests and the power of trees to transform places and strengthen and enhance communities.
Not only is Skipton the self appointed ‘Gateway to the Dales’ but is the administrative center of |Craven District Council. They are looking for the public’s favourite object from a list of seven
