A beer for the Tour ‘d’Yorkshire one of many on the route, try Ginger Pale Ale at 4%
At 4.8% abv this Little Valley stout will make you stout if you don’t watchout. It is too late for me but I dream of one day inventing a slimming beer but not too soon eh?
‘Rich black stout containing chocolate malt mixed with oats and wheat. Stoodley Stout has a rich and creamy roasted flavour with aromas of orange, citrus and berry’ says the advertising puff from Little Valley Brewery in Cragg Vale Hebden Bridge. Well my last pint was a good taste and I didn’t get much of the promised yeasty sediment (what there was went in my slug traps so they drown happy).
Little Valley is one of the new micro breweries and there is not much spit and sawdust about in fact all the beers are that modern ‘Organic type’.
Stout or Mild Ale from Cragg Vale
Yorkie Pie Joke
News Flash!
I have just got round to it (or round tuit)
- An explosion in pie factory injures 3.1415926…. people
- Some suffered fractures of the radius…
- ..but most employees are squared serious injury before going off at a tangent
sorry.
Yorkshire You are Welcome to It!
Taciturn, dour, gruff even but Yorkshire folk have infinite pride in their county. For that reason you are welcome to visit or live in the area but do not expect full acceptance to take less than a generation or three.
North, East or West there is a Riding for you – obviously we don’t take as quickly to southerners, so we have no South Riding.
To show just how welcoming you may find Yorkshire there is a section on this website that visitors could find useful. It lists things to do and see in various towns, cities and villages.
The lists are often curtailed, limited or restricted (with Yorkshire modesty) to a top ten when there are lots more attractions to these Yorkshire Places.
Welcome to Otley LS21
Welcome to Hovingham YO62
Welcome to Harrogate HG1
Welcome to Saltaire BD18
Welcome to Thirsk YO7
Welcome to Keighley BD 21
Welcome to Wetherby LS29
Welcome to Settle BD24
As the flags on this photograph reveal we also welcome European and International visitors of all nationalities even from the rest of Great Britain.
More humourous slogans
Vote Yes for an Independent Yorkshire
This coming September, Yorkshire has the unparalleled opportunity to seek its own future – independent of Westminster and those London folk!
– Vote Yes, for a free and democratic Greater Republic of an Independent and Proud Yorkshire!
It’s time for the land of Rugby League, coal mines and whippets to stand up for our rights to forge a new independent nation.
‘From God’s own county to God’s own country!
In Yorkshire we trust!
Five years from now, where could an Independent Yorkshire be?
- A global leader in Rhubarb exports
- Greater international prestige for claiming Yorkshire’s long-standing right to host the international World Whippet Racing Championship.
- Unleash the vast riches hidden in the South Yorkshire coal fields. In an independent Yorkshire, you’ll never have to pay tax again!
- End the abomination of Humberside!
- Now’t taken out of Yorkshire dialect.
- Free Yorkshire puddings for all over 85s provided on NHS.
Welcome to Wetherby – LS22
Weatherby whaler fish and chip shop is very popular on Thursday’s the local market day in town.
The free riverside car park gets busy but you can usually find a space.
A market town, with a Charter since 1240, Wetherby is a small town with a big riverside frontage. The Wharfe provides visitors with fine riverside walks, picnic areas and a local cafe near the car park.
Wetherby Railway Path not surprisingly runs through Wetherby (that is more than the trains do Dr Beeching). Now starting in Spofforth it follows the old railway track through Kirk Deighton and the railway triangle to the town centre where it is joined by the West Yorkshire Cycle Route. By now it has been named The Harland Way after the late Lions Club president. Then it has been extended to Walton Gate and Thorp Arch Estate.
Sustrans invest in Cycle paths but this route is suitable for walkers, riders and horses. It will eventually be extended to Tadcaster and York whilst the West Yorkshire cycle route heads off south.
Other Locations and Factoids
- Over the sticks Wetherby racecourse is Yorkshire’s premier National Hunt venue and home to some of the best races in the National Hunt Calendar. It boasts some of the best facilities in the North of England and has a fantastic atmosphere to rival any sporting occasion.
- The town centre is full of interesting small shops selling a wide variety of goods. Not too many multi-nationals to force the locals into homogeneous shopping.
- ‘From 1318 to 1319 the North of England suffered many raids from the Scots. After the battle of Bannockburn. Wetherby was burned and many people taken and killed. It is said that Scott Lane is so named because it ran with blood.’
- During the World War II Tockwith airfield was renamed ‘Marston Moor Airfield’ to avoid confusion with Topcliffe Airfield. Clark Gable was stationed here. Part of the airfield is now used as a driver training centre and the old control tower is used as the offices but bits of the runways can still be seen.
- The bridge on the Old Great North Road is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade II listed structure. As a result of its situation a large number of coaching inns, now pubs, were established in Wetherby.
- Tadcaster and Boston Spa lie to the south-east; other villages nearby renown for executive housing include Sicklinghall and Kirkby Overblow, and Linton.
- Under Wetherby Attractions on the Wetherby website there are no attractions except for a list of other Yorkshire towns and villages
credits Cog and Fish 2 by Tim Green aka atoach CC BY 2.0
For other North |Riding market days see
Cat and Mouse Inventions
Yorkshire is full of inventive and innovative characters and none more so than the Inventors and Entrepreneurs of the Little Nipper mouse trap and Cats Eyes.
James Henry Atkinson was born in Leeds (1849-1942) filed applications for patents on several different inventions but the one he is most famous for is his mousetrap originally GB 13277 of 1899. After making several prototypes and versions he eventually came up with the trap he christened ‘The Little Nipper’ in 1909. ‘The Little Nipper’ is a simple device with a spring-loaded bar and a baited trip to release it. Cheese is the traditional bait but chocolate and peanut butter are said to work even better. The invention was successful because it did a job that needed doing in an effective manner and it had a brand that was licensed to a manufacturing company Procters who 100 years later are still selling Little Nippers.
If Little Nipper was the Mouse then on to the Cat and Percy Shaw of Halifax who was another long lived Yorkshire inventor (1890-1976). Percy’s ‘Cats Eyes’ were patented in 1935 and Reflecting Roadstuds Limited was founded in Halifax to manufacture them. The name Catseye was their trademark based on one of Percys (fanciful?) stories about a cat on a fence along the edge of a road that looked at the car, reflected his headlights back to him, allowing him to drive more safely. ‘In an interview with Alan Whicker he told a different story of being inspired on a foggy night to think of a way of moving the reflective studs on a road sign to the road surface. Further, local school children who were taken on visits to the factory in the late 1970s were told that the idea came from Shaw seeing light reflected from his car headlamps by tram tracks in the road on a foggy night. The tram tracks were polished by the passing of trams and by following the advancing reflection.’ wikipedia.
With media exposure and a world class product whose exports earned Percy Shaw the OBE he created one of Yorkshires most well known inventions.
Photo credit Chick on Mouse Trap by failing_angel CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Danger from Cows in Field
Beware cows are not Tour de Yorkshire friendly as even Limousin cattle in the dales don’t moo in French.
This shot of Yorkshire cows is taken in the Wharfe Valley between Grassington and Burnsall. Generally speaking cows are placid animals who will happily co-exist with humans. However, there are occasions when cows and bulls can present a danger to walkers and ramblers. For anyone who enjoys walking in the countryside it is important to be aware of these potential problems.
When Cows Are Potentially Dangerous to Walkers
Firstly, cows do not look upon humans as a threat. However, they may see dogs as a threat, it harks back to the time when wolfs would attack cows and their calves. Therefore, it is a walker with a dog who is most under threat.
Secondly, the most dangerous time is after new calves are born and the cows feel protective towards their young.
If they see a walker with a dog approaching they may become defensive and attack the person with the dog.
If this was ever to happen, the most important thing is to let go of the dog. Your dog will easily be able to run faster than cows. If the dog runs away from you, the cows will lose interest in you. THe only danger comes when the walker won’t let go of their dogs and so gives the cows a reason to attack. Unfortunately, on very rare occasions tragic incidents of cows trampling over people can occur. However, if you take care to follow basic principles there is no need to fear cows in field
A Sheffield Football Club is Oldest in the World ?
Football clubs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes but our two Football league teams in Sheffield have a combined 242 years experience behind them. The grounds at Bramall Lane (Sheffield United) and Hillsborough (Sheffield Wednesday) have a combined capacity of 72,426.
However the oldest football club in the world is Sheffield FC (now playing in the Northern premier First Division and the Ladies team in North East Regional WPL Premier division). The last thing I am suggesting is a combined team playing as Sheffield City – that would be an own goal of epic proportions.
Sheffield FC was founded in 1857 a year before the first rules for the game were first codified. Most of these rules were adopted by the FA in 1863. Interestingly there was a Sheffield United founded in 1854 but that was a cricket team!
A wife tired of her husband spending so much time at Hillsborough said ‘Sometimes I think you love Sheffield Wednesday more than you love me’ and he replied ‘Lass I love United more than I love thee’
Boulby for Mines and Underground Laboratories
Boulby is a working potash and rock-salt mine with hundreds of miles of underground roads, tunnels and caverns. Alum was also mined near by to supply the die industry but potash and rock salt are now the main products taken from this deep mine facility. Polyhalite is another mineral they produce that consists of calcium, magnesium and potassium sulphates that can be crushed to produce a bulk fertiliser rich in sulphur.
You can see Boulby if you walk along the Cleveland Way between Runswick Bay and Staithes but the mine is quite discreet with only a chimney visible.
Interesting and Unusual Facts about Boulby
Boulby Underground Laboratory is 3,500 feet below ground in Boulby Mine on the North East coast of Yorkshire. It is the UK’s deepest underground science facility. Boulby is the home to the ZEPLIN-III and DRIFT-II Dark Matter search projects.
Boulby has got one of Yorkshire’s remaining Sound Mirrors used to detect Zepplins during the war.
Just north of the village 1 mile from Staithes are the highest cliffs in England, at 203 meters (666 ft) above sea level.
Boulby Alum Tunnel Entrance by twiggles CC BY-NC 2.0
Yard of Ale at Whitelocks The Turks Head
Leeds Pubs hide there light under a bushel or in a back yard in the case of Whitelocks. Run by the Whitelock family for 90 years during the 19th century Whitelocks was renamed from the original ‘Turks Head’ but the long narrow passage way where it is located is now named Turks Head Yard.
A ‘Yard of Ale’ is what you can expect or several yards of copper bar with numerous hand pulled and beer engine pumps to serve you a great selection of ales real and chilled. Beer at its best served in the old style. Whitelocks is worth a visit for the mirrors and polished copper alone but they have a long reputation as a luncheon bar and serve good Yorkshire grub. I remember being fascinated 40 years ago that part of a pub had white linen tablecloths and there were 8 tables similarly adorned at lunchtime last week.
If you don’t want food with your drink go in an evening or drink outside in the long thin passage way that leads from Briggate to Trinity Street (back of M&S to people in the Man Creche).
I ventured in to Whitelocks last week as I remembered they had a toilet out in the yard only to find it locked and accessible only through the bar so I felt I must enter. With the drink I then consumed I put in more than I took out so to speak!
It is over 40 years since I first supped in Whitelocks but a small time compared to the 297 it has been open. I must make a note to visit in 2015 when they celebrate their 300 year anniversary.
Other Reviews
Whitelocks is Leeds’ oldest pub (1715) hidden in the depths of one of the city’s more obscure alleyways. Bizarrely, despite tourists and legless students alike struggling to find it, the pissed OAPs seem to locate their place at the bar every time……. the itchy guide goes on in similar fashion but it is aimed at the drinking student class (or is that skipping classes).
Pub Humour
A man walks into a bar! – ‘Ouch’
A dyslexic walks into a bra!
A ham sandwich walks into a bar and asks for a pint and a pickled egg – ‘Sorry we don’t serve food!’
A man walks into a bar with a lump of tarmac under his arm and says: “Pint please, and one for the road.”
Descartes walks into a bar and is asked “Would you like a beer?” Descartes replies “I think not” and woosh! he vanishes.
A Black Sheep walks into a bar. The bartender says, “We have a beer named after you.” The Black Sheep says, “Bob?”
Photo credits
Adam Bruderer CC BY 2.0
Whitelocks by tricky (rick harrison) One of the narrow alleyways leading into Whitelocks pub (the oldest pub in Leeds). CC BY-NC-SA 2.0