Monday 24 July 2017

Markenfield Hall

Markenfield Hall is a place we have had on our bucket list for a while, but it is very much a family home and not often open to the public - and so far, it has never been open when we had the possibility to go there. But I have been following their blog (click here if you are interested in it) for a couple of years or so, and there is also a "proper" website (click for that one).

Anyway - this post contains pictures from Markenfield Hall, taken on July 17th. My sister and I intended to walk from Ripon to Ripley - it looks all very doable on the map, but proved much more difficult than anticipated. But although we did not manage to walk all the way (more about that later), we DID walk to Markenfield Hall and around it, as even when the house itself is not open to the public, one is allowed to walk around the moat.

But see for yourself. First of all, look at that wonderful blue sky! It was really warm (hot in Yorkshire terms) on that day, and we set off from Ripon via Whitecliff Lane past farms and fields, pastures and woods.

The same view as the one above, only zoomed in - Ripon Cathedral is never far away!

 First glimpse of Markenfield Hall:


Coming up past outbuildings and the drystone wall surrounding it:


Moat, gate house and car park. We were polite enough NOT to fall in the moat!


Now follow me on the path that leads around the moat:


Isn't this wonderful? You expect to stumble across Sleeping Beauty or some other fairytale character any moment (we didn't)! Next year, we are going to plan our Yorkshire Holiday so that we can catch an open day here.


Walking further on, the public footpath lead across a field of cows. It is an official path; walkers/ramblers are allowed to walk there. But on the gates to the field were warning notices, advising people to keep to the perimeter of the field and generally use caution, as the cows were with calves. Also, the notice said NOT to bring dogs onto the field. 
I don't mind a few cows at the other end of a large field, when I know I can walk across at a safe distance and all looks quiet. But I do take such warnings seriously, and when we did indeed dare to go through the cow-proof gate and walked slowly and quietly along the  perimeter, I felt uneasy. Then, some of the cows started looking our way, with one of them appearing particularly interested in us. I thought, better safe than sorry, and quickly climbed over the wire fence, from where I took the picture below. 
In all likelihood, nothing would have happened, but I did not want to risk anything.


There was no path this side of the fence, and we struggled for a rather long stretch of field amidst nettles, thorns and thistles at the outer rim of a field of wheat. It was very difficult walking, as the growth was so thick we could not really see where we were putting our feet. Emerging at the other end of that field, where the footpath across the cow pasture came out by another gate, we needed a break - taking a good ten minutes just to get off the worst of the prickly and sticky plant bits that had made their way into our shoes and socks.


From that point on, walking became a little easier. And all cows were - although still interested - on the other side of a fence.
Eventually, we found ourselves in Wormald Green - a small village/hamlet halfway between Ripon and Ripley, where we have come through many times on the bus to and from Harrogate. My sister's mobile phone had only just informed us that by now, we had been walking about 12 km (7,5 miles); we were sweaty, thirsty (we did have water with us, and something to eat) and still many plant bits clinging to our feet. Guess how we felt, then, coming across a road sign that said "Ripon 4 miles"...! It was about the most discouraging sight imaginable.

Therefore, we decided to have a nice cold drink at "The George" in Wormald Green and take the bus for the rest of the way to Ripley.
It was a very good decision, because we had our energy and spirits restored by the time we arrived in Ripley, ready to have once again (as in previous years) a walk around the pretty village and the castle grounds. That will be the subject of another post,

23 comments:

  1. Ah - I wish I'd known you were coming - I'd have come and said hello! Next time...

    Sarah (Markenfield)

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    1. Dear Sarah,
      Perhaps you would agree to a private tour of Markenfield Hall when Meike and her sister come to Ripon from their homes in Germany next summer? Such a kind gesture might help with Brexit negotiations!
      Best wishes,
      Neil (Sheffield)

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    2. I had no idea they had come that far! All she has to do is ask and we will see what we can do.

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    3. Hello Sarah, Thanks for popping over and commenting!
      I can not promise (as Neil has suggested) that I can be in any way of help with Brexit negotiations, but I will definitely be in touch before my next Yorkshire Holiday!
      - Meike

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  2. What a lovely post Meike. Some people might chuckle about you and Brunhilde (your sister) leaving the cow field but as an experienced country walker myself I am always wary of cows - either with calves or not. Several deaths are caused by cows every year and I don't want to boost those statistics.

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    1. Seriously? Cows are dangerous?

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    2. Seriously, Jennifer. Cows are big and not as defense- and harmless as they may appear. It is no joke what YP said about the deaths caused by cows every year.

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  3. So very polite of you and your sister that you didn't fall into the moat! :-)
    I am not an expert on cows but I wouldn't have been afraid of the cows but I would have been careful of their droppings! Having said that, you do have to be careful of the BULLS but the cows you have shown here? They look like milk cows to me.

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    1. They were mother cows with calves, Kay, no bulls as far as I could tell from a distance. But see Neil's comment above; cows really DO kill several ramblers/walkers every year. Their sense of humour ends where they feel they (or their young ones) are threatened.

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    2. Well, you know I had to look this up! Amazing honestly, I had no idea.
      Here is a chart for you to read...the animals that are most likely to kill you. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/16/chart-the-animals-that-are-most-likely-to-kill-you-this-summer/?utm_term=.3b9821d6450b
      So, be careful out there!

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    3. And I only know cows from the cows that my Dad has raised over the years and it was the bulls that I was afraid of! Of course, he didn't have a huge herd of them and I never got close to one when there was a calf around!

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    4. Thanks for the link, Kay! Neil (Yorkshire Pudding) has some time ago (last year?) poasted about cows and how time and time again walkers/hikders/ramblers are killed by them precisely because they did not believe the cows to represent any danger to them. The chart you have linked to probably shows the numbers for the US; the UK may have different ones - possibly 0 sharks but more cows!

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    5. Yes, I knew it was a chart for the USA but I thought it so interesting I had to share it! Also, I know that most of the death related to cows in this country are from working farms and not from the public footpaths that cross over fields like they have in the UK. My Dad raised cattle for beef so I know he knows how dangerous cows can be but me, I only know those sweet ones that he couldn't bear to sell and they were like pets. Remember my photos of Sunshine?

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    6. Of course I do - who could ever forget Sunshine!
      By the way, I have finally started on the book you've sent me. I am still at the first pages so can not say much yet, but it is a joy to look at the sunflower postcard that came with it and that I am using as a bookmark!

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  4. Another lovely day, with enough difficulty to make the good parts seem special. I do hope you have a private tour of Markenfield Hall next year! Once when my husband and I had a picnic in the alps, we fell asleep on the quilt and when we awoke, cows were standing all around us. An unnerving sight! But we were able to stand up and leave the area without alarming them into anything too scary.

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  5. And I mean, the cows were standing right above us!They looked quite large!

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    1. They ARE large, and those horns are no joke close-up, are they! But in your case, they were simply being curious and obviously did not see you as a threat. That was lucky!

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  6. I love that picture of you, Meike. It's such a nice summer photo! What great memories you must be making!

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    1. We did, Jennifer! And thanks for the compliment - my sis took the picture of me while I was cleaning out my shoes and socks, I was quite unaware of it at the time.

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  7. Years ago I read that a bull will never harm you if your feet are off the ground. Unfortunately few bulls or cows have ever read the book so I remain unconvinced.

    As for the Hall itself it looks one of the most fascinating I have seen for a long time.

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    1. It is a very unusual place, Graham; definitely not your average stately home!

      I have never heard that theory about bulls, and like you, I would not trust all bulls or cows to have read it, either... So, better safe than sorry.

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  8. So very polite of you and your sister that you didn't fall into the moat! :-)


    เย็ดสาว

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    1. Yes, wasn't it? :-)
      Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment, sin soleng. I believe this is your first comment here, so, welcome to my blog!
      I have just had a look at yours but I'm afraid I can not read urdu (if that is your blog's language).

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