Saturday 14 June 2014

Ripon, Day One (Saturday)

This was Saturday, the 31st of May, and our first full day in Ripon. If you have missed the post about the pretty cottage where we were staying, just go back two posts and you'll get a good idea of what was our base for a whole week.

I woke up to the sun shining into my cosy bedroom, and when I opened the door to the staircase, our landlords' two cats came running in - they had, I later learned from my sister, already been paying us a visit at 2.00 in the morning! She had put them out again and made sure the cat flap in the back door was firmly locked, but they somehow must have managed to open it again, as they were now here, curiously exploring my room and going downstairs with me in the hope of some food (they never got anything from us).

The Wakeman's House, Ripon Market Square
After breakfast, we had a quick stroll across the market to get some fresh fruit and veg and an equally quick visit to Sainsbury's and the baker's. With my sister-in-law, we had arranged for us to visit her in the afternoon, so we went for a walk that would take us to Littlethorpe via the scenic route.


Ripon offers many nice walks in and around the town, some are described in leaflets by the Civic Society, and usually they are well marked. 


We started out along the river Skell.

I nearly stepped on this little mouse! And when I say "little", I mean it - it was about half the length of my thumb! Before we walked on, I very carefully stroked its furry back and made sure it hid well in the grass besides the path.

On we went, along the river and across.

Underneath the bridge where the railway used to be (now part of the bypass), we reached the outskirts of Ripon. It was very quiet here, nearly no cars and very few people about.

The path then lead through a bit of woodland (and was rather muddy in parts) until we reached an open field. At the end of the field, way behind the row of trees, is the road leading past Ripon Race Course and back into town.

However, we did not want to go back into Ripon just yet; instead after having passed the Racecourse, we took the path to the left that leads along Ripon Canal. It is a nice walk; you have the canal on one side, and open meadows with the river on the other side - a popular place with birds and birdwatchers.


Not far along the canal comes the path that leads up into Littlethorpe, which is where we were actually headed. Littlethorpe is a village that has no pub, no school and no shop, but a church and a village hall - and, most important for me, family where I am always welcome!


Back to Ripon in my next post.

21 comments:

  1. Sitting in our hotel room in Portland, Oregon I am just catching up with your English holiday. Sounds like that was a really lovely walk out of Ripon. I am hoping you went to Fountains Abbey later in the week. Shirley and I had a weekend in Ripon a while back and really liked the place and its surroundings. You discovered that Yorkshire cats are more intelligent than other cats. Some Yorkshire cats can read and make fish pies. They used to mine coal.

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    1. These cats would have certainly been able to much more than what they were letting on, YP. They also had a dog in the family, but he was more the "stand back and admire" type and never attempted to pay us a visit on his own accord.
      Of course Fountains Abbey was high on our list, as it always is when I am in Ripon. In fact, it will feature very prominently in one of my next posts.

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  2. Such a charming place. And when you have family there, too, I'm not surprised at all that you love it so much!
    The church is so interesting looking. I'm not familiar with the style. Victorian? Do you know when it was built?

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    1. According to Littlethorpe's village website (http://www.littlethorpe.btck.co.uk/Church), it was built in 1878. I've not been inside the church yet, but would like to have a look.

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  3. What nice pictures, I didn't see much of England, only London. But I have read numerous English classics so these pictures remind me of the countryside described in those books.

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    1. It is beautiful countryside, Francesca, and has nothing at all in common with London (as most of the rest of England).

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  4. Wasn't Rippon James Herriot's Darrowby?

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    1. No, John, that was Thirsk, which is close to Ripon. The house where "James Herriot" (Alfred Wight) used to work and live is now a very nice museum, "The World of James Herriot". My sister and I went there in 2012.

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  5. So beautiful! And that little mouse, what a funny thing to have happen -- i've walked in wild places before and i don't believe i've ever almost stepped on any wild creature.

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    1. Had it not been for my sister, I'd have either stepped on it or walked straigt past it.

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  6. I do so enjoy going on holiday with you (so to speak) Meike. I was fascinated by Littlethorpe Church for some reason and looked it up. It's a Chapel-of-Ease. That interested me because I'd never heard the term until a few days ago when a fellow blogger in Barbados blogged about one.

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  7. I love this post! I know just what you mean, when you say that you have a wonderful family waiting to welcome you in England!
    I just read Graham's comment above...there is a wonderful website which is angicansonline.com and that will fully explain a Chapel of Ease ...and anything else abut Anglicans! (That is one of the very fist websites that I ever visited!)

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    1. Yes, Kay, I know you know what it's like to have a wonderful family waiting to welcome you in England :-) When will be your next time?

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  8. Sorry, my eyesight is truly going...I meant to say one of the FIRST websites!

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  9. Oh, it's been fun to get caught up on what's you've been up to. I always love your photos and stories from your visits to Ripon and your family there. The photos look so lush and green! I'm getting to know a little part of England I have never visited - thanks so you! Hope you are doing well!! xoxo Silke

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    1. Thank you, Silke, I am doing very well. I have been checking your blog, too, but have not had time yet to comment; just good to know you are doing so well in all areas of your life.

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  10. What a relaxing and beautiful place, I love the countryside, it's so peaceful and clean.

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    1. Most of it is, Caramella; of course I did not take pictures of those spots where people have left their rubbish (something I will never understand - how can people just drop their empty drinks cans and sweets wrappers whereever they go, and spoil such beautiful surroundings?).

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