Monday

Kilometres Walked : 7.1

We pack up our belongings and load up our little hire car ( thank god it is small so we can park it out the front of our cottage) and head for The Yorkshire Dales. With a big blue sky above us we wove our way through walled narrow lanes straight into James Herriot Country.

Leaving the many slate villages of the Lake District behind, we pass vibrant rolling green fields and The Pennines rise above us in the glorious sunshine. Stone cottages almost sit on the road. Single lane stone bridges cross over crisp clear water. Daffodils reach for the sun and hedgerows show signs of new spring growth.

Have we driven into a story book? Is that James in the field tending to the lambs? There’s no doubt that the sunshine and blue sky make everything appear even more beautiful and bright. Twin lambs are around every bend. We’ve lost count now. Their little wooly stumpy wobbly legs are just too cute.

West Burton appears around a long winding narrow lane way. We spot our first Mad March Hare in the field beside us. Stone cottages almost on top of one another line the village. Bluebells start to show themselves. The Reading Room envelopes us like an old friend. The view is just as magical as we remember. The two Tups out the back entertain us. Little birds flit around the shrubs and the sun is still shining. Going for a stroll around the village we see many more sets of twin lambs and even a set of black faced triplets. How very special and super adorable. With the Fells surrounding us and the sun starting to set we sit down and soak up the natural splendour.

Tuesday

Kilometres Walked : 3.7

Today has been a super slow day. Reading books, drinking endless cups of coffee and getting lost in the views over the fields. Imagining James and Helen living in the next village. Watching the Tups ( male sheep) Noticing ramblers go past in all their waterproofs. Spotting a pheasant and some large quails. Enjoying the grey drizzly day tucked up inside.