Challenging times in the b&b!

After a year of problems in the bathroom of one of our main letting rooms, it all came to a head on Monday.
Water started dripping quite fast through our kitchen ceiling from the above bathroom and it was proving difficult to serve breakfast in the middle of a waterfall!!
The plumber was duly called and came to our rescue that morning.
After an hour of deliberation, it was decided that the bathroom had to be completely stripped in order to get to the bottom of the problem. No more messing about!
To cut a long tedious story short, this is what we have done to the place!!

And this is what it used to look like!:

So....we've got some work to do....
Insurance assessors have visited and as of today,  so has the loss adjuster.
New floorboards have been ordered, which will be at least 10 days. Now we have to find new furniture, due to water damage and replace tiles that got broken when removing the shower.
This isn't a small quick job and being the End of August, the timing is really bad for bookings. Had to turn away guests this week and move some elsewhere.
All i can say about the whole experience is .....Thank goodness for Insurance! If you are ever in doubt about needing it....then this should be justification for it.
Watch this space for the transformation...in the next 2 weeks

Day 3 of The Inn Way Yorkshire Dales

Day 3 of The Inn involves a 13 mile walk from Askrigg to Reeth.

However, because some of us did not complete the end of Stage 2,due to a pub distraction and being cold & wet, we had to go back to Bainbridge and walk to Askrigg (3 miles)before we could even start Stage 3. (Askrigg to Reeth)

So, 2 weeks ago in miserable wet weather, we finished Stage 2 (3 miles) and started Stage 3 (8 miles)Askrigg to Gunnerside.

Due to the weather, no photos were taken!

So, to the present day......I hope you're keeping up!!

Yesterday we went back to Gunnerside to finish the last 8 miles of Stage 3 to Reeth.

The conditions were completely different from the 1st 2 days of The Inn Way. Finally we were heading into Spring!

We left our overnight stay with friends in Hawkswick at 8 am and headed north to Reeth to drop off a car.
We finally parked up in Gunnerside and headed East, by foot towards Reeth.
The sun shone for most of the day and conditions were almost perfect.
I say 'almost' because in parts it was slightly boggy underfoot.
After 3 hours of walking we reached Reeth and were in need of a pint! This we found in The Kings Arms, one of the 3 pubs on The Inn Way in Reeth alone!

Here we ended our walk, safe in the knowledge that we'd finished Stage 3.
Hopefully Stage 4 will be a lot less complicated! A 13 miler from Reeth to West Burton, in the next month, depending on bookings at Elslack Grange b&b!!

A stroll along the Leeds to Liverpool Canal

2 days ago whilst socialising on Twitter and talking to my friend Karen from Hellifield (Peel Castle, to be precise!!)and Rosemary, we came up with the idea of a walk the following day. It actually started off with a suggestion of lunch, but we felt better if we said we were going for a walk!
It was decided, by myself that we would walk from Gargrave to Skipton along the Leeds to Liverpool Canal. A simple walk of only 3 1/2 miles but quite tricky at times with the icy conditions underfoot.

About an hour an a half later we were walking in mud as we approached Skipton.
The dogs at this stage were filthy dirty and though we found a dog friendly pub, we were not welcome!
We tied the dogs outside a cafe in the canal basin & proceeded inside for a bowl of soup.
It had been a lovely day, with no wind and pleasant surroundings.
We passed many boats all tied up for the winter and encountered 'hot tempered' swans along the way!
After parting ways and returning home it was decided that we should make this a regular event.....so now, we just need to find some short flat walks in The Yorkshire Dales???...It could be tricky!!
Perhaps another leg of the Canal?

This summer's challenge?!

As always, i am thinking of the 'next walk' even before we finish the current one, which is 'The Inn Way of The Yorkshire Dales'.

This next opportunity came about through Twitter..the online social network, which i use frequently!

It is 'The 3 Peaks of Yorkshire'. A 24 mile walk involving climbing Penyghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.

I have walked it twice before, once as a teenager and the 2nd time as a 30 something!
15 years later i can't believe i'm even considering it again!

My walking friends are undecided whether to walk it as part of an organised charity day or just walk it on our own for our own choice of charity. I'm in favour of the organised 'route' as it provides medical back up!! Could be handy with my injuries!!

The charity walk is organised by The British Red Cross and takes place on the 14th July 2012.

By the way, i didn't mention that 1 of my friends who wants to walk it, 'under her own steam', has held the record for the fastest time for RUNNING The 3 Peaks!!

New Years Day walk 2012!

So, a New Year begins...as the old year ended..WET!!
My walking friends, Terry and myself decided to meet up in the New Year and walk off any cobwebs.
Instead of the usual wintry snowy conditions, we just got rain, sleet and hail!!
We headed up Elslack Moor Lane, across Carleton Moor, over towards Lothersdale and back up the Pennine Way past Pinnaw Beacon and back down to Elslack.
Doesn't sound very far, but in wet, boggy conditions it was quite challenging, to say the least.
Below is a photo of Pinnaw Beacon on a better day, when conditions were 'easier'!!

And actual photos from the day,between the rain/hail showers!

My Christmas photo

So far we have been blessed with mild weather this winter, making getting around in The Yorkshire Dales much easier than 2010!
Let's hope that this continues into 2012 and we can look forward to a mild Spring.

Pictured below is Elslack Grange Bed & Breakfast on Elslack Lane in Elslack last winter!!

Merry Christmas! and i'll see you next year!

Day 2 of The Inn Way. Yorkshire Dales

It's been a month or so since the 1st stage of The Inn Way.
It was time to tackle Day 2 before the weather 'turned'!!

So, what did we do? We planned it for December 3rd...which turned out to be the 1st day of snow this winter!!!!
We left Elslack Grange at 8-15 am in a snow storm but arrived in Buckden in dry conditions.
However, 3 hrs later we were on the top of Kidstones Pass in a howling wind & hailstorm!
The weather only worsened as we descended. From then on the 'going' was tough!! walking through a snowstorm and across very boggy fields.

Our Lunch stop!

The next Big Walk - The Inn Way of The Yorkshire Dales

So, whilst walking The Coast to Coast..190 miles from St Bees Head to Robin Hoods Bay, we had plenty of time to plan the next walk!
And we came up with 'The Inn Way'. There are a few walks in the series....in The Lake District, Peak District, Northumberland, North Yorkshire Moors and The Yorkshire Dales.
We decided to start with the one nearest to home.
It starts from Grassington heads to Buckden, Askrigg and as far as Reeth and then back towards Grassington via West Burton and Kettlewell.

The photos below are taken on the 1st stage from Grassington to Bucken back in October.

The Falcon Inn at Arncliffe

Queens Arms Litton

'Tyskie'...our new resident

It's been about 7 weeks now since Terry and i took on full responsibility of Tyskie, a 3 year old Labradoodle.
We had been looking after her since she was 6 weeks old, but only as 'part time dog sitters' along with her 'brother' Webster..a Working Beardied Collie.
It was not an easy decision for her mother to give her away to us but it has turned out the best result for both dogs.
They still get to see eachother for 'sleepovers' so everybody wins!
I have taken to looking after her full time like a 'duck to water'!! Never thought i'd enjoy having a dog full time but the old saying 'a dog is a man's best friend' is so true and i wouldn't be without her now.
She is always there when you need a hug!!

Walk around Kettlewell

You may think that all i do in The Dales is walk...well, why not? It's got some fantastic scenery... which, even though i've lived here on and off all my life, i still find breathtaking.
It's also taken me 40 years to get the opportunity to do some walking, due to having 2 experienced walking friends, whom i got to know on the Coast To Coast challenge.
You could say that the C2C inspired me to 'keep on walking'.I can see that golf is going to take a back seat!!
So, my aim next year is to make some more time for myself & my boots. Even my husband is keen to join me on my adventures.

Starbotton in Early November!!

Autumn in The Yorkshire Dales

I can't believe Summer has been and gone since my last post back in Spring!
It seems it's been all work and no play.
However, I'm pleased to report that i have finished walking The Coast to Coast and have taken on a new challenge...The Inn Way of The Yorkshire Dales. It's a much shorter walk and involves about 5 days of walking, averaging 13 miles a day & stopping at the odd Inn or two!.

Spring in Elslack

There has been a hive of activity in Elslack this morning.... The Hen that's taken up residence in our garden, has given birth (hatched!) to 4 chicks and seems to be on the move. However, she seems to have left 9 eggs behind in her nest.
On the way to tell the farmer, we then spotted a Duck and her 14 ducklings swimming downstream. 12 ducklings were of similar colour and 2 yellow ones, just like the chicks i used to put on my chocolate easter eggs, (when i was making them for the family chocolate business in Skipton!)
I also noticed at the week-end that some of the fish have had babies and 1 still looking very fat! Unfortunately, this is impossible to take a photo of!!

Around and about Elslack. Spring 2011

Thought it was about time i posted photos of Elslack this morning rather than my C2C photos, to avoid confusion as to where i actually live!!! These are a selection taken recently.

The view from Elslack Moor:

The wood behind our house:

Our garden:

My attempt at 'catching the sunset'!

My dad 'popped 'in for coffee one morning!

C2C Day 6 Shap to Kirkby Stephen December 30th 2010

I thought it was about time i updated this blog by posting the photos of the last stage of the C2C walk back at the end of 2010!
I think the reason why it has taken me so long to do so, is because there was no great crisis, no bad weather to report and no spectacular scenery, as in previous stages!
The only doubt we had in our mind about whether the walk would take place was the thick fog the day earlier!!
So, in preparation for an early finish, we took 3 cars up and placed them at the beginning, middle and end of the walk! It was going to be a very long day, whatever the weather, as this was 1 of the longest stages...22 miles! The 1st photo shows the start of the walk from Shap at 7.45 am

 As you can see, we had some sheep intervention whilst Margaret worked out where we were!

 This Steam train was travelling along the Settle to Carlisle railway. Quite spectacular!

C2C Day 5 Patterdale to Shap November 2010

2 months have passed since 4 of us tackled Day 3 & 4 of The Coast to Coast walk, in what could be described as perfect conditions for walking.
Finding accommodation for this walk was a little easier than the last stage, due to the time of the year, perhaps.
Staying in Patterdale on the friday night, we drove north from Elslack for about 2 hours til we finally made it to The White Lion in Patterdale, our overnight accommodation.
Having enjoyed a hearty meal and a brisk walk with the dogs, to settle them down for the night, we all retired to our rooms quite early. We had a long day ahead of us and a relatively early start.
On waking the next morning, we were in for a big surprise, though we shouldn't have been, as it had been forecast all week....yes, you've guessed it...It had snowed heavily overnight!!
Memories came flooding back from Day 1 & 2 of the walk, back in April, but we couldn't help but laugh!!
Setting off later than planned 9-30 am we left Patterdale in beautiful sunshine..and found ourselves several hours later in a complete 'white out'. The fog had come down and visibility was practically nil! Fortunately, we were with 2 experienced fell walkers/runners who came equipped with compasses.

The photos don't show the tough conditions at the top, as it was just too cold to get the camera out and the views were non existent, due to fog.
The last photo shows Haweswater at about 4pm when we still had another 4 miles to walk! Hence, we walked the last 3 miles in pitch black..with the help of a couple of head lamps.