Oh to be in England now that Spring is there - a walk in the Dales
 

For the time being, keep your Mediterranean give me North of England locations with the sun shining in Spring.
We dusted off our ‘Walks in the Forest of Bowland’ a Cicerone Guide written by Jack Keighley and headed for Tosside. Its just in the Yorkshire Dales, as one helpful farmer pointed out en route, and waved his stick “Yon farm (Lower Brayshaw) is in Lancashire”, “Oh” I said “then we can expect a more friendly welcome there”, He broke into a broad grin “You ken tell yer from Lancashire as yer daft enough to say that to a farmer with a stick in his hand”.
The walk we were doing was a circular one from Tosside round by Whelp Stone Crag. We got lost a couple of times but helped by a couple of farmers “Are we okay going through your field with the lambs in” “Oh ay as long as you don’t mind being followed” and sure enough they followed us thinking we were going to feed them. There are lots of birds, rabbits and trout on the walk (the trout are in a small lake) and there are plenty of spring flowers on the way – primroses and the like.
Tossside is a lovely village with a very old church, St Bartholomew, and inside are a number of Jaccobean features. We ate homemade cake with a big teapot of tea in a very friendly spot called the Old Vicarage – they also serve dinner. http://sunshineandcelandines.wordpre...rage-tearooms/

The Dog and Partidge is virtually next door, it looks nice from the outside but we resisted calling in.
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs...tridge/Tosside
In the vicinity of Tosside has got to be the most attractive village in England Waddington replete with village stream – people were sat by the river in the old pubs drinking there Pims and Rose. Not far from here is Whitewell where there is one of the Royalties favourites: the ‘Inn at Whitewell’. A Michelin star Gastro Pub.
http://www.innatwhitewell.com/
Another favourite pub in the vicinity is ‘The Hark to Bounty’ at Slaidburn.
This area is well worth a visit especially as you can combine it with a trip through the Trough of Bowland.

Sounds like a lovely spring trek...Thanks

Oh, how I'd love to do something similar, thanks for sharing:)

Bluebells are out in the Wharfe valley, should get a bike ride out in amongst them on Easter Monday, sounds like a good trip out across the border.

Wonderful Wharfedale - Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Grassington and Kettlewell, and Fish and chips at Harry Ramsdens at Guiseley (is it still there?).

<<people were sat by the river in the old pubs drinking there Pims and Rose>>

drinking Pimms in Yorkshire - are you sure? I'm surprised the police weren't called ;)

It must be nice to have spring now. I thought we had spring with a couple of warm days but the other night we had hail and snow again - and the few poor little flowers in the Park were hanging their heads from the snow and cold. Hope it didn't kill them completely - and wish the trees would come into leaf.

Oh that sounds grand. Thank you, stevelyon.

An enjoyable report.

Nice.

The Harry Ramsdens brand was bought by a bunch of Maltese business men who went off and put them in various ariports around the world, but were unable to make a profit at the original site (incompetence comes to mind), now run by another fish and chip chain, went this Feb still very pleasant but they are struggling to get the market back.

Private Equity may it wither on the vine.

Oh dear,I will have to be content with my chippy visits to the Fylde coast ie Bispham and Cleveleys.

I agree Stevelyon - nowhere like North Yorkshire (and Lancashire) this time of year.
We've spent the Easter weekend doing 3 long walks on the North York Moors and the countryside looked amazing, helped by dawn to dusk sunshine every day. The hedgerows were all creamy white with blossom, lambs in the field, spring flowers everywhere, catkins on the trees ...........