Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail.
Sadly something struck me in Ilkley that just wasn't right.
I don't write much about environmental things on my blogs but there is plenty on the subject in my Hethersett Herald e magazine thanks to the work of HEAT - the Hethersett Environmental Action Team.
I have mixed feelings about wilding or re-wilding although I know a number of people that support it wholeheartedly. There's certainly places where it works well but in some public places I would prefer to see manicured areas. But that's just me.
Anyway back to environmental concerns about Ilkley. The other four fifths couldn't face the drive back to her brother's as I've already said. So she caught the train and I had most of the day to discover Ilkley. The town centre struck me as very ordinary so I headed for a long walk along one side of the river and crossed over a small pedestrian suspension bridge to walk back along the other bank.
There were a number of signs about what you couldn't do along the way. You know the kind of stuff - take drugs, drink alcohol, cause a nuisance with loud music or shouting, read a book by Jeffry Archer that kind of stuff. Of course I made one of those up. Who on earth would think of playing loud music?
Transgress any of those things and you could be liable to a fine of up to £1000. Apart of cause reading a Jeffrey Archer book for which the fine would have been much more. Only kidding if you're reading this Jeffrey and if you aren't I meant every word.
But to get back to the serious side. Right below the signs stating all the things you can do to break the rules is another from the local council to say you shouldn't swim or enter the river due to the presence of sewage. "Bathing is not advised." It says. Then it gives the reasons and I quote.
"The section of the river located downstream of the suspension bridge is currently contaminated with sewage and bathing water compliance monitoring is not carried out along this section. This part of the river is located downstream of regular untreated discharges from Ilkley Sewage Treatment Works. You are advised not to enter the river for any reason."
There is no mention of any fines for dumping untreated sewage into the river. On the contrary the sign seems to suggest this is all official and acceptable.
It was a pleasant walk. I'm not spending enough time in Ilkley to really get to know the place but first impressions are of a very ordinary shopping area, pleasant riverside walks and nice parkland. I had to cut the riverside ramble rather short when it started to rain.
But it didn't last too long and so I climbed up to some gardens and moorland and then walked to Ilkley Railway Station to meet the other four fifths off the train from Leeds at 3.04 pm. Not 3 pm or 3.05 pm but 3.04 pm. We needed a cup of tea but tea shops in Ilkley seem to close at 3 pm. Earlier I had gone to a cafe in one of the churches. Had a cheese ploughman's which was good. The cafe shut at 3 pm as did a number of others. We don't like going to large chains which were open but eventually we found a veggie cafe.
Time for the Steward Blogs It's a small world feature. The other four fifths popped off to the loo and I got talking to the lady who served us.
She asked if I had done a lot of walking. I probably looked suitably knackered. She mentioned a few local areas and asked if I knew them.
"No we don't come from around here, " I said.
"Where do you come from.?" She asked.
"Just outside Norwich," I replied.
Her face lit up.
"My mum comes from Mulbarton," she said.
We had a long chat about Norfolk and her love of the wide open skies and the North Norfolk coast. I almost became homesick and we've only been away a couple of days. For those not aware, Mulbarton is about three miles from where we live. This lady's family name was Lofty and we know lots of people from the past with that surname.
Then in the evening we had some good fish and chips by the river.
"A piece of cod on its own please," I said
"Only do addock ere luv," came the abrupt replay.
"Ok, a piece of haddock on its own and haddock and chips" I replied.
This seemed to please Madame Fryer who then informed us.
"Are you eating here or taking away?"
"We are going to sit outside." I replied.
"Bloody cold out there, looks like rain," came the reply. It wasn't and it didn't.
You know how much I like listening to conversations and I don't want you to feel that I'm belittling people by so doing because that is never my intention. I just find amusement in people's s everyday conversation. Earlier in the day in the church cafe I caught snippets about an impending marriage and questions as to why the bride to be wasn't getting married at the church where she worked in the cafe.
"We decided it wasn't in the exact place we wanted it to be, " she said.
Then the subject changed.
"I woke up in the middle of the night and Sean wasn't there."
"Oh dear. Where had he gone?"
"He had a coughing fit in the middle of the night and got up because he didn't want to disturb me."
"Oh how thoughtful."
Just another snippet of conversation.
Tomorrow I will finish my small travelogue of our three days in Yorkshire and include some photos. This will include a visit to a very pleasant Nidderdale town which at least one of my bloggettes will instantly recognise.