Yorkshire – 11 to 14 August 2011
On Thursday we drove up to Thirsk in Yorkshire for a couple of days walking and staying in hotels rather than camping. The weather was good and we enjoyed a walk around Sowerby and Thirsk in the afternoon. This was James Herriot country (The author of All Creatures Great and Small). 
The walk was enjoyable but not particularly inspiring unlike the walk on Friday which started and finished at Fountains Abbey but took us through a variety of landscapes and woods where we enjoyed some excellent views and a couple of situations where we had to walk through a field of cows with calves. There were signs warning us to be careful as the mothers could be protective. Friday was also the Glorious Twelfth but the game bird in the photo seemed blissfully unaware and without a care in the world as it sat on a wall ignoring our passing. 
After the walk we went to visit Beningborough Hall a National Trust property near RAF Linton on Ouse where Gerry had served between 1974 and 1977.
Gerry found it nostalgic although there had been quite a lot of development in the village of Linton such that it was almost unrecognisable.
On Saturday we went to Thorner for the wedding of Christopher Lindley to Lindsay. Chris is the son of Annie’s longtime friend Bridget.
It was a lovely service with Chris’s dad David playing the organ and Bridget singing a solo and a long standing friend of the family officiating. The reception was held at Bodington hall a Leeds University Hall of Residence (Where Martin lived for his first year at University). Chris’s wife, Lindsay works at the Hall and the staff certainly pulled out all the stops providing a wonderful setting and rather good food. There was a pleasant surprise for everyone when the bride and groom entered the dining room through a Guard of Honour of policemen with batons drawn. They were part of a couple of hundred policemen from Scotland who had been brought south to reinforce Yorkshire police during the riots last week. Fortunately, they had not been called on very much and were probably glad of something to relieve the boredom. 
It was a great reception and we did not get back to our hotel until midnight.
On Sunday we had a relaxing and excellent lunch with Bridget and David, and some of their family before heading south to Fairford.
It had been a wonderful few days although we both probably ate more of the delicious Yorkshire food than we should have done!
