Woolfest, York & Arnside

We had some time off at the end of June and early July, so we had a few day-trips. It's taken this long to find time to sort out the photos and sit down to blog them! I've also not been able to keep up with blogs in the past few months, trying my best to catch up!

This first post covers Woolfest, then trips to York and Silverdale/Arnside. The next post will cover Portmeirion which occurred in between Woolfest and York!

Woolfest 2010

This was our second year visiting Woolfest, and this year we just went on the Saturday. Once again it was an excellent event, we managed to see some of the sheep auction this time too which was fun. I have a few photos of the livestock again:





(I took a few more but they were a bit blurry - I switch the flash off on the compact camera as the last thing the animals need is flashbulbs going off!).

Here's Mitchells from the outside - from the back of the building taken from the car park above. Surrounded by hills and mountains!



Here are a few photos taken from the car on the A66 on the last leg!

York

We hadn't been to York for a few years and managed to pick a fine day to visit. Our previous couple of visits have been when we were staying in North Yorkshire on holiday, but this time we were heading into the city from the West. We use the Marygate car park which is essentially just across the road from the Museum Gardens, and next to the river. Thankfully with the aid of the satnav and my map we got to it from this new direction!

From the car park you cross the road to walk through the Museum gardens towards the main city centre area. Here are some of the ruins:



Once in the city centre you find some interesting sights. I think this is called something like street performance art? He was very good anyway!



We made our way up towards the Minster. Opposite the Minster itself is the Minster School - loved this sign on their wall:



We were intending visiting the Minster, but were rather horrified that instead of the donations boxes previously in use, there were turnstiles and an entrance charge of something like £8.50. Now this is still a "working" church and I did find something rather wrong with having to pay a fairly hefty fixed sum to get in. Yes, they do have to raise funds for ongoing upkeep and conservation work, and we would undoubtedly have donated, but this just felt wrong.

Anyway, plenty more things to see, including this rather stunning street (or rather wall) furniture nearby):



Quite a few renamed streets judging by the signs:


Gargoyles:





We also had a walk along the river:



Various water craft around, either travelling up and down the river or moored alongside.



See the bridge in the picture above? We decided to cross that and it was terrifying! Mesh sides and holes cut into the floor. I do not need to see the river below me thanks all the same!

Loved the name of this narrowboat:



Plemty of geese and other water fowl around too, this is a gosling foraging in the park next to the footpath:

Silverdale and Arnside

First port of call was Kays nursey at Silverdale, after a quick visit to the Wolf House Gallery (we may have acquired a couple of pieces of pottery there). Kays has been developed a little in recent years, there is now a wooden-construction tearoom and deck, this overlooks the rather amazing garden that is currently being worked on to bring it back to its former glory. No photos of that unfortunately but here are some of the flower beds that grace one side of the nursery:











On to Arnside, where although the breeze was "brisk" it was dry and sunny, with good views out over the estuary:





There were a lot of birds on the sands, we were surprised to see that a lot of them were mallard ducks!



Sand and water: