So after leaving Wales I headed over to the Peak District in mid England.

The ride across to the Peak District was an enjoyable ride with a few detours due to road works. When time is not a problem I love detours, on the motorcycle I just take any road and see where it takes me. Sometimes I do this just for fun. I have seen great little gem’s of the country side by doing this or ended up in dead end’s or farm yards. It’s still great to explore to little roads.

So my destination was The Royal Oak in Hurdlow, Nr Buxton, SK17 9QJ,

This was home for two nights staying in the Bunk Barn.

The bunk rooms are up the stairs, they are clean and also have a small shared Kitchen area if you wish to cook or just make coffee, tea etc. Toilets and Showers below them has seen in the photo. Because the barn is built into a slope the bunk rooms are at ground level on the other side of the barn.

Last year I camped here before going up to tour Scotland, saying it rained is an under statement. I never seen any of the Peak district. This year the ground was burnt with no rain for a couple of months.  

Where most of my meals where had and a few pints of ale enjoyed. There was a large music festival due to start a few miles down the road. So it was busy and no shortage of people to chat to, it’s the thing I love when touring alone. The people I meet, local and others travelling. Some great true stories,  and others boasted by too much ale. You have got to love it.

An old Ford Transit motor home owned by a family of festival goers.

Red tailed bee and a few shots around the Peak district.

The Royal Oak sits on part of the National cycling network route. I walked around 10 mile of it in the evenings. With it being based on old disused railway lines in this area, it was enjoyable to walk and not have any traffic. While walking I left the camera, just enjoying the walk for what it is. Before leaving the Royal Oak I would like to say, Having stayed here twice I would highly recommend this place, staff and service is great and the ale worth trying.

My next stop is in North Yorkshire in the Market town of Skipton. It’s here I have to apologize for no photographs from this part of the trip. When replacing the SD card in the camera, I didn’t push it fully home and it was not till I was in Skipton I discovered it. So a full days photos in some scenic parts where lost, plus photos of a place I want to see for years. the town of Holmfirth  in Yorkshire. Where the longest running British television sitcom was filmed. ‘Last of the summer wine’  the series run from 1973 to 2010. I always want to get a cup of tea in Sid’s cafe, a place in the sitcom. So I made it there and got my tea and thought I had my photographs, So it will be another trip back to see Holmfirth and another cuppa.

Skipton in Yorkshire is a place I have been to a lot, I was going to visit friends there for the weekend and do some walking but the weather there was thunder and lighting storms so with the bike parked for the weekend we went to Salts Mill a few mile from Bradford. About Salts Mill

The Church where a wedding was taking place.

Something different from the wedding cars you normally see.

The sign at the old police station.

Hockney 1853 gallery , Some views of the work on display in the David Hockney gallery. Here’s Andy adding scale to the famous Hockney chair.

In a gallery being artistic with slow shutter speed.

Heavy weight reading here in the book shop, detail from the slinging hook used in the old mill. It was nice to see how a lot of the old mill has been restored or just used has it was, like the old stone flooring and other features like the windows and doors.

A coffee in one of the coffee shops and it was out into the sunshine.

The mill chimney from different views.

Beside the mill runs the canal where we where going to walk but just has these photos below where taken the storms moved in.

some off the local wildfowl coming to greet me.

then ignore me.

Others check the camera out.

Looking across the River Aire beside the Canal.

It was a drive back to Skipton and enjoy the rest on the weekend with dear friends who always look after me with five star treatment, love you both. I left Skipton with heavy storms looming has I set off for Scotland to catch the ferry back to Belfast. Just made the ferry with minutes to spare, like the last one on board. Supper on the ferry and a mild crossing I rode into Belfast around 11pm and another half hour till home.

Hope you enjoyed the end to my trip  ‘Short tour of Wales’  It was a good trip with kind weather and good friends, old and new. Remember a adventure does not mean travelling around the world or cost thousands. It can be a few mile away and with planning, cost’s can be kept down. So what ever you are into get out there and explore, meet new people and the most important thing enjoy life.

Thank you,

George.