Picnic No5 'A Grand Day Out'

 18/06/26. Weather promised sunny spells. I didn't need to be asked twice if I fancied a motorsickle ride out. Let's make it another of Uncle Alb's mystery trips into 'The Dales of the Shireshireshire.' I'd heard that a cafe located at what I considered a 'tourist spot' (and have avoided for almost a lifetime) was worth a look Wouldn't be too difficult to swing by for a visit then stop nearby for the picnic. A bonus being that 'en route' to said cafe is one of my favourite butchers. To call Kendalls Butchers in Pateley Bridge 'Pie Heaven' is an understatement. 

Mrs C packed the tucker bag with the picnic of her choice and off we set. Familiar roads for the 550.  Over the River Wharfe, turn left, climb over Norwood and Fewston. Past Menwith Hill an RAF/USAF listening station. phufff I bet they listen to some reet shiiite. Summerbridge and then Pateley Bridge. Easy parking for motorsickles in the village car park....just how it should be

Choosing 2 x  'Pateley Pasties' for tea...and a couple of Kendalls finest Growlers to freeze for a Pie and Pea night some other time.

Next stop coffees at the 'tourist trap' ...A.K.A.  Howe Steen Gorge Cafe. Yep, never been before. Howe Steen is now an adventure centre (or maybe it always was) and there were quite a number of kids deep down in the gorge shrieking with laughter and enjoying the abseiling. Nice to see. A bunch of off road motorsickle chaps were enjoying coffees and teas outside the cafe. Here's where I revealed the surprise.....the cafe has glass flooring that hangs out over the gorge...Holy moly.....that glass didn't look particularly thick....but a careful walk out on it had to be done... 26mtrs to the water and rocks below..  

Usual order .Americano with cold milk and a cappacino. Well deserved after that high altitude experience.

I did have a chat with the off road guys and the route leader was eager to tell me he uses an 'old fashioned map' Brill!!! No digital on his ride outs. Ordnance Survey through and through. The routes were marked in highlight pen, I was surprised how many legal off lanes there were in a national park...even more brill!! Took a picture of his map for possible future reference.

Onwards to the picnic then...did we stumble on a crackin' spot. Just through the village of Lofthouse on the climb up Trapping Hill towards Masham was the biggest pic-a-nic table in the whole of  'Shireshireshire'  Gotta be a 36ft'...now that's a proper farmhouse table.

Views of Middlemoor village high on the hill to the left or looking back down Nidderdale behind us.

Let's unpack and plate up the tucker.... Loose leaf and spam salad, a large on the vine tommyato, bulgar tabbouleh with a fresh lemon and mint dressing. A side of hand made crisps and a most excellent ciabatta olive roll............   Follow that with M&S cheese cake slice and fresh berries.

Note- No damage to tucker in transport.. Perfectly presented. Top marks all round. 

What a 'Grand Day Out'

Afore mentioned pasties....that's tea sorted.

Picnic No4. A celebration.

 A double celebration picnic. 04/06/2026. Who'd have thought this would happen.?? A 50th birthday and a 50th anniversary. Yes indeed it is half a century (to the day) since the Old Honda 550 was first road registered and I became it's custodial keeper. Back in 1976 I don't think there was any thought's to the responsibilities that lay ahead. But we both survived... somehow.!!!!!

Let's honour the day with a jolly jaunt into the Shireshire Dales, and take a very special picnic.

Avoiding like the plague any village that is on the sightseeing tourist map. I know plenty of routes, having spent almost a lifetime riding the same motorsickle on the Shireshireshires backroads.

Itinerary as follows. Otley, Blubberhouses, Grassington, Kettlewell, Buckden, Cray, West Burton, Middleham, Masham, Ripon, Killinghall, Beckwithshaw, Pool, and home.

The picnic hamper (backpack) was full to bursting with goodies. Mrs C doing the honours of carefully carrying the contents. 

First stop Kilnsey Park/Trout Farm. Pulling in for coffees of choice...Americano with cold milk for Mrs C and a Cappuccino for me. (How very pensioner and Land Rover brigadish) Then onwards to stop at the top of the steep climb at Cray to look back down to the start of Wharfedale and snap a piccie of the 550.

Onwards through the quiet lanes to West Burton. Didn't expect a traffic jam in the village and I wasn't disappointed. Peaceful village green with a butchers shop and a general store. This is the real Shireshireshire.!! God's own country!!!!! Opening the picnic bag and setting the snack out on a suitable cloth we had for our delight...2 x Corned Beef Rolls, 1 x Sausage Roll and a rather large Sicilian Lemon Cake. (capable of serving 16.....but what a shame...nobody else here to share with!!!! I'll have to have a large slice then) Candles stuck in the cake and a photo with the 550 for the record before cutting.

It would be rude to picnic within sight of a village butchers and not go in..so that's what we did. W. S . Hartle Family Butcher. Specialising in his own home-reared lamb. Rather a surprise to learn he brings them to slaughter not 0.5mls from our home abode. A small world. As we now had room in the picnic bag a purchase of 2 x pork pies, 6 x sausage links, the afore mentioned sausage roll and 2 West Burton lamb cutlets was made...

Onwards again towards Middleham, left turn to Masham for a drink at 'The White Bear'. Serving Theakstons within sight of The Black Sheep Brewery. (Your Uncle Albert having lost interest in Black Sheep after they went into so called administration then were bought by a drinks giant) Back to The White Bear, Mrs C had an Americano with cold and I had a Ruby X and a packet of Yorkshire Crisps.

Fed and watered it was time to head homeward...to complete 50 years with the 550... 

Looking at the scores on the speedo - just over 100 miles for the day and just short of 40,000 miles since 1976.

W.S. Hartle Family Butcher Link

So, riding my new motorsicke in 1976 and listening to latest releases from Bad Company 'Run with the Pack' and Thin Lizzy 'Jailbreak'. Still do all 3!!!  Well if that ain't Rock n Roll !!!! 

Picnic No3 'Oh no not another one of Grandads adventures!'

   27/05/2026. Weather calming down back to normality after the bank holiday sizzler. A small Crackleport was staying on  a 'sleepover' so it would be rude not to go on one of Grandads 'secret destination adventures' This time with a picnic. Stay local that's a good idea. Revisit somewhere I haven't been since I was a young lad. Greenside railway tunnel in Pudsey. One of the entrances should still be accessible but could possibly be bricked up by H&S since my last visit. We will find out...

Backpack filled with rations (and a torch just in case we can get in.) We're off.. Down the footpath at the side of The Fox and Grapes...Smalewell Road. Pudsey. Just like the old days....A couple of hundred yards along the track and we cross a small bridge to the other side of what would have been the double railway line, heading for the old Pudsey Station The track long gone, a victim to Dr Beechins cuts way back in 1964.  At this point you can look over the bridge walling and should be able to see the entrance. Well you could 50 years ago! Nature is claiming back what was once hers. Trees of a good size are now almost blocking any visibility. Let's get closer...

At this point both Mrs C and afore mentioned 'Small Crackleport' were both shouting " That's far enough!"  I had to reminded them that Uncle Albert is 'Patrol Leader' so no fears, he'll find a way.

A dried up rain channel looked a possible route down. "Watch ya steps!" With a bit of nimble footwork all 3 of use were safely on the cinder track and heading tunnel bound. Despite the hot weather there was plenty of mud to slip on. This is it then, we're here. Huge steel gates, heavily padlocked suggested no through way. Small Crackleport enlightened Grandad that she was scared, Mrs Crackleport backed up the statement and said "It's far enough Albert"

Well, lets turn on the torch and point it through the gates, I seem to remember that the other end was not visible due to a bend halfway. Entering may years ago with my chums on bicycles was a danger...not from trains but all the dumped fridges and scrap that lay in the dark.

I could see the end....just...way...way in the distance. 616 yds in old money. Ah well memories can play tricks. The torch beam shone through the rails, the tunnel looked complete and the safety niches could also be seen. These gave refuge to workers as the steam trains roared through. Wow....Good old days.

Retracing our steps we headed further down the path towards Black Carr Woods and the 'Pudsey Treacle Mines' Yep, they used to mine treacle around these parts... I've attached links for both the tunnel and the treacle mines.

Didn't make it to the mines, the track was becoming more overgrown and the trees were narrowing the path. Nothing like years ago, I seem to remember it opening out onto a grassy bank...memory tricks again. Time to turn around and find a replacement picnic spot. Waterloo Park not 0.5mls away. Under the shade of a tree a grand picnic was had. Cheesy nibbles...fruit....yoghurts and Pain de chocolats. 

Then onwards to Goodhalls Farm in nearby Tong for a tub of ice cream......

Greenside Tunnel Urban Explorer Link

Greenside Tunnel Link Wiki

Pudsey Treacle Mines Link

Tunnel Bench Marks: Historical Ordnance Survey "bench marks" were routinely carved into the stone or brickwork of the western and eastern tunnel portals to denote exact elevation above sea level.

Picnic No2

  25/05/2026. Weather forecast predicting Wind 11mph. Precipitation 0% and Temperature reaching 33 degrees. That's the hottest recorded temperature in a day of May in UK ever !!!! We're gonna be heading a little way up the Wharfe Valley to the spa town of Ilkley. On the motorsickle of course.. I'd seen on the Facebook Ilkley Knit and Natter that volunteers had been spring cleaning the towns Boating and Paddling Pool. Indeed interesting to me because once Cat's Paws the model yacht built from bits n bobs is complete this watery venue will possibly be just the ticket to set the yard arm into the wind and stretch the jib.

If you want to have your own 'sail fest' and find this pond -  Here's the link. 

Twas an early start so lets call it a 'Picnic Breakfast'. Sat poolside 9.00a.m. Mrs C well impressed with the healthiness of the menu. Today I'm serving - Muesli with a fresh strawberry topping and lashings of fully skimmed milk. 

So, the pool checked out as perfect for model boat sailing and water depth will facilitate any rescue simply by shoe and sock removal before entering to ankle deep..

Your Uncle Alb has not only been surprised at the find of this Victorian pool having lived in the Shireshireshire forever and a day, but more surprised that the name of this small patch of water is called 'Hainsworth Pond.' Note on the info plague gives the date...eeekkk 1927, also gives warning of cold winds...(not today though) Hey that was nearly 100 years ago. Trees have grown a bit since then...

So, there ya go....Not only picnic'd but educated too....What a jolly spiffing morning!!!

Getting picnic ready Part 3

  Greetings. Here's part 3 of the project to make my Military Boiling Vessel picnic ready for some action. You will remember that I had sourced one of china's finest 12v immersion heaters along with the appropriate sized Taps and Dies to make an adapter to fit it where once there was a tea tap. Why shouldn't the china heater be up to it? No reason...that's where all the worlds needs come from now. Before starting to make heater fit boiler I was thinking it would be wise to at least put 12v into it and see what happens.

My intention is not to risk connecting large current draws to my motor vehikle, I'll be hoping a battery may hold enough amps to supply hot snacks on a picnic mission. A 10amp hour motor sickle battery was put on trickle charge overnight.. Exciting stuff! Let's do the maths....First convert Watts to Amps. Immersion heater 12v 125w. Amps equals Watts/Volts. Then lets expect 1 hour of juice available from this 10 Amp electrity storage cell...at best!!!!!!

Wires connected...let the test begin. I have in the test jug 500mls of cold water.. Oh, there's heat transferring from heater to water.......must be it's throwing off bubbles...Beer thermometer doing a very steady count up of Celsius.....At the 40 minute mark the bubbling was slowing....Could mean 2 things. No juice left in the battery or the heater has max'd out...Temperature at end of first test 73.7 degree. Hot enough for food apparently. H&S in the catering world suggest serving at 63 degree..

Let's get that battery back on charge overnight and start where we left off. Set the water temperature to 73.0 degree and see if this little immersion heater has any more go in it. 

So, that's exactly what happened. Temperature rose in the second test to 91 degree. Wow! That once again took all the available juice in the battery.

 

Bigger battery needed then, and also some sort of thermostatic controller set maybe at say 68 degree.?..

Next job keep a look out for a free car battery....and secondly source a temperature controller.

Keep looking in for updates on The Military Boiling Vessel. Stay safe...Alb over and out.

 

Picnic No1

 Weather forecast predicting Wind 11mph. Precipitation 30% and Temperature 14 degrees. A picnic had been planned so a picnic it shall have to be. We're gonna be heading for bandit country....overt'  border in the County of Lancaster. For it's told on them there hills above the village of Wycoller is 'The Atom' one of a series of four Panopticons. (Modern sculptures at view points across the county.) This one built in 2006. Apparently it once had huge polished steel ball in the centre which is no longer present due to vandalism. Hey ho...sign of the times we now live in. 

O.S. Map reference SD9363239290 (all numeric format 393633 439290

Click here Wiki MiniAtlas

The Wycoller area was known to have had settlements as far back as 1000BC.  Neat!

Picnic fare consisted of - Tongue in white rolls with lashings of Belgium mustard, Hard boiled eggs, mini Coronation chicken pies, celery sticks, crisps and a salad assortment. Brew today - Loose leaf tea - Twinings Breakfast Blend. 

The wind had certainly picked up by the time we arrived in the car park. Coats on and zipped up a look through the different windows of The Atom was a necessity. A 30 second walk that's all it was to be inside The Atom. Didn't take long before Mrs C was heading back to the car.......blown to bit's and ready for that cuppa hot Twinings, get that kettle on our Albert. The open rear hatch and boot area now having been reversed under a large tree was a good shelter from the wind for the spyder stove and it took no time to get a boil up, add 2 spoons of loose leaf and then an extra for the kettle (pot) 

By the time the brew was infused and Mrs C had butter'd rolls and plated up the rain was approaching. Hahahah today no worries, there we sat eating our picnic and enjoying the weather looking out into a drizzly Lancashire from the comfort of a warm motor car.

On't way home calling at Woodbank Garden Centre. Harden Road. Harden. we met Elvis. Seemed happy enough flying amongst all the old lawnmowers fixing in the ceiling and pinching feed from a bin. Even said 'Hello'. 

Mission accomplished. 'Let's picnic like it's 1969' is now reality. Look forward to hearing about your picnic trips.

Till next time safe adventures. Alb

 

Getting picnic ready Part 2

 Greetings. Here's part 2 of the project to make my Military Boiling Vessel picnic ready for some action. As discussed on the previous blog page the 24vDC power requirement coupled with a potential power draw of 50 amps would certainly be making conventional auto wiring rather warm at the very least. I did discuss searching for a 12vDC solution. Read on to discover what's been arriving at the workshop from overseas during the last few weeks.

First through the letterbox a 12v DC immersion heater. This hopefully will fit into the hole that the tea tap has occupied for the last 40 years. I wasn't expecting the chinese immersion heater to have the same fixing threads as the british made boiling vessel tap but actually eyeballing the 2 x parts would give a better indication of the plan of action. The immersion heater has a M16x1.5mm thread pitch. The boiling vessel has a slightly larger 3/4"x16 UNF thread. Luckily the immersion heater is smaller and can be inserted into the vacated tap hole. Normally an adapter would be made that had threads internal and external to match the pair.

Hum.....the threads are not a million miles from each other and any adapter would have very thin walls. I'm thinking that cutting the second thread would be impossible due to the wall thickness left after created the first. Now what Albert?

After some thought I have a plan. I did say I'd set out on this mission with no guarantee of success. Don't want to be tripping at the first hurdle though do we.

What I'll do is turn an external piece and an internal piece separately that once accurately sized hopefully slip one inside another. I can maybe then solder the 2 x together.?? Sounds gentle enough to me.......

With this in mind I've purchased the relevant taps and dies for cutting the threads and a bag of brass nuts that are already threaded M16x1.5mm which will save me half a job and also provide half the brass I need too. 

That's it for now peeps. Thanks for tuning in...