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.