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
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