Spooky walk at Bolton Abbey.

I have visited the beautiful Bolton Abbey Estate on the banks of the river Wharfe many times in both the Spring and Summer, but never in Autumn before. A mistake I believe, as this is now my favourite time of year to explore the Priory ruins and the acres and acres of woodland trails. We were meeting up with my Sister and her family as well as our cousin and her husband, who were holidaying in the area.

Autumn Half Term is a great time to visit with the kids, as spooky goings on are happening deep in the woods. A family friendly Pumpkin Trail with hidden clues to unravel a witches spell, is proving a spooktacular attraction. 🍄 You can pick up a leaflet from the Cavendish Pavillion Shop.

The estate is also pet friendly with miles of on and off lead walks to enjoy. And plenty of chances for a dip in the river. 😉

Car parking is quite expensive. £10 per vehicle, although the ticket does let you move round the various car parks on the estate. Make the most of your day there and pack a picnic or visit one of the cafes on site. We liked The Strid Tearooms , a short walk from the end of the pumpkin trail, and they welcome four legged friends.

As well as completing the trail, the kids also enjoyed the Welly Walk, playing in the river and looking for wildlife. The Wharfe was teaming with various bird life including Herons, Dippers, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtails and Ducks.

Here are a few photos from our day. We spent a good five hours exploring and loved the Autumn colours. 🙂

Bolton Abbey.

The graveyard of the priory church of st Mary & st Cuthbert.

Celtic cross.

Hugo and Stepping Stones.

Through the spooky gates to the start of The Pumpkin Trail.

Witches legs. 🙂

The Strid, River Wharfe.

Dipper.

Male Mandarin Duck.

Grey Heron.

Autumn colours.

Fairytale Fungi. 🍄

Family on the trail.

Giant Pumpkin.

Spooky Spider.

Caught in a web. 🙂

Crayfish catch.

Past posts from visits to Bolton Abbey, if you wish to read them ~ Camping trip ~ Catgill Campsite, Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire Dales. and Easter Holiday Fun at Bolton Abbey.

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Sunday Sevens 14th October.

Today I thought I would round off my week with a Sunday Sevens, seven or more pictures from the last 7 days.

A Witchy Walk.

Even though we are busy decorating the kitchen at the moment ( when I say we, I really mean Wil ! ) , we did take time out for a walk in Aitken Wood near Barley. Pendle Witch country, the little conifer woods here are home to a spooky sculpture trail that tells the story of the Lancashire witch trials of 1612 . I have now reached 1300 miles walked in 2018, so still hoping to complete 1500 by the end of the year.

Guilty Pleasures. 😈

So I’m in love with the devil ! Fantasy horror writer Neil Gaiman is one of the creators of the supernatural characters in Lucifer, a TV series about the original fallen angel, the devil himself. Now residing in LA, Lucifer is keen to learn more about humanity and is even using his devilish powers for good ( well kind of 😉 ), working as detective Chloe Decker’s wickedly sexy sidekick. Swoon! I am late to the party as usual…but totally loving this show. ❤️ You can watch it on Amazon Prime.

Witchy Read.

Also very appropriate for this time of year, how about a supernatural romance that begins in Autumn and is set in historical Oxford? Diana Bishop is a young scholar ( and reluctant witch) , who unwitingly stumbles upon an ancient enchanted manuscript, buried deep in Oxford’s Bodleian library. It’s discovery both thrills and disturbs the supernatural community, who all want to get their hands on both it and the young witch who summoned it. Diana finds herself being both hunted and protected by an ancient brooding vampire called Matthew Clairmont. This book has apparently just been made into a fantasy series on Sky, so one to look out for. For now though, I’ll just curl up with this couldron bubbling paperback romance. 🕸️

Skipper Stew.

The first recipe we tried from The Little Book Of Hygge was a success! We made Skipper Stew which is a winter warming stew, perfect for Autumn and Winter. As its name suggests Skipper Stew was originally made on ships. The main ingredients are brisket ( though any meat will do), chicken stock, onions and potatoes. We served it with sourdough bread and pickled red cabbage instead of the suggested Pickled beets and Rye bread though. You can also find the recipe online here.

Wine Tasting. 🍷

Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to a Wine Tasting in Waddington with some friends. At first we were all very professional , swirling our glasses round and declaring ‘ I detect hints of elderflower’ , but it soon descended into chaos when we realised there were fifty bottles to try, in a two hour time slot. Haha. Great idea! If your thinking about wine now , check out www.winesbytimbyrne.co.uk

So that was my week, how was yours?

A camera and a coffee ~ Clitheroe Castle.

Some of you will know that I happen to live, but a hop, skip and a jump away from a tiny castle keep in a small Lancashire market town. I have been neglecting the grounds of Clitheroe Castle on my blog recently, so yesterday I took my camera and a coffee out and explored for an hour.

The Castle was built in 1186 by Robert de Lacy and rises proudly over the town. Its really only a Norman ruin with no roof, but it’s our roofless ruin. 🙂

Clitheroe Castle. The Ivy flowers on the wall were buzzing with insects.

A Coffee.

Peeping Pigeon.

Below the keep is a  memorial commemorating all those residents of Clitheroe, lost in two World Wars. The soldier stands, head bowed, looking out toward Pendle Hill.

War Memorial.

Front view , with the castle in the background.

Museum.

Clitheroe Castle Museum resides in the former Steward’s House in the grounds. Many moons ago I visited with a friend and wrote this post ~ Clitheroe Castle and Museum.

There is also a café in the Atrium, which is a good place for a brew.

 

Newish signage for ‘The Pinnacle’

Cheeky Squirrel.

I soon got side tracked by the local wildlife.

Orange Berries of the Firethorn.

Red Admiral.

Turning Oak Leaves.

Female Chaffinch.

Honey Fungus.

The Pinnacle.

The Pinnacle , situated in the Rose garden was once part of the Houses of Parliament and was gifted to the town in 1937. Also in the Rose garden are a couple of sculptures , a leaping limestone salmon and a hawk.

Dive-bombing.

Hugo at the Castle Street Entrance.

That’s all for now though, my hour is up! Maybe I will return soon, with a camera and a coffee . 🙂

Twenty Things To Do This Autumn. :)

A post I wrote a couple of years ago which is still perfect for this time of year. Maybe swap the film recommendations for a Mamma Mia Sing along and your good to go. 🙂 viaTwenty Things To Do This Autumn. 🙂