{"id":5588,"date":"2025-02-05T07:22:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T07:22:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=5588"},"modified":"2025-12-24T22:26:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T22:26:45","slug":"6-danby-wiske-and-on-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=5588","title":{"rendered":"6. DANBY WISKE AND ON HOME!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having left our beloved Nunnykirk – probably for the last time, we battled with the everlasting traffic jam on the A1 over the River Tyne and past the Metro Centre.\u00a0 By the time we were under the shadow of the Angel of the North, the congestion had vapourised.\u00a0 The A1M was as deserted as it should be on a Sunday afternoon.\u00a0 And so to Danby Wiske.<\/p>\n

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However, two minor disasters struck immediately.\u00a0 My tales rarely lack disasters of one sort or another!\u00a0 You may have noticed!<\/p>\n

We engaged the automatic mover and pressed for straight ahead.\u00a0 \u00a0But the caravan just moved in a left-handed circle.\u00a0 Only one side had engaged on the wheel.\u00a0 Obviously, I just had to disengage and re-engage.\u00a0 But that just resulted in BOTH sides failing to get sorted.\u00a0 So with reluctance, the old fashioned way of reversing the caravan into position was adopted.\u00a0 The only problem with that is that it’s almost impossible to locate the caravan so that the wheel lock can be fitted.\u00a0 That requires millimetre control.\u00a0 So, no wheel security on this occasion.<\/p>\n

Here I am under the van trying to sort the problem under instruction from the manufacturer!<\/p>\n

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After several attempts to lubricate the sliding mechanism, Powrtouch admitted that there was a significant fault – way beyond the need for additional lubrication!\u00a0 “Looks like your actuators have failed, mate!”\u00a0 “I can’t get anyone out to you this week, maybe next.\u00a0 Where will you be then?”<\/p>\n

While all this was going on, it proved impossible to connect the caravan to the mains.\u00a0 It turned out that us plugging in had blown all the electric trips on the campsite including the shower and kitchen block and the church next door.\u00a0 Everyone was without power!\u00a0 Nice one!\u00a0 Surely it can’t be anything to do with the mover.\u00a0 That works directly off the battery!<\/p>\n

The site owner was on the case by now.\u00a0 After an hour of investigation involving switching every single power-consuming item in the caravan off and back on, one at a time, it transpired that our microwave had developed some sort of gremlin-powered failure.<\/p>\n

A visit to the electrical retailer in Northallerton was required.\u00a0 I took them the failed machine and was told that for \u00a325 they would look at the gubbins inside, then tell me that they wouldn’t be able to fix it.\u00a0 “No chance with complex microwave generators!”\u00a0 Or I could just buy a new one and save the inspection fee!<\/p>\n

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By pure chance the shop had one – the exact same model!\u00a0 Too much of a coincidence to be ignored!<\/p>\n

We were entertained to dinner by Wynne.\u00a0 Ex-Newcastle University Geography department friend of Glenda’s.\u00a0 \u00a0We took Sarah with us as Ian was in hospital.<\/p>\n

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Later we held a return match in the caravan!\u00a0 A lot less spacious surroundings and a more “camping-style” meal.\u00a0 But very enjoyable, nonetheless!<\/p>\n

We made the compulsory walk around the lake at Osmotherley with Sarah, Maggie and Maddy.<\/p>\n

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Afterwards, on the way to investigate Yarm, we hesitated at Hutton Rudby for a cup of tea.\u00a0 The local caf\u00e9 on West End doubles as the local community centre.\u00a0 It has work stations for the use of locals, dance classes, jigsaw tables, an art and crafts centre, tai chi classes, mindfulness workshops, astronaut training – oh, and on Sundays it reverts to a Methodist church.\u00a0 What a wonderful place for the locals to meet for a cup of coffee and a chat, or something useful like how to put on a space suit!\u00a0 A really friendly place.\u00a0 All villages should have one!\u00a0 The tea and scones were very good\u00a0 too!<\/p>\n

Prior to 1771, Yarm was the lowest bridging point on the River Tees.\u00a0 It was also the tidal limit of the river until a barrage was constructed downstream in 1975 to regulate the tidal flow.<\/p>\n

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The wide high street, which with its cobbled verges was once voted “Best High Street in England”, is home to the town hall …<\/p>\n

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The local knitting club has taken to dressing the pillar boxes in fancy dress!\u00a0 (Last year, we saw a similar practice in Thirsk – not a million miles south of Yarm.)\u00a0 Maybe it’s a local tradition?<\/p>\n

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Over the years, I’ve visited Teesside dozens of times to carry out surveys of the river and the bay into which it flows.\u00a0 But I can only remember visiting Yarm on two previous occasions.\u00a0 And one of those was by boat!<\/p>\n

Richmond is a lovely market town.\u00a0 Always on our itinerary.<\/p>\n

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Medieval pits containing bones and clothing have been uncovered under Richmond market place during resurfacing works.<\/p>\n

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This has caused a bit of chaos with the weekly market, not to mention the traffic!\u00a0 But medieval remains take precedence over the smooth running of town and the convenience of today’s population.<\/p>\n

Anyway … that was then and this is now.\u00a0 The last week or two of that trip went unrecorded at the time!\u00a0 We met Lesley and Ian in Cheshire (instead of Richmond and Melsonby as usual because they have moved to the Sheffield area).\u00a0 They joined us at Welltrough Hall campsite out in the country some miles south of Alderley Edge, with a distant view of Jodrell Bank telescope.<\/p>\n

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Well, I did say it was distant!\u00a0 Here are Glenda and Ian discussing the sunset…<\/p>\n

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… and coffee in their campervan.<\/p>\n

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We made a group visit to Quarry Bank mill near Alderley Edge…<\/p>\n

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…and afterwards, on the recommendation of the head honcho at the National Trust entrance office, we had supper in the local pub, the Ship Inn at Styal.\u00a0 Styal being “home” to several hundred convicted, felonious females.\u00a0 Just saying!<\/p>\n

Anyway, we had a delightful meal at the pub.\u00a0 It was only as we left we noticed that we had chosen to eat at the local tapas bar rather than the Ship which was, in fact, just next door!\u00a0 We had commented on the lovely, but rather limited menu and the absence of an obvious bar and any drinking-only customers!<\/p>\n

While we were camped on Tapp Street in Lower Withington, we had a visit from a mobile repair mechanic.\u00a0 He replaced our faulty movers.\u00a0 He said that the actuator-sprocket-gimbal thingys had failed.\u00a0 He came all the way from the far side of Liverpool to do the job.\u00a0 On a motorcycle.\u00a0 \u00a0In the rain.\u00a0 But he only bought one replacement part, so he had to the same trip again the following day!\u00a0 We left him to it and I spent a happy day up close and personal with the radio-telescope while Glenda was shoplifting in Knutsford.<\/p>\n

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On site, we had fun with the electric meters (which are on every pitch).\u00a0 The challenge was to not leave more than 5p on our meter when we left.\u00a0 Actually we failed.\u00a0 There was 7p left as we rolled south.\u00a0 However, there was nothing on either of the two adjacent meters as we departed!\u00a0 Cheapskates!\u00a0 As we drove out we saw we were on Trap Street, not Tapp Street!<\/p>\n

We met one of our favourite granddaughters, Sophie, in Birmingham where she is studying to become a Nobel prize winning vaccine developer or something similar.\u00a0 I should add that all four of our granddaughters fall into that level favourosity.\u00a0 However, Lauren insists she is “more equal” than the other three and rates herself “most favourite”!\u00a0 So, as a result of the ratchet principle, they are now all designated at that elevated level!<\/p>\n

We camped at the Chapel Lane caravan site for our stay in Birmingham.\u00a0 \u00a0From here we visited the caravan show at the NEC – oh and in the last 30 minutes before closing time, we agreed to buy a new home on wheels.\u00a0 So that made it an expensive day!<\/p>\n

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A bit of a wash and polish and it’ll be grand!<\/p>\n

The next and final stop was at New Barn Farm, near Malmsbury.\u00a0 From here we visited Tetbury (among other places) and tried to extract the recipe for the delightful scones sold by Sasha at her bakery in the old railway station.\u00a0 Apparently, she has given it to us on Instagram, but that technology is a bit beyond our capabilities.\u00a0 Anyway, I really like Glenda’s scones!<\/p>\n

We abandoned the caravan for a couple of nights and went to visit Rod and Marion in Hinton Parva.\u00a0 Excellent accommodation.\u00a0 \u00a0A walk along the canal at Hungerford proved a tad damp underfoot.\u00a0 But we were able to help someone through the lock a mile or so west of Hungerford.<\/p>\n

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Once back in town we called at the “Hungerford Arcade, Antiques and Collectables”.\u00a0 Apparently, on the top floor of this rabbit warren, there is a caf\u00e9 of high repute.\u00a0 It remains “apparently” because the caf\u00e9 was closed the day we visited!\u00a0 But there were a load of fascinating things on sale – all of them we didn’t know we didn’t need.\u00a0 But there was a well-lit collection of glowing glassware.\u00a0 This vintage stuff contains uranium which makes it glow green under ultraviolet light.<\/p>\n

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I attach a photo of this collection for Neil.\u00a0 Our Australian friend who collects the stuff, and who, after years living with the it, has started to glow in the dark himself!<\/p>\n

Anyway, that has speedily brought the account of that holiday to an end.\u00a0 Our week in the Italian Dolomites after New Year remains unreported but I attach a couple photos to prove we saw snow before going to warmer climes!<\/p>\n

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…<\/p>\n

We are now in Thailand on the way to Australia…\u00a0 Keep up!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having left our beloved Nunnykirk – probably for the last time, we battled with the everlasting traffic jam on the A1 over the River Tyne and past the Metro Centre.\u00a0 By the time we were under the shadow of the… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-north-country-tour-2024"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5588"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5588\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5625,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5588\/revisions\/5625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}