We visited Claire and the girls in Leeds on Wednesday, and since Si was working at home for much of the day, we saw him too, which was a bonus. Our journey had been problem free, apart from the tedium of the never- ending 50mph limit through the motorway improvements, but I was ready for a cup of tea when we arrived, which also gave an opportunity to read the girls a story before we all went out.
Claire and Si’s home is surrounded by woodland and footpaths – Horsforth, the village on the edge of Leeds where Claire and Si live, is similar to many similar areas around the outer areas of the City, having a distinctly rural feel with stone walls and streams, or I suppose becks, running along interlinking wooded valleys, and so, although you are never far from roads and buildings, you can escape along footpaths running through the trees. We took the dogs with us, and Claire took us on a dog-and –granddaughter walk along just such a footpath just minutes from home, which wound its way along the valley, intersecting with other paths, and eventually ascending to the top of an embankment above a busy road.
If we had continued the path would have turned back into the woodland and led to another area of Leeds, but lunchtime approached, and earlier Claire had popped in to a pub close to the start of the footpath, and confirmed that it was both child and dog friendly. I heartily recommend The Bridge, Horsforth, a very friendly establishment with real ales from Leeds Brewery, and the largest selection of pies on a menu that I have ever seen. I sampled the ale, but resisted the temptation to enjoy a pie – Claire was cooking dinner later. Instead we all opted for something a little lighter, but nevertheless all wandered home suitably content and replete
The girls were tired – Florence napped in bed, while Bess had a lie down on the sofa, and was soon fast asleep, giving us an opportunity to fit a cat flap into Claire and Si’s back door – oh, all right, technically Chantal fitted the cat flap, ably assisted by me and Claire, after which, when Bess had woken up, we spent a happy hour or so helping her with a Scooby Doo jig saw.
By late afternoon it was time for dog walking again, and Si joined us with the girls for a dusky dog walk in the woods just seconds from Claire and Si’s front door, returning with time to feed the dogs before Claire fed the rest of us. It was a nice relaxed chat around the dinner table (the tired girls were allowed to watch TV) before we headed back south.
The Journey home was almost problem free. Motorway signs advised us that the M1 was closed at junction 23A, 3 junctions north of Leicester. Satnav advised us that the M1 was closed at junction 23A and recommended an alternative route along the A42. It was not until we were committed to exit at J23A that we realised that the M1 was not, in fact, closed at J23A – presumably some road works had just been completed and the motorway re-opened, and, since this particular junction does not have the option of re-joining the southbound M1, we did an extra 15 unnecessary and grumpy (in my case) miles, arriving home later than expected. Nevertheless, it had been a lovely day. More photos in “Our recent photos”
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
