The Day of Milk and Honey

Some summer days in England are so nice, you just have to get out and enjoy them. Our friends, Brian and Regine, called us up one morning this summer and asked us if we wanted to have a little walkabout in a small woods an hour or so drive away. Bill and I didn't have any plans, so we hopped in the car and met them at their place. 

Verdant Hackfell Wood

And off we drove to Hackfell Woods! A smallish National Trust park that had fairly well maintained pathways and beautiful scenery. We found several small follies, such as the hexagonal-shaped one in the photo below. Before I moved to England, I had never heard of a folly. For those of you in the same boat, a folly is something a rich person (typically) would build amongst their paths and walkways. They are usually built to depict a ruin, something to make the area seem older and more mysterious or interesting that it actually is. Therefore, the small stone hexagonal building below probably never had a roof or windows. It was built and left to let nature take its course. 100+ years later and it looks like a peculiar remainder of a bygone time. Which, I guess in truth, it is. 

A folly

We walked down the trail all the way to the river Nidd (or Wharf? I'm not sure which river it was, really) and then had to hike back up again. My friends are awesome and waited for me every time I had to stop and catch my breath. 

Rushing river through the trees

After our hike we found ourselves near a well-rated gastro-pub and tucked in to some delicious dinner. The small village pub had a nearby home that had a wee honesty-box out front with honey from their bees for purchase. The hutch was called 'Honey Money' and had many jars of high quality honey and a money box. You picked your honey and paid the price on the tag into the money box. We only had a £10, but the money box was unlocked, so we were able to make change for our purchase. God, I love small villages! 

On our way home we stopped at a small dairy that sells fresh, raw dairy milk from their vending machine dispenser. You grab a fresh, empty jug, put in £2 and hold your jug under the nozzle and voila! Fresh, raw milk. 

A day of milk and honey!

It was such a lovely day, Bill declared it the Day of Milk and Honey!