Monday 2 June 2014

Bolton Castle.

Yesterday being the first day of Summer, according to the weather man (sorry but I am traditionalist and I will stick to June 21st as the first day of Summer if you don't mind.), we were invited to tea by friends in the pretty Dales village of Castle Bolton, only a few miles from where we live.

It is a splendid little village, entirely overshadowed by the magnificent Bolton castle - a fourteenth century edifice which in 1568 became, for a short time, the prison for Mary Queen of Scots.

Our friends live very close to the castle and their terrace has the most beautiful view over the Dale.

The journey there was interrupted by a farmer moving a flock of sheep along the main road (not all that unusual an occurrence) but even that was pleasant to watch in the lovely sunshine.

I have taken a series of photographs of the Castle as we approached and then a final one from the other end of the village street.

A lovely afternoon - good friends - nice conversation - a lovely garden - and to end,



a delicious coffee sandwich cake (the farmer brought an extra slice home and has just eaten it for his tea today).

19 comments:

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hi Pat!
Pardon my ignorance, but...I know layer cake, and coffee cake and pound cake, but what is a coffee "sandwich" cake?

A Heron's View said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Reader Wil said...

Hi Pat! Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos of the castle! I love castles., and the UK has a great deal of them.
Have a great week.
Wil

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I was also eating coffee cake yesterday afternoon - mine was good too! The Met Office definition of summer is merely a matter of convenience; they already publish monthly totals for rainfall, sunshine hours etc. so it is easy to just tot up three monthly totals to give seasonal figures. Whatever date you choose though the weather will have its own ideas!

angryparsnip said...

I am with Maureen, what is a coffee sandwich cake.
Is it like the one they make in Scandinavia ? It is a cake (not sweet) made with lunch sandwiches layered to look like a cake.

cheers, parsnip

Dartford Warbler said...

What a lovely day. Friendship and coffee cake in a beautiful Dales village!

I love your timeless photo of the castle and the field of cow parsley.

John Going Gently said...

Pat
You are so
So
Civilised

Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax! said...

I like to be slowed in the road by the movement of sheep or cattle.

Terry and Linda said...

Hum, what is Victorian Sandwich cake?

The castle is so wonderful to see...it looks like it is in bad shape. I have read so many books on Mary Queen of Scots that seeing this castle from YOUR view is a dream come true.

Have you ever been in the castle?

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife@wordpress.com

Cloudia said...

You always add such a wonderful dimension to my day, P


Thanks


ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=

Tom Stephenson said...

This is my kind of post. Wonderful. Who would not want to be in England when the Cow Parsley is full in the hedgerows?

Linda Metcalf said...

What a wonderful day! Such beautiful scenery.

George said...

Love that new header photo, Pat, and Bolton Castle sounds interesting.

Cro Magnon said...

Of course it's June 21st.... what are these people talking about!!!

A ruined castle, cow parsley, and decent cake; you can't beat it.

Barbara said...

How amazing to have a view of a castle!
It looks like it was a lovely trip, thanks for sharing.

Elizabeth said...

Super new header - and a lovely outing.

Willow said...

That is spectacular . I love old castles , almost as much as yummy coffee cake !

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for viewing Bolton Castle - glad you enjoyed it (and the cow parsley)

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Oh that thought of it - living close enough to a castle to have a view of it. I can barely imagine it. Wonderful wonderful photos.