Thursday 2 April 2015

Today has been warm, sunny and free of the awful wind that has blighted us all week - a lovely Springlike day.   Long may it last, although the forecasters predict it will be shortlived and I can almost count on one hand the number of decent Easter holiday week-ends we have had over the last few years.

Our little market town, only a mile away from the farm, is full today as it always is on holiday week-ends.   Already there are caravans being pulled through as people arrive in the Dales for Easter.   We have a small site for 5 caravans just down the Lane from the farm and no doubt it will be full by this evening and then there will be no more activity there until the holiday ends.

Once on to the main road then the worst 'culprits' are the motor cyclists - and yes, I know, they have paid their road taxes and are perfectly right to be there and in fact almost all of them are good, steady drivers (one reason being that these flash bikes cost so much that young men with small families just haven't the money to buy them; it is middle-aged bikers on the whole. )  But sadly every year a few are killed in the Dales on the narrow roads, often where there is also farm traffic.  And every motor cycle death is a tragedy both for the biker's family and also for the family of the vehicle which kills the biker. Today when I was in town there were streams of bikers passing through.

But in addition we have a lot of holiday cottages around here and there are families on holiday.   Many of them bring their dogs so it is not at all unusual to meet the most delightful dogs with their owners - all kinds of breeds.   Today I have seen an Airedale terrier (one of my favourite breeds) a couple of Labradoodles (poodle crossed with Labrador) and a beautiful soft grey whippet with lovely gentle eyes.

Naturally, because of the holiday influx, our town has plenty of tea houses (usually full this time of year) and plenty of shops selling the kind of goods suitable for people looking for a present to take back home for someone.

There are drawbacks to all this - for example finding a parking spot becomes difficult, shopping takes longer but on the whole I find it rather nice when the whole town comes alive with visitors.  I just hope the weather stays kind to them all.

 

12 comments:

Heather said...

I have said to locals when I've been on holiday that they must love it when we all go home and they can get around their own town in peace, but without fail they have been kind enough to say how they welcome us, and need us to visit.
The weather here is very quiet at the moment - I wonder what is brewing.

Joanne Noragon said...

All that hustle and bustle is fun--for a weekend.

jinxxxygirl said...

Ahhh you are much more forgiving than perhaps i could be. I have never lived in a touristy area and i don't envy those that do. We will be traveling to Arkansas on Easter Sunday ... our first day on the road... new beginnings.. kinda perfect on Easter don't you think... :) Hugs! deb

MorningAJ said...

Oh to be in Yorkshire, now that April's there. (A slight misquote....) That's the only problem with living in such a lovely place - people want to come and see it! We have the same thing around here with the influx to the Peak District. Matlock will be bedlam this weekend.

Bovey Belle said...

We have our fingers x'd for a dry Easter Monday so we can go to the big Malvern Fleamarket.

I can understand the small annoyances of sharing what is "your world" for most of the year, with the rest of the world come high days and holidays. Lack of parking - yup, a definite annoyance!

I hope there are no RTAs this Easter.

angryparsnip said...

When ever I was a tourist I tried to be considerate.
I used to live right by the ocean in Laguna Beach. And I learned to dread the tourist.
On Saturday morning 6am the divers started to unload the tanks bam, and slamming the doors 1-2-3 4 and then the trunk. Slam ! then all the loud hellos.... Later the beach goers would come with the screening kids yelling parents. car alarms going off.
From Friday night on I would have to check my beautiful back yard for Kentucky Fried Chicken boxes filled with bones and hamburger wrappers that where thrown over my fence. I had to check because of the dogs.
Then there was the used condoms and drug syringes.
Some years were better but I always enjoyed when September came.

cheers, parsnip

John Going Gently said...

You are such an optamist patricia xx

Frances said...

Weaver, this post about holidays in your beautiful Yorshire Dales has a certain familiar ring to me. I also live in a place that draws tourists. They come to visit New York City from all over the world, all through the year.

I first came to New York as a teenager and knew that I loved the place and wanted to return. I hope that many of the folks who still visit here feel the same. It's always a pleasure to meet these visitors, and to offer advice and information to them.

Even when I began posting my blogs, it was with the idea of sharing my city with folks from faraway places.

And so, may I tell you again how much I enjoy visiting your site, and learning more and more about the lovely Dales, right round the year.

xo

Cro Magnon said...

No Easter influx here; they all arrive in July/August. One of my 'occasional' neighbours has a pair of those grey Whippets; they seem to shiver permanently, which I find most unattractive.

Weather here set to be good for a while. I even managed to mow the lawn yesterday.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Heather is quite right - we do need the tourists - at least the businesses do - it is what keeps them solvent through the bad winters.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Our asmall lake town is becoming infiltrated as well. Good thing and even better that they will mostly be gone by Monday. Headed to the grocery to get the last of my fixings. Purple cauliflour and fresh asparagus. Then I"m getting off the road.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes MR - good to see new season's veggies coming in.