Buffers

Yesterday, we had arranged to meet up with friends :: my good friend K and her two Little People who're the same age as my Little People.
Now K's Little People are very, very boisterous, and K has to exercise them daily in order to achieve some kind of harmony on the home front. So when we arrange to meet up, we know it's going to be an outdoorsy event. Rain or shine. And yesterday it was rain. Nothing too heavy, just a persistent grey drizzle, but yes, it was wet.

So  K suggested a walk to Buffers. Never heard of Buffers, said I, but I will trust you on this one. We meet at 11am, in one of the car parks belonging to Bolton Abbey, and off we set. Down through the field to cross the bridge over the river, admire the spectacular Abbey ruins. Its all very green and lush. And wet. The Little People are running, running and shouting excitedly, K and I following behind. We start to climb up from the river, following  a track. Up and up, looking back to admire the view. The track narrows, lots of stinging nettles. We are still climbing, the track goes up and up and up. And eventually, after just under an hour or so of walking, we emerge in a small lane, high up in the hills. And the lane leads up and round a  corner to a very old dairy farm, called Back o' th' Hill Farm.

It is very remote, the "Back of Beyond" as my Mum used to say. I still have no idea what Buffers actually is, so don't quite know what to look out for. This looks like a delapidated old farm, is this where they keep The Buffers?

We go through the farm gate into the most beautiful little courtyard, bursting with flowers. There are baby cows in the sheds, moooooooing in an absurdly loud way. The Little People are thrilled to see farm animals, I'm more taken with the geraniums and the ancient bicycle.
And then I read the sign up there on the wall :: Back o' th' Farm, Buffers Coffee Shop, Railway Models, Selection of Books, Farm Produce.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, so Buffers is a Coffee Shop and Railway Gallery! But of course! So we troop in and it is indeed a most gorgeous little cosy cafe and shop. What a gem of a place! Up some creeky wooden stairs into the loft of the old barn and oh!

Trains! Old, old, old, very old and dusty, but oh such a delight for the Little People. Cabinets full of ancient toy trains and trucks, and lots of track with working trains which clatter round at the push of a button.

It's hard to photograph this place, it's very cramped and quite dark, but perhaps you can imagine the scene, and imagine the excitement it generates for the Little People. They don't mind about the cobwebs, the faded hand made scenery, the broken bits. They are busy pushing buttons and sending trains off round the track, and they are loving every minute of it.

Eventually we manage to drag them away and  back downstairs to the cosy cafe for lunch. There's wonderful, honest, hearty, homemade food to be had. Beans on toast, homemade soup, toasted sandwiches, apple juice, coffee. Big slab of chocolate cake, smartie cookies. Down the hatch.

1pm, when we emerge from all that warmth and cosiness, the green and the wet comes as a bit of a shock :: I had forgotten temporarily where we were, forgotten that we were high in the hills, out the Back of Beyond with a fair walk to do to get back. But it's easy going back because it's all down down down. And I'm nicely full of soup and cake.

2pm and we are back down near the Abbey ruins for a stop at the river beach. K and I sit under a tree to keep out of the rain, the Little People get stuck in doing what they do best :: getting as wet and mucky as possible.

The Little Ladies take spades and dig in the sand, making "chocolate icecream". Which is then flung to the ducks, who understandably look slightly traumatised and do not want to know.

The Little Men set about making a den in the roots of this magnificent Ash tree. Trap doors are constructed and elaborate passwords set to get in and out. No girls are allowed in. Not that the girls are bothered you understand, they're too busy getting wet and soggy and sandy and scaring the bejeezus out of the local duck population.

3pm and it's time to head back, I'm suddenly very tired and in desperate need of a brew. Bolton Abbey is always a good choice for a day out, but Buffers was a  wonderful new discovery and we'll be back again for sure. J insists upon it, he was most miffed he missed out. He is partial to a bit of old train track and chocolate cake.

Comments

[Liz]

Beautiful photos! Makes me want to be there even more! You've totally made my son's day as well. As I was reading, he caught a glimpse of the trains over my shoulder and threw down his markers to come see! He loves trains :) and I love your blog!

[Nina (UK)]

Hello, I have only recently discovered your blog but wanted to let you know how enjoyable it is to read. Also, your pictures are great.

Nina. xx

[Lissa]

So Beautiful!!! O what a lovely way to spend your day :)

[maria]

What a lovely place. Better than theme parks and noisy indoor play areas.
It sounds like something out of a children's book.

[Maddy]

What a beautiful village, my boys would go nuts for those trains.

[jane]

What a fab time you all had. I love to discover new places to keep the kiddiewinkles entertained. I'd love to have seen your 'little people' when returning to the car, wet, covered in mud, exhausted but with a smile on their faces!!

[Kali @ poppy lane]

I'm a bit miffed, I missed out too!
What a fab sounding place, and the scenery spectacular. A definite hit all around by the sounds of it.
xo K

[Chris]

What a great place! I love discovering hidden gems like that.

[Janneke]

What an exciting day out that was.....it shows that these little and sometimes "simple" things can also be great instead of big and busy family-fun-parks. Who bothers about the weather then..... :)

[Anna]

I LOVE it when you find such places more or less under your nose, and it looks great! I was quite taken by the geraniums as well. They always look great when the weather is rubbish don't they?

[mandy]

thankyou for sharing, what a wonderful place to visit, bet it was a lovely suprise.

[Ali]

What a perfect sounding day. I'm an owner of those offspring requiring daily exercise too and it can get tricky in bad weather, but looks like you managed it with bells on!

[Lynn]

Haha -- I chuckled knowingly about boisterous kids who need to be exercised. I only wish I had such idyllic spots in which to exercise mine!

[Denise]

Wonderful photos and an enjoyable read. I shall enjoy coming back.

[Gill]

You have such a vivid way of describing things I feel I was there with you! Lucky you to have found a Firm Friend, it's wonderful when you connect with someone and just know they'll be friends for life.

[cathleen]

England has such lovely, green, lush, countryside. Wish I could venture out into this beauty. I can't even imagine the visions you get to experience every day. Lucky, lucky you and your children for having such a memorable day and thank you for sharing these photos.

[Jen]

Sometimes I really wish you and I could trade places and I could live in England! You just can't take "the ruins of an abbey" OR a sweet old fashioned cafe on an old farm in the middle of nowhere her in the US.

Oh well... just keep allowing me to live there vicariously through your wonderful blog...

[Sarah]

How nice to find a cosy little cafe with vintage treasures, sounds a little gem!
Sarahx

[periwinkle]

What a lovely place, the type of thing for lovely childhood memories.
lisa x

[Rachel L]

That sounds like such a fantastic day out! And you tell your stories so beautifully. :)

[Joanne]

Wow what a fantastic day, to be taken somewhere you didn't know ever exsited and to be such a pleasent place. The river beach looks like great fun for the little people. Who needs summer weather (well may be a little bit of dry weather would be nice) not us brits hey.

[simone]

How good of your friend to introduce you to 'Buffers' in the back o' beyond! And what a wonderful albeit drisly day. I bet you all slept well after your day exposed to the elements!

[Leisa]

What a lovely day out with your friend. It looks like a wonderful place to visit.