Up River

Yesterday, the weather was deliciously, wonderfully springlike and we decided to take advantage of this fact and head off on a proper good Outing. J was very keen for us to head right up into the Yorkshire Dales to visit one of his favourite childhood haunts. We go to the river at Hubberholme once or twice a year, and it never fails to delight.

It's an idyllic place, and spending an extended period of time here is made easy by the fact that you can park your car right where you wish to be. Simply pick your spot, pull in to the left, park, unload all manner of picnicking paraphernalia, cross the tiny road and set up camp right beside the river. It's all very easy and convenient.

The river itself is just perfection here. It's the same wide, powerful river Wharfe that flows through Bolton Abbey, but here in Upper Wharfedale it is still in it's baby stages. It bubbles and gurgles it's way over the rocky river bed in a series of enticing shallow pools and tumbling mini waterfalls. The sound of all that bubbling, gurgling and tumbling is delicious.

This is our favourite part of the river right opposite that old ash tree, and we always try and find this particular spot when we come to picnic here.

There is just enough flat grass for us to put up our sun tent and "make camp".

I love our sun tent. J and I always have a mild tussle with the job of putting it up (it has three poles, and takes a little bit of concentrated effort to get it erected), but once it's up we remember how great it is. It's pretty spacious, and allows us to shelter from the wind and have some quiet snuggly time if needed.

It provided a perfect hooky haven. I had a fantastic view of the river, but felt beautifully warm and cosy (it was quite breezy yesterday and despite the sun there was still a nip in the air).

By the time we had set up camp, the Little People were already declaring starvation, so we got straight down to the business of providing lunch. This was to be something of an experiment as we had decided to try something a little different. We were going to be cooking, not on a barbecue.....

....but on our tiny little old gas camping stove. We have had this stove for sooo many years (it is this sort of one) and we love it. J loves cooking on it, he was so excited to get it out again and use it to fry up some onions.

While he was down on the rocks in raptures over the stove, I was cosy inside the tent preparing the rest. We had soft white finger rolls, ketchup and mustard (Heinz and Colmans of course), and in our fabulous food flask we had some piping hot frankfurter sausages.

And voila! Picnic Hotdogs which tasted surprisingly delicious, and Little People who were overjoyed at the departure from sandwiches.

I had hastily managed to bake and ice some buns at breakfast, and they tasted scrummy washed down with a brew of fresh coffee (we recently bought a couple of these for picnics and walks which are ace). Add in a punnet of fresh strawberries and some bottles of cloudy apple juice, and the picnic lunch was declared a great success.

The afternoon passed slowly, in a happy, sunny haze of watery activity.

There was a hunt for river wildlife....

....and some impressive dam building, which very sweetly involved all three Little Peeps. Little B was having such a fun time here, I can't tell you how excited he was with all of this.

The river is beautifully clear, and the flat, dry rocks make it a wonderful place to explore. It's possible to rock-hop right across the river from one side to the other, with only a little bit of help needed for Little B with his little legs.

It was very peaceful by the river, despite it's proximity to the road. A couple of tractors drove by, and a number of motorbikes, but mostly it was just sheep strolling past.

I love this old ash tree on the opposite side of the river. I love it's mossy roots and the way it leans gently into the old dry stone wall behind.

I spent a bit of time over here by myself, leaning against the old gnarled trunk and observing my family. J was relaxing in his chair reading, and The Little Peeps were very happy playing about in the water and on the rocks together, it made me feel so happy to watch them.

While I was over by the old tree, I had a sudden bolt of an idea. A whim. A desire.

I was overcome by a very strong urge to.....................

.....yarn bomb!!!!!!!!!!!

Hahaha! It was hilarious actually, I couldn't believe I was really doing such a crazy thing, but I somehow just had to give into the urge. I took the bunting triangle I had just finished and simply stitched it to the fence.

I thought it looked rather pretty against it's blue and green backdrop, and I really hope it manages to stay there. I would SO love to go back to the river later in the year and discover it still there marking our "spot".

I thought how lovely it is to see such beautiful woolly colour sitting in the landscape, and then couldn't resist taking my blanket out onto the sun warmed rocks for a wee photo shoot.

It ended up staying there for most the afternoon as the Little People took it in turns to lay down and rest on it. I took some lovely photos of them here. Lovely memories for this Hooky Mama.

Really, it was a pretty perfect day.

It's rather lovely spending time by the river in May.

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Comments

[suzanne midgley]

Hi Lucy
One of my favourite spots in Yorkshire and the world!. I too spent many happy hours there as a child on picnics as did my children. Passed there yesterday in our camper van and the bunting is still there. xxx

[dana]

lovely place! Made all the more fantastic with your tiny yarn bomb! Bravo!

[Abby]

I love your little tent hideaway! What great yarn-bombing.... can u imagine yarn bombing like this on every adventure you have with your family. what a surprise for you to find later or even better for one of us to stumble on and think WOW that reminds me of Attic 24!!

[Melanie]

Not sure about yarn bombing in the countryside, it doesn't need such embelishments. ( what if an animal ate it and it got stuck in its gut?) it does make a good photo but then take it away - country code and all that...
I do love Urban yarn bombing GREAT!

[jenn]

lucy... I LOVE the yarn bomb idea!! Hmmmmm... need to keep granny squares/triangles on hand at all times? I live in the country & do a lot of "adventure walks". Might start this idea & surprise my farmer husband with yarn. :) jenn

[Kee]

I love your blog, Lucy. It always makes me smile. I so agree with your comment in another post about the memories you are creating for your children. They are very lucky to have a Mama like you.
Thank you for creating such a vibrant, happy space on the web.

[Lianne]

How fabulous, you really feel the happy, relaxed atmosphere in your lovely photos and I LOVE the yarnbomb!
those are exactly the kind of urges I get, so it's awesome to see another yarnbomber in action :D
I hope it stays there!

[Carol Hanson]

Langstrothdale, my most favourite place in the world! Many happy memories for my husband who played there as a child and for us both as a couple and with our children. I live in cambs but have spent many very happy times in this exact spot- thank you x

[Gillian]

What a lovely post. I've really enjoyed reading all this sunshine bank holiday love in blogland these last few days. I love your idea of putting frankfurters in a thermos for a picnic - brilliant! x

[Karen]

Lovely!

I'm so excited, this time next week we'll be enjoying family holiday time in the Yorkshire Dales . . . hoping the sun shines!

[happy just doing]

Oh Lucy, I love your pics and it's a fab place but please please please take your plastic home with you! Yarn bombing in context is a very enlivening thing - but not in our wonderful and unsullied countryside. If I read it's been taken down, if only for the sake of our wildlife, it'd make my day!

[Jools Morgan-Jones]

Love the yarn bomb, Lucy! and it looks so lovely there. I've been humming and haa-ing (excuse me while I invent a word there!) over getting a sun tent like that, and you've decided me, it's got to happen! xx

[Feeblefingers]

I love Hubberholme. We spent a week near Buckden 24 years ago just after we got married, then visited the area again for my husbands 30th birthday and again 5 years ago. We are definitely due another visit soon.... I'll look out for your triangle...maybe it'll have friends!

[Maria]

Wonderful day, wonderful pictures, wow.

[Angela-Southern U.S.A.]

Looks like a perfect day!It was a holiday weekend here in the States(Memorial Day weekend)and the kick off to grill/picnic season.We did dogs as well.Finished some hooky WIP's(a neck roll pillow,with the swirly pattern),no yarn bombing though...yet.lol Love the pic of the blanket on the rocks,good enough to frame!

[Deb]

Sorry I didn't make it clear in my comment above that it is the crochet bombing that I think is littering.

[Deb]

Hello dear Lucy. I love reading your blog, love your colourful writing,
love your photos, love how you encourage so many to crochet with your contagious enthusiasm! And recently you've written about you and your family's Sunday outings. It's obvious that the countryside gives you joy. So this post has me confused. Just as you and your family enjoyed the pristine loveliness of the riverside, so shouldn't others who come along afterwards? I think we all are meant to be stewards of our world around us.

[Anna-Marie Field]

Hi There, What a wonderful idea to leave a bunting on the fence!!! Just to say, Hey!!
Have a wonderful week!!!
Love
AMarie

[Carmen]

Love the yarn bombing ! BUT make sure the sheep can't eat it and get sick :(

[Kate - The Garden Bell]

Now you know how much I adore you. But even more now that I found out you love the HEINZ. It's the only ketchup to have. What a fun day and I think the sun tent is such a clever idea. Ok, now I'm hungry for a "dog" and it's only 9am. Hope to be back in the swing real soon.

[Barbara de Bruin-Karnekamp]

Absolutely stunning pictures... What a great outing... I would love to do something like that someday!
Have a great day, Lucy!
Barbara @www.Busyfingersbusylife.blogspot.com

[steph]

how lucky to be able to escape to the country so completely!!! and how well organized for such travels you all are!!!!! thanks for taking me along with you! (All i've been able to yarn bomb lately has my stop sign and the Yak at our downtown art gallery---I love that you did some rural bombing beauty!)

[bloepper]

yarnbombing! such a rebel!

[Lindy]

We call this type of stream a 'run' where I come from and we like to picnicn right out on the rocks. You are 'da bomb' for yarn bombing the fence!

[Theetje]

oooh Lucy how i love you're picnick-story's soooo much....it really makes my wanna grab my kids and hubby, get in the car and drive to the nearest river:)
Thanks!
Love Theetje