Masham to Burnsall
Following on from my last blog, memories of my school visits in our beautiful Yorkshire countryside. This is a blog that I wrote in March 2013. Part of the route for this years Tour De France, I will be watching, will you?
With an early start Tuesday morning, I left home at 6.30am heading for the Yorkshire Dales and my first school visit at Masham Primary School. Of course it was an absolute contrast to last week when I visited London, but equally as enjoyable. Why do I love Chavosing so much? I suppose the truth is I enjoy working with kids and the challenges that it brings. Street kids, city kids, village kids. Kids are kids if you know what I mean and, whilst I know the correct terminology is ‘young people’, since I started writing they have all become kids!
So, I think year 5 and 6 enjoyed my visit and having done their research before I arrived, they were all eager to present me with interesting questions. A talk from me about the inspiration behind the Chavos books and several readings from the kids themselves, I am now looking forward to those who said they would do a book review for me and, I’m waiting to see if they decide to do a ‘Mexico’ project, as the curriculum allows. It sounds as though they are keen to do some fundraising for our charity too, so waiting to hear about their ideas.
That said, I do intend to return to Masham in the summer and maybe then I will make time to visit the famous Black Sheep Brewery. I’m told the Bistro is worth a visit and although I’m not an ale drinker myself, I’m sure if I purchase a few of those award winning ales they will be appreciated by someone back home!
By the way kids, those of you who are reading this blog don’t forget one of you promised to email me those school rules that I so liked. Especially the one that said, ‘go home every day with a smile on your face.’ Uhm!
So address in the Sat-Nav, I set off for Burnsall, the destination for the next school. Was it the best idea to take the shortest route? I think so on this occasion but I was glad that the fog had lifted, otherwise I would have been very unhappy. That’s putting it mildly! The route became more and more remote and for several miles I didn’t see another vehicle. It seemed everyone else had taken the other route. Did they know something I didn’t? What ho! I am so glad that I didn’t have car trouble otherwise I would have been in sheer panic. Mobile phone, don’t even think about it – no signal up there. There were lots of sheep that’s for sure.
Before I arrived in Burnsall, I passed one of the Wensleydale Creameries. I have a slight recollection of going there when I was a school girl myself. Later, as I fancied something sweet I called at a little tea shop and sampled some fine home-made apple pie and a pot of great Yorkshire tea.
Have you ever heard the saying? ‘Eating apple pie without cheese, is like a kiss without a squeeze?’
How funny. And no I didn’t get a kiss or a squeeze!
Well Burnsall is a picturesque and absolutely delightful riverside village in Lower Wharfedale, downstream of Grassington. I took lots of photos yesterday so I will do a picture blog in a few days. Meanwhile I’m going to see the kids at Burnsall Primary School this morning.
Chat soon and have a nice day.
Anna
