The Meanderthals: WORLDS AWAY

FARAWAY FARM

On SAFARI :- Jim, Mike, Danny, Anthony, John

A longer drive than usual took us into foreign lands --- Yorkshire !

As we crossed the border high up on the moors there were no masked men with sub-machine guns or barbed wire fences but we remembered that the "Wars of the Roses" is never quite over especially with clear blue skies and cricket on the telly but...

...we stopped at the border (Bowland Knotts) for a leg stretch and to admire the view.

The view was rather obscured by the morning mist in the valley.

Then down the long sloping moorland road to thehome of a good friend (relative)

I'm afraid the tudor styling of this farmhouse is FAUX. The orignal frontage was definitally "vernacular" and built of local stone. There is, however no doubting that the building itself is hundreds of years old.

Parked up in the yard and into the ancient farmhouse for our first brew of the day.

Then outside to explore.... First the large garden and pond.

The pond did contain some large carp until otters, presumably from the nearby River Wenning, discovered that easy meals were available. The pond still holds some smaller carp.

We skirted round the pond to follow the flagged paths through the Garden.

The flagged paths took us up into a wooded are where several shelters had been built . What for? To watch the birds. To sit and chat. To admire the views. To watch the deer ..... or simply to idle away the time in pleasant surroundings.

Wherever we went we were accompanied by two large, friendly, black Labradors. They especially took a shine to Anthony who is far from being a "doggy" person.

A gateway next to the shelters led us in to a narrow stretch of mainly coniferous trees.

At the end of the narrow stretch of trees was a further shelter from which we could see the herd of deer (Fallow) resting in a large patch of reeds some distance away.

Back though the woodland and down through the garden passing, as we did, the resting place of the family pets that had died over the years.

Is it a bird ?🐦 Is it a plane ? ✈....... It was a bird .. but what kind. Don't ask John .. He couldnt see it .😟👎

As we came backtowards the farmhouse although very nervous

(the deer not us😉) We got a better view of them over the fields.

Back inside the farmhouse our hostess had provided a simple but enjoyable lunch. Tasty sausages topped with a fried egg on a balmcake 👌👍

After lunch our host took us to see his "Trophy Room". He was at one time a Big Game hunter travelling all over the world - Now retired.

Most of his guns are gone. The new firearms laws have obliged him to surrender after retirement. He is still allowed to keep a few antique and vintage weapons.

I think the animal in the bottom left of this photo is a GNU

Sorry but I can't resist..........an extract from The "Gnu" song by Flanders and Swan. Also famous for the Hippopotamus song.

I'm a GNU I'm a GNU

The G'nicest work of G'nature in the zoo

I'm a Gnu spelled GNU

I'm not a camel nor a kangaroo

So let me introduce

I'm G'neither man nor moose

Oh G'no, G'no,G'no I'm a GNU

(later in the song after further confusion)

I'm a Gnu. A G'nother Gnu

I wish I could G'nash my teeth at you

You really ought to know W-hoos W-hoo.

I'm a Gnu spelled G N U

Call me Bison or Okapi and I'll sue

Nor am I in the least like that dreadful Hartebeast

Oh Gno, Gno, Gno I'm a GNU

The Gnu is also called a Wildebeast after the Africaans for Wild Beast and the G is silent in English and is simply a "Noo"

A victorian display case with golden eagles. NOT shot by our host.

This astounding room might not have been to everyone's taste but it was nevertheless quite fascinating. Very much an anachronism which our host has in the past also declared himself to be.