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Tuesday 22 April 2014

Rain postponement.

It seemed to be throwing it down from early morning and it didn't seem to stop after breakfast. We took our time to rise and get ready. Helen did some baking and I did the ironing. By 1100 it stopped so we drank the tea we had just made and then set off up Forest Top Lock. We didn't intend to go far so we thought we could get there before any further showers.

We weren't going far but there were plenty of bends for Helen to negotiate. We were soon passing under the A1 too.

I think this is my first photograph of a heron this year. Last year we seemed to show plenty of them.

There were showers but really only light and I only had to put a coat on once, so we didn't even get wet really. These girls were already for going out with their eye shadow and mascara.

We got clear of the worst sound of the A1 and then found some piling to tie up to. We couldn't quite get fully alongside but it was a lovely spot. So nice that two other boats tied up there with us later.

We went for a walk in a beautiful evening light. The village of Scofton was close and the church looked lovely. Scofton is the estate village of Osberton Hall. St John's Scofton cum Osberton church was only built in 1833 as a memorial to the Owner of the Hall Neville Foljambe for his wife who died in child birth. The Foljambes had been land owners in the area since 1272. The family were big sportsmen and it seems that there is a horse trial etc here. They also started a herd of Jersey cows in 1867 so maybe the girls in the earlier photo are from that pedigree herd. The Hall appears to have been owned by the Budge family who were also the owners of  Wiseton Hall (see earlier blog). There was also a race stable there and at one time Budge was the second biggest race horse owner in the UK. The Hall was sold for £3.3 million in 2011. At the moment there is scaffolding all round it. There was a planning problem as the new owners wanted to remove the very large collection of stuffed animals and as this was part of the Listing they are not allowed to move them. I wonder what the outcome of that will be.

St John's Scofton cum Osberton.

In the field next to the boat was a beautiful pheasant. 


The pheasant was getting too close to a lapwings nest as the parents repeatedly bombed the pheasant never budged.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ironing!!!!!! Why!!!!! Life is too short unless you need to and you 2 don't. Relax and chill, go creased as the youngs ones of today do :).
The cows are so beautiful and so is the pheasant. Abi said how lucky you are to see it alive, we only see them dead on the side of the road around here:(
See you next week Helen x
Heather x

NB Holderness said...

Hi Heather, one has to maintain standards, even when mucking about on boats! I think all cows are good looking but these were special. If you want to see live pheasants you need to go past Burton Constable Hall from Skirlaugh and turn left just as you get to the end of the fence. There are always pheasants hanging about there at this time of the year. Just done another load of washing that will need ironing at some time, but tomorrow we are off to a beer festival so maybe not tomorrow. Look after your selves, and thanks for minding Amy the other day. Cheers for now, Tony and Helen.