Sunday 26 August 2012

Sunday Sundries: I Heart Yorkshire

Yes indeed, Yorkshire was my mystery destination from last week's Sunday Sundries (which you'd know if you followed me on twitter. Hey, why not do that?), specifically Oxenhope, which is basically right next to Haworth which, I'm sure you know, is where the Brontes lived! Clearly my sister knows the things I like, cause she's the awesomest (until we have an argument, that is, and then she won't be. You know, siblings!) But Haworth! It was amazing! And so pretty! And obviously warrants it's own special post about a literary landmark, so I'll save the story until I can be bothered to write that, and leave you for now with the creepiest statue in the world:

That was just the first day, and then on the second day we went to York and it's a pretty nice city, plus it has York Minster and, you probably don't know this about me, but I'm a real sucker for Cathedrals and shit. Not God or any of that, but the buildings themselves? Amazing. So there was that, PLUS this chocolate tour thing because York was the home of Rowntrees (who originally made Kit Kats and Smarties and Fruit Pastilles and all) as well as Terry's (of the chocolate orange) and that was pretty awesome too- I learnt how to taste chocolate properly and everything, so now I consider myself an expert. Oh, and obviously it rained loads too, because I was in Yorkshire for goodness sakes!
Interestingly, York also seems to have been a breeding ground for criminals and apparently a good place for their final burials. Guy Fawkes was born there, and I wouldn't have brought this whole thing up if I hadn't gone on the bus tour of York that basically only gave information like 'This is where Dick Turpin was buried, and this is where he was hanged. Public executions used to take place over there' and so on. I found all of this mightily disturbing, of course, especially after all the lovely chocolate mere minutes before! Bad bus tour.

Then we just had a morning left in Yorkshire, and so we went tramping around the moors which was EXCELLENT and also TIRING (those hills are STEEP!) and so beautiful that I could actually just cry thinking about them now.  Honestly, I can't even overstate how amazing the moors are- it's like every direction you turn, the scenery is even more beautiful. And it's actually really difficult to get a good picture of how lovely it is to be there, because each picture is just one side of your experience, whereas the moors are ALL AROUND. It's amazing. And makes me just want to read all the Brontes books all the time.



And what this all means, now, is that I have to stop making fun of the North, and of Yorkshire, and that's going to be REALLY difficult for me because I've been doing it forever. But NO MORE, I say! Because seriously, I love Yorkshire so much! 

Inevitably, though, we had to come home, and I haven't really done anything since then except mope around because I don't live in an area of stunning natural beauty and because I miss Yorkshire. Which I'm going to have to get over because I definitely can't move there, and definitely not right now, but still... Yorkshire, you have my heart right now. Having said that, I did buy some pretty awesome boots on Friday, and baked muffins on Saturday, so maybe here isn't quite so bad after all. Maybe.

Book-wise, I'm in that awkward place where I'm between books (I've finished The Moonstone and it's BRILL- so excited to discuss it on Wednesday!) and I haven't quiite decided what to read next. Foolishly yesterday I got about 50 pages into Dolores Clairborne, but I got to a good stopping place (it's basically a giant monologue with no chapters, FUCK YOU KING) and so stopped, but when I wanted to read some more I picked up Crime and Punishment instead, so now I'm a chapter into that. And like 3 other books as well. BASICALLY I'm having an attack of ADHD, or, you know, inability to just pick one fucking book. It's like a disease.

That was also my way of telling you that I have no content! None! Apart from a review of Let's Pretend This Never Happened that I haven't written yet, and also one for this documentary that made me cry a bit. But other than that, nothing! This is you chance to tell me that you miss me posting every day... Guys? Guys? Hmmm... I'll remember this...

24 comments:

  1. I heart Yorkshire too - every so often I see or read something about how beautiful the moors are and it makes me really annoyed that I'm not there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's totally how I feel about it right now too! I've just been constantly moping LOADS since I've got back haha. Stupid flat South *mutters crossly*

      Delete
  2. Hooray! I'm a northern lass, and went to university in York, so I'm a sucker for t'mooers as much as the next Bronte-lover. Also, York Minster rocks. I don't go in for the God stuff either, but when I'm inside a cathedral like that it really does make me want to cry a little bit. I just wish I'd visited Haworth when I had the chance - the uni ran a walk and Christmas afternoon there one weekend, but it was such horrible weather I stayed at home and I SHOULDN'T HAVE! :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay York! I kind of sort of nearly went to Uni there, as in I applied there and got in, but... I guess I was too lazy to go that far away from home haha! I know what you mean about cathedrals- they're just kind of breathtaking, right? Plus, so much history! Yay history!!

      Haworth is pretty wonderful though- definitely recommend checking it out some day (I'm going to say it's probably nearer you than me, so it probably won't take like 5 hours to get there. Just a guess ;) ). But THE MOORS! AMAZING!

      Delete
  3. Ooh, that looks like a lovely trip your sister planned for you. Yay! Glad you posted about it here. And yes, creepiest statue ever.

    I hear you about the cathedral thing. I'm not sure what's going on in the universe beyond our little human sphere, but there's something deeply moving about sitting inside a beautiful, sacred space. And I always imagine the medieval folks sitting in places like that, towering above them, seeing colored light for the first time in their lives, and how could you NOT believe that God lived in a space like that if you lived in that time?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was very lovely of her, I have to say! And also, I'm glad you liked my posting of it here, because there's still the Haworth portion to come! :)

      There's toootally something about being in a space where you like *know* for a fact people used to come and just think about something beyond like the drudgery of their everyday lives, you know? I mean, even if that thing was God, it's still like looking beyond what they knew for a fact and just believing in something, which is pretty cool! Also, cathedrals are just bloody beautiful!

      Delete
  4. I totally get the Yorkshire love - we went for our honeymoon and I instantly adored it. Hopefully we're going to go back next summer with the baby (and the baby's grandparents, for babysitting purposes obviously!). I wish I'd known abouut the chocolate tour before we went to York, it sounds awesome! And the Minster is great, but not quite as great as my cathedral (Canterbury), which is obviously the best cathedral...

    We didn't do much moor walking and I wish we had. It also made me want to read the Bronte's for ever and ever and also there was like an old apothecary shop in Haworth? That was awesome. And I accidentally made my husband drive down the high street there which is just ridiculously steep and cobble stones and was the most terrifying experience ever. and THEN we found the station where they filmed The Railway Children which was just the best because I really love The Railway Children, but I wouldn't take a picture because I have a weird phobia of level crossings.....

    So yes, I totally get the Yorkshire love :-p

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yaaaaay, take the baby to Yorkshire! He'll love it! (I mean, not necessarily when he's a baby. But when he's bigger he'll love it, and then he'll be like 'ah, those family holidays to Yorkshire *sigh*' aaaaand I just skipped forward about 20 years in your life! Sorry....) The chocolate tour thing, I believe, is really really new, so don't feel bad about missing it! And now there's something new for you to do next time (fyi, it's really good for kids, so that could be a thing to do in like 5 years, and there I go planning your life again... haha)

      I would have loved to do more moor (haha) walking, and, like, skipped going to York to just roam on the Tuesday, but ahhh, next time :). The apothecary shop is still in Haworth, and it's totally awesome! Also the secondhand bookshops! But ARGH driving down the high street sounds terrible. Like, seriously. And ALSO, I forgot to add that we stayed in the village where the house where they lived in The Railway Children was, and we saw it and it was awesome! And the Oxenhope station is on the same line as Oakworth (?) so we went down there and saw the steam train and went on this little carriage that they have as a tea shop and it was awesome!!

      YAY YORKSHIRE!!! Let's just move there, Bex! (Also, didn't mean to ignore the cathedral thing. I'm sure Canterbury's is LOVELY, and I fully intend to go there someday- I'll let you know if I do!)

      Delete
  5. Oh Soulmate, I miss your postings!!

    I've been reading a lot of HF dealing with the Cousin's War and I am such a Yorkist now it's a bit ridiculous, so I'm in love with this post. I want to live there!! I would like the creepy bus tour because things like that fascinate me. (I don't know why.)

    C&P is my favorite Russian novel. (See above comment about creepy bus tour). I hope you enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww Jenn! We really must resume our email convos, I miss them!

      Yorkshire is so amazing, seriously! If you're ever over here, I'll meet you up there for definites! And I'll take you on the creepy bus tour, if I must ;). There's also a boat tour which may well be just as creepy, so...

      I have read one whole chapter of Crime and Punishment and I really really like it so far. I've been scared of it all year, but now I'm reading it, I'm just like 'hey, this isn't so hard!' Which is good! :)

      Delete
  6. Ah, I loved Yorkshire when I visited. So lovely, so historical and SO MANY MOORS. I had a huge Secret Garden freak out when I saw them.

    I also happened to be in town for the York naked bike ride. Um...I saw lots of Yorkshire parts that I didn't really need to see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gaaaah, naked bike rides! I have seen 2 now, and well. I NEVER NEED TO SEE ANOTHER! *shudders*

      Yay Yorkshire!! THE MOOORS! I miss them so much still! I may just mope for all the rest of my LIFE!

      Delete
  7. When I finally come to the UK I demand that you be my tour guide ok?! We can talk books and Breaking Bad and you can show me all the beautiful cathedrals (which are in sad supply here in Australia) and steep hills. And one day I'll return the favour and direct you all over Aus!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yessssss Kayleigh. This is clearly happening! (Also, of course you have no cathedrals, Australia is a baby country :) ) I will show you all the old things, and also we can continually go 'OMG I can't believe that thing happened on Breaking Bad!' 'that thing' being ALL THE THINGS!!! Seriously need to email. Omg.

      Yes to the Aussie tour. Yes yes yes yes yes!

      Delete
  8. Well obviously if you don't have a post a day then it just totally screws my day up. Tsk tsk, Laura. Tsk tsk.

    Your day trip sounds amazing and so much fun and I wish I could come over to England and see it all! Someday. And that is a hella creepy statue... but then again, the Brontes were a little off even though they rock, so maybe it's fitting.

    And now all this talk or moors makes me want to go re-read Wuthering Heights. Or at least re-watch it.

    Glad you had such a fun week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha, I'M SO SORRY! But reading is soooo hard! (It's not that hard. I'm just summer lazy!)

      You should goooo to Yorkshire! And I'll go too. It'll be awesome. SCHOOL TRIP TO THE MOORS!!

      Definitely re-read Wuthering Heights. Always. I'm excited to do it though, cause I'll be like 'ooooh, I can just picture it!' you know, like, properly. :)

      Delete
  9. That statue...Are they singing? What's wrong with their necks? I want to go to Yorkshire mostly because of your post and also cos I want to see these moors. I'm still not entirely sure what they are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know! They apparently got some kind of random to make the statue, so... It looks like that. I wanted to go outside and have my picture taken being all scared by it, but I couldn't figure out how to get there in the garden (or if you were even allowed to) so I was piiiissed!

      YAY GO TO YORKSHIRE! Moors=big hills, basically, only ALL AROUND and awesome and beautiful in every direction and now I want to cry again thinking about them. Damn.

      Delete
    2. OK so I was def thinking moors were more swamp like. Which is something I'm sure I made up one day despite that fact that people prob told me what they actually are.

      Delete
  10. Dude, Yorkshire. Accents. I am so jealous right now. Because all I want to do is tramp around the hills with a walking stick. Also Shibden Hall is RIGHT BY HAWORTH, which is where Regency lesbian Anne Lister lived and omg I want to go there.

    Basically JEALOUS OF ALL THE THINGS. Except that statue. Which is still terrifying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come and tramp round the hills! I shall join you! It will be awesome, and I'll even go to that lesbian lady's house with you!

      The statue is so creepy irl. I'm slightly relieved that I couldn't figure out how to get round to it in person cause ARGH nightmares! But oh, the missed photo opportunities!

      Delete
    2. I was gonna say -- why no photos with the statue? I'd be all OVER that if possible.

      Delete
    3. Yeah, I don't know if I was just being really stupid, but I tried to go in the garden when we got out, and ended up on this random bit of moor that didn't have an entry to the garden, and, well... I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! But I'm fairly convinced that you're just not allowed to go there. Maybe they don't want anyone touching the creepy statue and being CURSED by it...

      Delete
  11. Your pictures are lovely! I really want to visit Yorkshire mostly because Bill Bryson lived there and said it was wonderful and I always trust Bill, but also because of the Bronte sisters, creepy statue and all.
    I spent the long weekend pottering about in the Cotswolds and I'm now a bit depressed that I don't actually live there...

    ReplyDelete