Addingham earlier this week.

A day away walking by the river Wharf.

A walk from Addingham to the outskirts of Bolton Abbey and back.

We left Addingham in warm sunshine following the Dalesway footpath. 

The idea was to call in a café at Bolton Abbey for a cuppa and walk back.

At 16:00, as we arrived at the café -just before the Devonshire Arms- the sky turned black and the stair rods came out to play. At the café we were greeted with “we're closed – The Devonshire’s open though”.

The rain switched to power shower mode so we headed towards the bus stop outside the Devonshire Arms.

The “Don’t bring your car into the Dales” slogan popped into my head as we read the timetable.

There are three buses to Addingham today - one in the morning one at lunch time and the last bus at 18:07.

Seeing it was 16:05 now we had a dilemma. Should we go into the Devonshire Arms looking like drowned rats and cash a postal order – don’t think so. Not much point walking to the next café it seems 16:00 is closing time so we decide to walk back to Addingham.

During our thought process Sue remembers that there is a farm shop near the bridge.

So we trudge off to the farm shop  “ and yeah though I trudge through the valley of desolation (well near to it) I see before mine eyes a sign Farm Shop and yeah on the door a further sign closed “. 

Didn’t want to buy a farm anyhow.

Quite a nice dampish walk back to Addingham and when we got back the sun popped out and we popped in to the Swan. 

The Swan is a “Piemaster” pub with a  good selection of pies with peas and mash and a gravy boat. I had two gravy boats and no hangover.

Excellent grub made me forget my earlier brattish outbursts.

Birds Seen:-

Common Sandpiper 3, Oystercatcher 2, Mallard with duckling, Pied Wagtail 3, Heron, F. Goosander, House Martin, Goldfinch, Swift 2, Coal tit 2, Wren 2, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swallow, GSW 2, Kingfisher, Curlew, Jay, Mistle Thrush.

Nearing the end of the walk a medium sized Owl left a tree being chased by a couple of Blackbird.