The Moors with Friends | The Hills with Family

The month of July thus far has been absolutely crazy and so full of fun. At the beginning of the month Kyle and I sallied off to England once more, heading north to Yorkshire this time. We both had the excellent opportunity of presenting papers at the International Medieval Congress in Leeds and did very well on our respective panels! While attending the congress we met up joyfully with our Saskatchewanian chums and fellow medievalists Christina and John, and my American friend, Lydia, who also studies in Leuven. Rather than staying in the big city of Leeds during the congress, Kyle and I found accommodations in the nearby Haworth, the village where the famous Bronte sisters lived, wrote, and died. As an avid reader of the sisters' novels and a girl who used to spend her Friday nights re-watching Wuthering Heights (this version is a must), I was quite excited for our little literary pilgrimage.

View of Haworth from the stone wall that encircled our hostel which was a renovated 18th century mansion!

Conscious consumers like ourselves appreciated Haworth's other claim to fame as the world's first Fairtrade village!

The impeccably quaint (and steep) main street

On the day that we had set aside to explore the village and visit all things Bronte related, Christina traveled from Leeds to join us since she is also a fan of the books. 

In front of the parsonage where the Bronte family lived from 1820-1861.

Kyle (who despite having a master's degree in English has not read any of the Bronte novels [forshame!]) trying to assume a melancholic expression given the information next to him.

Excitedly pointing to a plaque informing us that "Charlotte Bronte taught at this school built in 1832 and restored by the church in 1966 with help from the Bronte Society."

Off for our walk along the Bronte Trail! 

it was a stunning day for a walk in the moors!

We stopped for picnic by the Bronte falls and the Bronte bridge, a pretty little area frequented by the sisters and described in their letters.

Nearing Top Withens, supposedly the inspiration for Wuthering Heights, which we could just see in the distance.

On our way out of Haworth after a completely lovely day.

Our last day in Haworth after we were all conferenced-out was full of: 

folksy shops and handmade goods!

incredible VEGAN brownies and pasties as if Haworth wasn't amazing enough already.

and old-timey steam trains!

On our last day in Yorkshire we took a double-decker bus to a place that has been on my list for a very long time for its medieval historical significance, its literary significance, and its general beauty: the seaside town of Whitby. 

This of course reminded us of the famous scene set in Whitby in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

The first monastic house at Whitby was established in 657 AD. It was a double-monastery, inhabited by both monks and nuns, and presided over by the abbess, Lady Hilda. Among its brothers, England's first poet, Caedmon, lived here! His story is one of my favourites. Students of the history of the church in early medieval England will also know Whitby as the location of the synod of 664, when the Northumbrian church dispensed with its Celtic patterns of worship, and adopted the Roman date of Easter and the monastic tonsure.

pretty, but a bit windy!

oh hey there North Sea. 

Following our sojourn in the North, our next tac on the map was in the heart of England, the Peak District National Park, where we would begin our adventure with the Wall family! Unfortunately the Wall-flock was one sheep short since Colter couldn't make it over due to his busy summer gig-lineup. You missed the Shire, Colter! 

Mum did great at her first try driving on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car. :D

Late afternoon tea in Ilam park where our hostel was situated.

If you can believe it that is actually our hostel there behind us! Once again we were staying in a gorgeous old mansion nestled in the Dovedale hills. It was supereminently pretty.

After tea we took a stroll around the grounds.

The sweetest little fairytale church and happy reunited sisters.

The incredibly gingerbread-house-like houses in the hamlet of Ilam. Everything about Ilam is straight out of a book.

Including the woods across St. Bertram's bridge where Faith and I went looking for fairies of course.

The Dovedale Stepping Stones at the foot of a great hill called Thorpe's Cloud

This picture is one of many in which you will notice a member of the Wall clan expresses their excitement and happiness by extending their arms out in the air. We all just belong in a musical, really. 

Oh, look there's another one. Climbing the hills of Castleton to reach Peveril's Castle! The ancient Hope Valley and famous hill Mam Tor, a Bronze-Age hill fort, in the background.

Peveril's Castle was originally a Norman fortification built by William Peveril in the 11th century that eventually came under royal control during the reign of King Henry II who visited the castle three times in the 12th century and hosted a visit from Scottish King Malcolm IV. It also became associated with the castles of Bolsover and Nottingham among which the same garrison of twenty knights was shared. 

<3

We had plenty of fun running around reading plaques and trying to imagine what the whole settlement would have looked like in its heyday.

Off to see the famous Peak Caverns that take you deep into the limestone roots of Peveril Castle and were once a part of the 'Seven Wonders of the Peak District' Tour taken by the aristocrats and rich folk of the 19th century. 

Waiting for our tour to begin.

creepy caves make for creepy pictures

From Castleton we sallied off to another of the seven wonders of the Peak District, Chatsworth House. Unfortunately we were too late to tour the great house which was also under some heavy construction, but we had plenty of fun frolicking around the gardens being incredibly silly.

In front of the stables

The gardens are ridiculous

Reenacting the Lion King of course, holding up Simba etc.

We found the hedge maze!!!!!!

Yay! Hedge Maze!

HEDGE MAZE!!!!

With the help of a tiny little girl in a purple butterfly dress we found the centre! 

classic.

The gardens were full of these funny little huts and caves. It was like Pride & Prejudice themed Disneyland.

Mum and Kyle in the vegetable patch

yay for lettuces!

I... I don't know what's going on here.

The 1st Duke's Greenhouse

Misty rains and the Duke of Derbyshire's flag ft. three stag heads

On our third day we ventured out of the National Park and drove into Nottingham to see the castle and Robin Hood's old stomping grounds. 

In front of the castle caves, also known ominously as Mortimer's Hole! Before we arrived in Nottingham I managed to inform my family of the interesting 14th century events that took place here and their contexts :D #nerd.

Reading the plaque before we go in!!!

Faith hiding behind Robin Hood!

Dad being a silly father-in-law

After receiving an excellent tour of the castle caves from none other than Friar Tuck... we headed over to the nearby pub 'Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem', which claims to be the oldest pub in England and is built into the same limestone foundations as the castle.

COOL!

COOL!

Robin Hood! Kyle trying to steal his sword...

Family self-timer shot!  

We returned to Ilam Hall in good time and since it was our last day in England I was itching to go for one last walk in Dovedale and climb Thorpe's Cloud. Kyle and I navigated the muddy pastures and said hello to the sheep and cows before crossing the stepping stones and ascending the grassy slope.

We made it to the top short of breath from both the climb and the beautiful view!

Once again, we had a fantastic time in two gorgeous parts of England. Our adventures and excitement increased ten-fold when my dear family arrived! I can't describe how much I missed them and the shenanigans we all get up to when we're together. We said farewell to the rolling hills and flew over to Belgium the next day to spend some time in Leuven and tour Mum, Dad and Faith around the place we've been living for the past year. Part two of their visit will be up on the blog soon!

-m