A 'Wee' Scottish Adventure: A Holiday in Yorkshire

The development of a few great friendships with three girls in my program has really made this semester enjoyable! Anna from England, Ashley from Washington State and Christy from Michigan are some of the most entertaining women I have ever met. Although there are no official breaks in this program the four of us decided to take a short holiday in March to Anna’s parents house in Yorkshire. We had heard about the gorgeous farmhouse and the delicious home cooked food for months, but nothing could prepare us for the spa-like 5 days that occurred! In order to justify the culinary delights, we did ALOT of walking! One day was spent at Hebden Bridge and another exploring Bolton Abbey before watching Anna's Mum perform in the community Orchestra!

But favourite day was a 6-hour hike through the moors of Bronte country. I’m sure everyone can picture the atmospheric, rainy, gloomy setting that inspired the Bronte sisters’ writing. After about half an hour of walking, I was soaking wet (drookit as the Scots would say!) with about 3 inches of water sloshing around in my boots. But it all makes so much sense now! I would be dark and disturbed like the Bronte sisters if I had to do that in a corset and a petty coat everyday! A few follies from this hike worth mentioning include an impromptu river crossing- runoff from obscene amounts of rain and nearly loosing Ashley in a bog.

Our return from these hikes were met with freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam or a cheese board that made me think I had died and gone to heaven. Anna’s dad, the director of the Yorkshire Slow Foods, prepared delicious gourmet meals every night made from local and organic food, including fresh eggs from the farm that we collected! In an attempt to thank them for their hospitality, the four of us made dinner the last night we were there. The homemade pasta made with a press definitely brought our lasagne up to a delicious slow food standard! Yummy!!