Well this it… after 70 days, 5,121 miles, over 200 cups of tea and goodness knows how many calories, my epic road trip round England in Rosie the camper van has come to an end and I can honestly say it was the trip of a lifetime! Thankfully there have only been six wrong turns as I navigated my way around the country and reliable Rosie has only broken down once, not bad going for a vehicle that is older than I am!
Take me to the ice cream Rosie!
In my opinion no meal is complete without a little scoop of ice cream at the end. And I’m sure I read somewhere that it’s good for the digestion, well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it! I’ve tried my fair share of ice-cream flavours and brands but I’d never heard of Our Cow Molly so I was keen to give it a try.
Before I got stuck in to my frozen feast, I had a nosey round the dairy where Our Cow Molly ice cream is produced and it soon became apparent why I’m not familiar with the brand. The farm is a small family run business in Dungworth on the top of one of the seven hills that Sheffield is built on. The production takes place in a room about the same size as Rosie and the ice cream is sold from a small on-site parlour, so it’s not quite a household name… yet!
Having a pint (of milk) with Graham Andrew who now runs the farm
It all began in 1947 when Hector Andrew started delivering milk from his dairy to homes around Sheffield. Today his son Graham runs the farm but milk prices have reduced drastically. So Graham’s son Eddie made sure the farm didn’t succumb to the tough economic climate by creating their delicious dairy ice cream in 2007. It scooped an award for “fourth best ice cream in the country” at the National Ice Cream Awards after just three months of production. Not a bad start eh?
Our Cow Molly: Made in Sheffield
Eddie explained why it was such an instant hit in the area, “We have 80 cows and can use as much fresh milk and cream as we want to get the flavour and texture just right. Not many ice-cream producers can afford to buy in so much dairy product, so that’s what sets us apart really.”
So many flavours, seemed only polite to try all of them!
Ok, ok, I was convinced that this was a product put together with passion, I was sold on the fact that the cows were cared for (I’d seen that for myself) and I loved the fact that Our Cow Molly had been added to the prestigious ‘Made in Sheffield’ register but I still had to taste it.
And my verdict is… A BIG MASSIVE THUMBS UP! Seriously creamy, deliciously smooth and oozing quality. Now I just need to move to Sheffield, although I’m sure it won’t be long before Our Cow Molly is hitting shelves further afield.
My visit to Cumbria was full of memorable events, like half net fishing in the Solway, dining at Michelin star restaurant Lenclume, taking a steam train through the scenic Leven Valley and seeing the Olympic Torch arrive by boat at Lake Windemere! I was already blown away by the areas beauty and tranquility but then I was offered the chance to take to the skies with Roger Savage for a flying lesson in his gyrocopter and my love of the Lakes was taken to a new height!
Me and my wing man Roger Savage
I felt like a bird as we soared over the picturesque landscape at 120mph and I took great delight in waving to the ramblers below (walking is so last season). Surprisingly the take off and landing were very smooth, it was like nothing I’d ever experienced.
I have no doubt I’ll be back to see Roger again as I have certainly got the bug for gyrocopter flying. If you’d like to give it a go, you can contact Roger via his website.
You couldn’t fail to see us at arrive at Harewood House
The beautiful 18th Century Harewood House is one of the treasure houses of England and is close to Leeds, York and Harrogate. Inside there is a vast and varied art collection including many personal items belonging to Princess Mary who lived here when she married the 6th Earl of Harewood.
Although photography is not allowed inside the house I can tell you that each room was more impressive than the last and the house is in immaculate condition. I think my favourite room has to be Princess Mary’s bedroom with it’s beautifully decorated Chinese wallpaper dating back to the 1700′s. It wouldn’t have actually adorned the room when the Princess lived here, it was only hung in 2008 after being discovered in an out building where it had been gathering dust for over 150 years!
One of the many garden ornaments at Harewood House
If you’re a fan of antique furniture you’ll love the collection of Chippendale including one of their most expensive ever productions, a beautifully carved bed draped in green silks, you can’t miss it if you visit, it’s one of the biggest beds I’ve ever seen!
The rolling Yorkshire hills, what a view!
The best views at Harewood are undoubtedly from the rear of the property where the landscape really equals the architecture in grandeur. I imagined what it must have been like to live here as a Royal lady and I reckon I would have made a pretty good princess!
Alex Moore and friends – ladies who lunch
Whilst I wandered around the pretty gardens I bumped in to a lovely lady named Alex, celebrating her pregnancy with a group of friends. The afternoon tea looked splendid, cheers girls!
The view from the terrace tea rooms
There are over 100 acres of gardens at Harewood with a dazzling range of plants from all over the world, enough to keep any green fingered garden lover happy for hours! No wonder it takes 98 volunteers to keep Harewood open to the public every day!
The resident penguins!
Don’t worry if you don’t know your rhododendrons from your Eucryphia (me neither!), there is plenty more to see at Harewood including a wonderful bird garden, home to penguins, flamingos, owls, macaws and cranes to name a few. There are labels throughout the garden that give fun facts about the birds, their habitat, diet and behaviour.
If you’d like to get even closer to the wildlife that lives here, penguin feeding takes place at 2pm everyday and the experience costs £10. I would have done it myself but I was too busy browsing the bookshop and missed my chance!
I’m sure I’ll go back to Harewood House, I’ll certainly be keeping my eye on their events programme throughout the year (VW Festival in August? Yes please!) I’ll also be packing a picnic to enjoy my favourite part of Harewood, the idyllic views.
Durham Castle
The Olympic Torch Relay heads towards Durham Castle
No trip to Durham is complete without taking in the views of the magnificent castle. To be honest it’s almost impossible to visit the city without doing so anyway as it stands proudly at the top of the hill, overlooking the medieval streets below. As well as functioning as one of Durham’s colleges, Durham Castle is also open to the general public but do check the opening times before visiting as the students make good use of the building during term time!
Durham Cathedral
Having a stroll around Durham Cathedral
The infamous sanctuary knocker at Durham Cathedral
It’s regarded as the greatest Norman building in England and attracts over 600,000 visitors a year so I’m not alone when I say it’s one of my favourite things about Durham. Durham Cathedral together with the nearby castle became one of Britain’s first World Heritage Sites in 1986 and you can find a packed diary of events at both venues including art exhibitions and organ recitals.
Shopping
Durham’s Victorian indoor market
From independent boutiques to big name stores and traditional market stalls, Durham city centre may be small in comparison to others nearby but it offers a unique shopping experience all of it’s own. Don’t miss the award winning indoor market for everything from fresh veg to handbags and if you’re a bargain hunter like me you’ll love nearby Dalton Park retail outlet in Murton. Just hop on the number 65 bus from the city centre!
Culture and Events
Meeting some of the performers taking part in the Spanish festival, ‘Vamos’
There is always something to do in Durham, from exhibitions to world class events. The local council and tourist board seem quite brave when it comes to entertaining their residents and visitors, their year round calendar of events throws up some surprises like Brainwave@NETPark; a free summer science festival. Last winter the Durham Lumiere wowed crowds of thousands and many are hoping it will make a return. For me though it’s the traditional events that draw me back to Durham time and time again, like the Miners Gala, the Durham Regatta and the Victorian Christmas markets. Oh, and I can’t fail to mention the cricket… the highlight of the season in 2013 will be the Ashes Test v Australia.
The Bowes Museum
The impressive Bowes Museum
On our way to the city centre Rosie and I called in to the Bowes Museum and I fell in love with this magnificent French style chateaux straight away. It’s in the picturesque market town of Barnard Castle and despite it’s size and grandeur, the Bowes Musuem is some what of a hidden gem. I only live about an hours drive away and I’d never heard of it! I discovered that Bowes Museum had been purpose built in the 19th Century by John and Joséphine Bowes to house their personal collection art, furniture and textiles from around the world. I suspect that Joséphine liked to shop as much as I do!
For her next adventure, Rachel goes back to basics in Cumbria to try out the Viking tradition of Haaf Netting. It’s all part go her epic road trip as VisitEngland’s Fan in a Van but did she catch a fish herself? Well you better watch to find out!
Fishing a tide with the Solway Haaf Net Salmon Conservation Trust costs £75 including a salmon dinner. Overnight stays in the area can also be arranged as part of a package. For further details contact Mark Messenger at the Highland Laddie Inn, Glasson, on O16973 51830 or e-mail highlandladdie@talktalk.net.
Rachel Kershaw has been taking part in lots of weird and wonderful activities as part of her epic road trip round England. Although it filled with her with fear she climbed her way up the Transporter Bridge in Middlesborough and did a 160ft bungee jump with UK Bungee, all for the love of England!
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