David J. Gatward's Blog

Now that Gordy has moved to Somerset, I’m popping out rather a lot on research trips to top up my knowledge of the area and get some inspiration. So, yesterday afternoon, I hopped aboard my trusty steed and pedalled off for exciting adventures in the sunshine. As usually happens, after a few minutes of sunshine, it started pouring down, and within a few minutes I was soaked to the skin. But, determined, I pedalled on, and lo and behold! The rain cleared and the sun came out again. Hurrah! Somerset looks amazing like this! Thick hedgerows soaked with rain, yellow sunshine and lush green fields. It’s not the Dales but, in a very different way, it’s as beautiful! I passed through Mells on a road called Murder Combe, which is possibly the coolest name for a road for a crime writer to cycle along! But there are others too, like Hatchet Hill and Dead Woman’s Corner. I managed to avoid the double temptation of the Mells café and the Talbot Inn (but only just), and passing Mells Park - where t...

Friday Starting out on the long trip north, I was unsurprised to find that the roads were horrendous. To help motorists share their pain, it seemed that the National Highways agency deemed it necessary to divert everyone heading up the west side of the country up the east side instead. Still, the Dales beckoned me on, and when I eventually left the main roads and saw the fells ahead, I couldn’t help but smile. Arriving in Leyburn, I booked into The Grove House and headed straight out for food at The Sandpiper Inn for a delicious dinner! Saturday The Shawl, Leyburn I started the day with a quick walk up the Leyburn Shawl. According to who you believe, the name of this limescale escarpment is an old word that means a shady hill and woodland. Or, and this is the version I prefer, its name relates to the time when Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned at Bolton Castle and lost her shawl. I then went for a stroll around Leyburn , stopping to purchase sausages from Hall’s Family Butchers and...