Strike The Last Post...

The Travel website was wrong. So I sat on a public bench near the bus stop for 75 minutes rather than go back home. I couldn't be bothered. Then again when I managed to reach the next town I found there were no buses to Northallerton again wrong information. It was one of my difficult mornings too. Too much information coming here...I needed a public toilet desperately. I found the shopping mall though open 10am-4.30pm open their toilets only between Noon and 3pm, figure that out!

A sympathetic security guard gave me access to a disabled toilet. Another person was caught short but refused his offer to help. He did say he doesn't understand the policy of the mall either.

By 11.30am I had wasted nearly 4 hours and got nowhere. Should I come home? No, I decided having made the effort I would struggle to the train station and caught my first train in perhaps 30 years. I was in Northallerton within approx 15 minutes. Quicker than the journey from my town to Darlington. I also realise that the train brought me into the town centre from a different direction to how I used to drive into the town by car. That would explain some of my confusion.

It was a conspiracy now...everything working against me and that made me more determined. No town buses were running in Northallerton either. I had to walk...later realising that I had taken a wrong turn and added un-necessary distance, literally going around the houses, the return route to the railway station was quicker even if I was slower.

The event was great. I saw my friend on her stall. I like the fact I can call her a friend and she has taken me under her wing.

I didn't get much chance for photo's but did take one video of a kind of trad jazz band The Swale Valley Stompers. Hopefully, I will see them again.

I'm sure my friend will not mind me teasing by saying there are exciting plans afoot and possible new items being added to the range of goods that are sold. I am passionate about what she makes and the quality and I have no connection to the business in any way.

Anyone who manages to go to Newcastle Upon Tyne will find that Fenwicks also stock her products(so you know they are good)

Well, I was shattered when I came home, mobility was impaired(and I had developed another health problem as the day progressed)

I have some lovely items to enjoy that I managed to bring home safely, a couple of cupcakes, a banoffee pie, some chocolate pookey(that's a gift for someone)so I don't taste that this time...and something difficult to describe. I will add photo's soon. I should use them quickly but you try and stop me Pookey is a kind of cinder toffee. This is called "Posh Pookey"

I hasten to add this is not my friend selling her wares. But someone with a remarkable ability to stand very still. With rolling pin in one hand and a tray of burnt pies in the other. She was selling programmes and bags to raise money towards the cost of holding the event.

 

Coming back into this area there were spectacular rain clouds from the train window(I wish I had taken a video or photo's)then at the railway station to connect to a local train back to my own town I discovered it was delayed and the service was disrupted because there had been a lightening strike in the Stockton area and it had caused total signal failure on the service between Darlington and Saltburn. This worked in my favour because the train I had chosen from Northallerton would have arrived after the local train had left. So I didn't mind.

I have a couple of video's of trains speeding through Northallerton station and you can see the clouds gathering, one train driver even tooted his horn as he passed, no doubt because I was taking the video.

Train At Nortallerton(Having problems uploading videos hence a link for now...)

It wasn't brilliant sunshine at the food event at the but we did avoid most of the rain and blustery winds for the day and were lucky. I would happily attend again. It was one of the best so far. Lots of variety of stalls and well run. Only its second year.