Mother Shipton 20-6-26
We had a long weekend visiting Loughborough, staying at the Hammer and Pincers again (in a quieter room and with a decent meal) then travelling onto Yorkshire where we were attending a family wedding in Harrogate and at the Sportsman’s Arms.
Good Lady Wife Knaresborough 20-6-26
On our outward route we passed through Knaresborough seeing signs directing us to Mother Shipton’s cave a well known and long standing tourist attraction. With time to invest in this on Saturday 20 June we retrace our steps and head into the gates. The lady is very kind and no doubt aware of our advancing years grants us free car parking in the lower car park – most welcome as we would have struggled with the walk back.
Even from the car park it is still quite some way to the location of the cave which also has various attractions along the way. It is a sunny day and no doubt as they day progresses it will get a lot busier. Mother Shipton was a sixteenth century soothsayer or perhaps according to some accounts a witch. Allegedly born in the cave and to which she returned later in her life there are many stories surrounding her existence. Without a time machine no-one will ever know the truth.
Mother Shipton in cave 20-6-26
We then head towards the Peak district and a visit to Peak Rail which along with my journey on the Great Central are recorded on the railways blog.
We spend the night at the Cavendish Hotel on the edge of the Chatsworth Estate. Heading home on Sunday morning we retrace our steps intending to photograph Chatsworth House and discover that when we passed yesterday there is a wonderful view of the House today it is entirely screened from our view and we have driven onwards before realising it had vanished. A wonderful deception.