This week I was so aware of the negative impact tourism can have on the lives of those living in the Dales. Rowdy parties around a hot tub in the early hours of the morning as  has occurred in Aysgarth and the loss of privacy when one is surrounded by holiday lets were described by residents at two parish council meetings.

It is no wonder that residents in Hill Close in Reeth were concerned about the impact upon their amenity by the new garden being developed by the Burgoyne Hotel. It certainly isn’t a laughing matter. Like me, the residents from Hill Close who attended the September meeting of the YDNPA planning committee had great difficulty hearing the discussions. But I did manage to transcribe most of the meeting – as well as seeking some clarification from the YDNPA planning department. So I have now posted a report.

It looked as if one little mouse decided to live dangerously during the harvest celebrations at Aysgarth church (above). For Juliet Barker’s report and to see photographs of all the wonderful flower arrangements that were created see Aysgarth Church Harvest Festival 2019.

The collection of tinned and dried food at the church for Caring for Life will continue until the end of October. A list of suggested items and a box for offerings is at the back of the church to the left of the entrance.

For  over 20 years the Association of Rural Communities has been emphasising the  important role that farmers play in managing the beautiful countryside of the Dales. So it was delighted to hear members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority also emphasising that at the Full Authority meeting on September 24.

But that came with an important warning: that our farmers could be facing a huge economic shock in these unsettled times.

Farmers like the Harrisons of Thornton Rust take a great deal of pride in maintaining their farms to the highest standard and that was so obvious on Saturday September 21 at the opening of their ice cream parlour at Hard Banks Barn near Aysgarth.

The ice cream parlour proved to be a very special experience for not only has the traditional agricultural building been so well converted and sits so well within the undulating countryside but the interior is airy, cheerful and truly to be savoured!

The chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority did not specifically reply to the statement by Hawes and High Abbotside Parish Council presented by its chairman, Jill McMullon, at the Full Authority meeting on September 24. Like the Association of Rural Communities the parish council was concerned about the derogatory remarks made about John Blackie at the July planning committee meeting when he could not defend himself as he was in hospital. John was definitely not in a position that day to take part in a ‘fairly robust discussion’ or to ‘take as good as he gave’. See YDNPA and John Blackie.

With each passing month I seem to miss David’s support more and more. There is an obituary about him with links to other posts including that about his volunteer work in The Gambia.

It’s not long now to this year’s Remembrance Sunday. The Remembrance Poppies that David created and which were such a special feature of Bainbridge since 2014 have now been taken down. For the some of the stories about the local people who served during WW1 scroll down to In Remembrance.

For photographs of the Festival of Remembrance at Aysgarth church  in November 2018 go to Aysgarth Festival of Remembrance.

Our wedding at Countersett Meeting House on Saturday July 21 2018  made history as it was the first wedding at that Meeting House since 1841. Then we chartered The Albion for our wedding blessing – and were told later that it was probably the first time the wherry  had been involved in such an event. Do see my posts about our Quaker wedding (Parts One and Two) and the wedding blessing.

A very big thank you to all our family and friends who helped to make these two occasions so special for us. And now my thanks to those who have been so supportive as I grieve the loss of a very special man. I am so grateful we did have 14 years together.