Heading north meant again tackling those large, blue M roads on the map, to speed us through much more heavily populated central England. We spent an enjoyable night at Brighouse with the friends we had met in Crete. They took us to Haworth, the home of the Bronte sisters.
The town, now popular with tourists.
Kay & Margaret outside the vicarage where the sisters grew up
Of particular interest in the city was the castle, used as a court & prison for the past 800 years. The tour makes sure you have some idea of the horrific conditions prisoners lived in until recent times. There the 9 Pendle Hill witches were tried & hanged and convict ships sailed for the colonies from the port. 80% is still a prison but different conditions now!
The next stop was Liverpool to visit Mike's cousins. What a great time we had there, catching up & hearing family stories. A special bonus was to visit one who is a Carmelite nun. She knew Mike's grandmother the best & was full of tales about "Aunty Maggie". Here is Mike sitting on the steps where his father sold newspapers as a boy.
We spent the next 5 days in a flat in Lancaster arranged by our friends Paul & Jean, whom we knew in Hastings. It was great catching up with them.
Of particular interest in the city was the castle, used as a court & prison for the past 800 years. The tour makes sure you have some idea of the horrific conditions prisoners lived in until recent times. There the 9 Pendle Hill witches were tried & hanged and convict ships sailed for the colonies from the port. 80% is still a prison but different conditions now!
The pictures below are from Mike's day off driving, when we took the train to some nearby places.
Ulverston market day, with the brass band performing.
A lovely forest walk to the coast. We could see what we thought was a castle in the distance. Reality returned when someone told us it was a nuclear power station!
Our last train stop was Barrow on Furness (interesting name). There we saw a priest outside the Catholic Church. He insisted on showing us inside his church, of which he was justifiably proud (beautiful paintings & decorations on an unusual white background) & then drove us to the station!
Pendle Hill is the place George Fox, who began the Quaker movement, first preached from in the 1640s. It is a popular walk so off we went - a good hour each way but well worth it!
Ulverston market day, with the brass band performing.
The home town of Laurel & Hardy - they are the ones in the middle!
A lovely forest walk to the coast. We could see what we thought was a castle in the distance. Reality returned when someone told us it was a nuclear power station!
Our last train stop was Barrow on Furness (interesting name). There we saw a priest outside the Catholic Church. He insisted on showing us inside his church, of which he was justifiably proud (beautiful paintings & decorations on an unusual white background) & then drove us to the station!
Pendle Hill is the place George Fox, who began the Quaker movement, first preached from in the 1640s. It is a popular walk so off we went - a good hour each way but well worth it!
A stream beside the path
The view from the top!
The view from the top!