With Loes having a house in Harewood near Leeds we have the opportunity to enjoy two quite separate social scenes.

We often compare local events and decide which to attend and that will set the trend for a weekend for instance.

The last weekend in May was the date for the Harewood Food Festival,

which sounded more attractive than what I had in mind on my Cumbrian agenda.

After our Welsh Trip, Loes had travelled over here to see the bluebells at Rannerdale and now we return to Yorkshire,

stopping off for lunch along the way this Bank Holiday weekend at The Tan Hill Inn, the highest pub in Britain.

Sadly the world and his motor bike had the same idea so there was no chance of a table for lunch . . . and they didn't do take-away's either.

We moved on across the moors and dales and came across another good looking establishment that did have room for us . . . The CB Inn

Welcome to Arkengarthdale and The Charles Bathurst Inn, a hostelry which dates back over 200 years.

Charles was Lord of the Manor in the 18th Century and was an industrialist responsible for financing many important lead mines in the area.

[ His son, Dr John Bathurst was physician to Oliver Cromwell to put the dates in perspective.]

After our lovely lunch (they also have rooms to stay) we went back outside to find not motor bikes, but a farm tractor rally !

A number of local farmers and enthusiasts had turned up at the pub on their day-out in the Dales.

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Next morning we headed out to Harewood House on foot, as Loes's house is virtually within the grounds of the estate.

The House was looking resplendent in the morning sun.

We've arrived early so have a look around the gardens before moving over to the Show Field.

The view from Harewood gardens looks down over the Capability Brown landscape and the 'new' lake he had created.

The tent in the field covers the site on an archaeological dig at Gawthorpe Hall the original manor house at Harewood.

The formal gardens were restored in 1994, back as close as possible to the original Charles Barry Victorian design.

The lawn outside the front of the house was home this weekend to numerous tents and marquees

offering food and food related items, it seemed, from all round the world.

We partook, amongst other things, of a few Italian delights . . . suffice to say we took home more bags than we came with.

As the morning progressed the crowds just kept coming and by the time we left, the fields were filling fast with cars.

With crowds like that they should have a good day at the festival.

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Next day the weather wasn't quite so great

so we stayed local and just drove a short distance across northern Leeds to Golden Acre Park.

The nature reserve includes a large lake and this smaller reservoir known as the Adel Dam lake.

The reserve has a bird hide where we looked out at the lake.

Not a lot happening today but the view from behind a cut-out in a hide wall was rather intriguing.

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We also took the opportunity to travel slightly north to meet by brother Peter and his wife Mary at their house.

Their daughter Melissa and grandchildren were staying, but they are having major renovations done to their house

so we went out to the cafe below the Humber Bridge for lunch.

The Hassle Foreshore allows a short walk along the edge of the Humber Estuary

which is of course tidal and has been in danger of flood surges over the years.

They've built a glass flood wall along the front of the village, very reminiscent of that in the center of the town of Keswick here in Cumbria.

So ended another day . . . tomorrow we head out into the Dales, following the River Wharfe to a place I had hear a lot about . . . .