End of Year Update

It's now five months since I injured my legs; tore various tendons and ligaments in my knees. This week, for the first time since it happened I've been able to go out of the house without wearing any strapping or braces on my legs. Another month and I should be back to something like normal...we shall see. Whatever my state of recovery is though I think I'm going to be reluctant to go on any challenging walks on my own.

Thurnscoe, Elsecar Heritage Centre, and Wentworth

A local day out with my support worker today, only going as far as Elsecar and Wentworth, about the same distance from Doncaster as Barnsley is. To begin with we went for breakfast at The Highwayman pub and then got to Harrison's Antiques Centre at Thurnscoe just as it was opening at ten o'clock.

We contined to the Heritage Centre at Elsecar where I was hoping there was going to be a Christmas market or fair there, but although I saw online that it was going to be held yesterday and today, it was actually only held yesterday.

We then drove up the hill to Wentworth where I had a delicious cream tea at the tearooms in the village.

There was more disappointment when we reached the garden centre where I was hoping to get a rabbit pie or a game pie from the butcher's there, but the business had closed down.

Just to finish things off for the day the antiques emporium at the other end of the village doesn't open on Mondays. 

Meeting Friends In Leeds

I met up with a couple of friends in Leeds this afternoon; we didn't stray too far from the railway station because I was worried that my knees might start hurting - they were fine though.

The photos I've taken therefore only feature a small area of the city.

We went to a tapas bar for some lunch and then to a bar where my friend Damo paid £48 for this cocktail tree.

Beverley And Drewton Farm Shop

Another trip out with my support worker today. I saw my first snow of the winter as we drove over The Wolds, but it was mainly sunny in Beverley. My legs are much improved, I only wore the minimum amount of strapping, but am still struggling with climbing stairs though.

We struggled to find a pub where we could have lunch and so went to the cafe at Brown's department store. I had fish and chips, which was okay, but the seats were very uncomfortable.

Later on I bought a game pie from a butcher's shop.

On the way back home we called in at Drewton Farm shop for tea and cake at the cafe - I bought a couple of things for later at the shop. 

There's a decent view of The Wolds  from the car park.

Hemswell Antiques Centre and Gainsborough

I booked my support worker for a day out today and since the weather forecast was looking rather miserable the plan was to go to the antiques centre at Hemswell Cliff, a few miles east of Gainsborough. That's what we did, since it's the default option for rainy days, but the weather was much better than expected and so we only stayed there for a couple of hours before going to Gainsborough to have a look round.

We stopped at the Trent Port pub en route for breakfast but we won't be going there again; we were treated rather rudely because Siobhan was struggling to use the vehicle registration parking permit system which they've implemented to prevent dogwalkers from using the pub car park.

I'm not sure how many separate buildings there are that are being used as antique centres at Hemswell Cliff; it must be maybe six or eight...of differing quality. [It's an old RAF base.] We only went inside three of them, and only climbed up to the first floor in one of them - my legs, which aren't strapped up as much now as they used to be, managed okay.

We went in the charity shops, and a few other shops in Gainsborough. I bought a Shrewsbury biscuit from one of the bakeries - the women who served me was very patronising because I pronounced 'Shrewsbury' differently to what she does. I've never seen a Shrewsbury biscuit before; it's a large shortbread biscuit with a chocolate design on it.

We found a nice coffee shop down by the river which has a lovely terrace which will be nice to sit out on in the summer; we ate our tea and cakes inside though.

Things Are Improving

There's been a noticeable improvement in the condition of my knees recently, I no longer need to wear my heavy duty brace on my right knee any more...I still put it in my rucksack when I go to the shops though, or go out with my support worker. I had hoped to visit Bakewell this week or next week, just to have a look round the town; something I've not done for several years...I tend to just use it as a base for starting or finishing walks, or changing buses. I've had to stay in Doncaster though because of commitments, a broken boiler and workmen coming to insulate my kitchen roof.

Beningbrough Hall

I was able to download and print out a voucher valid for free admission for two adults to many National Trust properties and chose to book a day out with my support worker and go to Beningbrough Hall, a few miles northwest of York.

We stopped for breakfast at Crown Garden Centre, just north of Askern yet over the county boundary in North Yorkshire.

The interior of the hall was disappointing, it's in the process of being renovated and a lot of the contents have been temporarily removed - the gardens weren't looking their best either.

Legs Update

Today has been the first day I've noticed any real improvement in the condition of my legs since I did some serious damage to my tendons and quadriceps muscles eight weeks ago when I was running for a bus at Bakewell. I've managed all day walking about the house and garden without having to wear any strapping or knee braces, and for the last few nights I've had an undisturbed night's sleep because my legs haven't been too painful. My initial assessment that I won't be out walking until the New Year stills looks pretty accurate though, my legs are still weak and ache at times.

Extended 257 Route on Sundays

I'm not walking at the moment because I'm recuperating from my knee injuries and so I hadn't noticed this, but since the beginning of September the 257 bus from Sheffield has been running a longer route over the other side of the Snake Pass serving New Mills and Whaley Bridge.

 

Newstead Abbey and Budby Antiques Emporium

It's been free admission today at Newstead Abbey near Mansfield as part of the Heritage Open Week; I still had to pay for parking though,.

I had a brace on each knee was comfortably able to cope with all the steps inside the building.

Siobhan's ankle gave up before my knees did and so we called it a day after walking around the formal gardens...the extensive parkland will maybe have to wait for another day.

We called on the way back home at Budby Antiques Emporium - the tea garden there is delightful.