Trips & Adventures – 12 April 2018

Hello Tony,

I hope you enjoyed your little trip.  I hope you bought a kilt and that we can expect to see you in it at the group next week.  A nice pink sporran always looks gay.

Now then this is for you to put on the blog which you know I am unable to do because of issues with my password.

Yesterday (April 12th) I and one other person. (Klavierboy) went to Shibden Hall which is about two or three miles from the centre of Halifax.  The one in west Yorkshire not the one in Nova Scotia.  That would be silly.  The train was full of noisy, smelly, ill mannered kids.  They were off school and so were going to Eureka which is an indoor attraction in the centre of the Halifax I told you and where we were going.

Klavier and I (Walter von Stalzing) arrived in Halifax at about 11.20 which we decided was too early for lunch so after a couple of enquiries we found the bus station and made our way to Shibden.  You have no idea how exciting it was and what you missed.

(to be continued)

Walter von Stalzing alias Stuart.

A huge Out in the City contingent of 2 people braved cold, damp, misty and dreary weather to visit Shibden Hall in Halifax.

The building dates from 1420 and displays a mixture of styles but the interior is predominantly a rich dark wood. The house was used for some scenes in the recent TV programme “To walk Invisible” featuring the Bronte sisters and some costumes are on display.

At the back of the house a barn and workshops feature the work of a blacksmith, a wheelwright, a cooper and saddler. There is a reproduction of an apothecary and an old inn together with some impressive displays of old coaches including a hearse.

The hall will be closed for months from May for filming “Gentleman Jack” featuring the life of famous lesbian Ann Lister who left secret diaries of her life hidden in the house.

Those who had “lots of things to do” missed an excellent day out. The house is set in extensive grounds and another visit in better weather will be worthwhile.

Trips & Adventures – 5 April 2018

As it was a bright sunny day we walked from the train station at Chester to the “Old Queen’s Head” in the city centre, where we had our meal – and very nice it was too – fish and chips or chicken, ham and leek pie.

There were a few famous people in Chester and on the city walls above the clock we spotted Spock from Star Trek as well as Chewbacca from Star Wars.

We followed the city walls down to the river and then visited the original cathedral where we had coffee. St John the Baptist’s Church was a cathedral during the Middle Ages. It lies outside the city walls on a cliff above the north bank of the River Dee. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building and is considered to be the best example of 11th–12th century church architecture in Cheshire. I took a “selfie”:

Trips and Adventures – 29 March 2018

We caught the bus from Piccadilly to meet our tour guide (Bruce) outside The Bridgewater pub in Worsley village. We decided to pop in and we dined on rump steaks with chips, peas, onion rings and onion gravy.

Later we walked along the canal towpath (minding the slutch) but it was very quiet as nobody was cruising that day. Bruce gave us a full and detailed tour of Worsley woods. He seemed to know an awful lot about the place! But all I can say is “What happens in Worsley woods stays in Worsley woods”.

There are lots of pretty cottages in Worsley village including the police station, which has been converted into a private cottage (“The Old Nick”).

After the walk we went for a sit-down at the Secret Garden for coffee and cake, before making our way back to Manchester.

Tony met up with Sandra and Jim for a “Pop Up Poetry” event run by the Age Friendly Collective at Manchester Art Gallery. Five or six people read poems (including Jim and Tony) in front of artworks in three galleries.

We enjoyed it so much I’m sure that we will be going to the next event – the Summer Gallery takeover – on Thursday 5 July 2018 from 5.30pm to 8.00pm.

This study aims to explore the experiences of older lesbian, gay and bisexual adults in relation to expressing their sexuality across their life time and the impact this may have on loneliness in later life.

If you identify as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual, you are aged 60 or above and you wish to participate in a research study, then please contact Amelia Bell on 07722 743 285 or by email: studyphdbell@yahoo.co.uk