This past Friday was such a lovely day out. I got to the rescue early to do kitty cottage duty and we set off around 10. When I say “we” I mean the Friday volunteers Serena, Carol, and of course Katie and Flora. We made our way to Pately Bridge, a quaint little town in the Yorkshire Dales. It was a gorgeous drive and walking in and out of independent shops is one of my favorite things. The oldest sweet shop in England is found here and I couldn’t help buying a souvenir. There was also a very busy Butcher shop with pies and meals that looked amazing. I got a small chicken pie. There must have been a pound of chicken breast meat tucked in it! And so reasonable. I so wish we had places like this in America.

Upon arrival we found a cafe and had coffee and tea. This is part of British culture that Americans just cannot grasp. The British drink coffee and tea all day long. It is an event. It is a time to relax. It is not in a to go cup. It is not done while driving. They take time to enjoy the moment and the people they are with. Definitely a better life balance.

We made our way to Toft Gate Barn, a cozy, rustic café/farm shop. The food was fantastic as was the company. Just up the road we took a walk uphill through a sheep pasture (this is actually common to have paths through farmland) to Coldstones Cuts. This is an active rock quarry but a destination with a walking path and incredible views of the Dales. It was really windy but I am so glad we made the walk. It was another one of those days where great memories were made!