It had been a pleasure and privilige to have been able to host ScooterBob and knowing Gary France was keen to take him on tour to France within days I decided to take SB for a quick wizz around my hometown Knutsford prior to dispatching him to London.
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| Knutsford has many eclectic buildings created by Richard Harding Watt, mostly in an italianate style. Here we see Lisa from Atlanta and Mrs Nikos posing in front of the King's Coffee House and Gaskell Memorial Tower. |
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| Pigeons and other birds sit on the Gaskell Memorial Tower looking down on ScooterBob. |
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| For the trainspotters out there: Knutsford is served by Knutsford railway station which is situated on the Mid-Cheshire Line running from Chester to Manchester (via Altrincham). The station was built in 1862 by the Cheshire Midland Railway. The CMR was absorbed into the Cheshire Lines Committee
(CLC) in August 1867, this entity continuing to serve Knutsford until
nationalisation on 1 January 1948. The train service to Manchester was
re-routed via a slower route when the Manchester Metrolink
trams took over the CLC direct line between Altrincham and Manchester,
with the heavy rail service being re-routed via Stockport to Manchester Piccadilly zzzzzzzzzzz. |
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| A touch of off roading in typical spring flowers |
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| As you probably know, Knutsford was the place in which General George S. Patton, set up shop shortly before the Normandy invasion, and from where he delivered a speech perceived to be critical of the Soviets, and to have "slap(ped) the face of every one of the United Nations except Great Britain", which nearly ended his career. |
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| Tatton Park, this is where I take my constitutionals. It is a large park immediately joining onto Knutsford and formerly the estate of the Egerton family with their baronial seat Tatton Hall. Shooting at harmless animals is not usually allowed here - Venison is normally available at the local Aldi supemarket. |
After the park we take a stroll back through the town to buy ScooterBob a farewell capucinno.
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| The first penny farthing museum and integral cafe - this is a where the philosophers meet hidden away in the centre of Knutsford! |
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| I'm sure that BobSkoot would have been fascinated by these gentelmen's sporting bicycles! ScooterBob looks rather overwhelmed. |
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| Gluten free chocolate brownie, honey cake and capucinno. |
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| A difficult and challenging pose this, I require oxygen. |
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| King Canute (Knútr in Old Norse) lends his name to Knutsford where he got his trousers wet in 1020 on his way to watch a home game of MU at Old Trafford (allegedly). |
Well that's it from me - thanks for reading and goodbye (or is it
au revoir?) ScooterBob.
What a lovely blog post! I think SB had a great time. The penny farthings look pretty precarious, i couldnt even imagine how one would stop it, let along getting up on it. Lovely pictures!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dar. I would love to try to ride one of them in anger but good point about the brakes - I'll go back and ask the guys about that!
DeleteLove that cappucino, the design on top is cool. Scooterbob is a foodie all right.
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DeleteA cappucino is not a true cappucino without chocolate! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteGreat farewell post Nick. There is definitely magic in air in the UK and you render it perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts David. I'm not so sure about magic - I would put it down to English eccentricity, or at a push lunacy!
DeleteScooterBob looks a little overwhelmed with his off roading experience. No wonder he decided that, all things considered, he'd rather have a cappuccino.
ReplyDeleteDidn't we all!
DeleteA great tour for ScooterBob. He looks right at home with those wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteThe Penny-Farthing museum is something I'd like to see one day. Great shot of you on one and to have the image on the foam of your cappuccino is very cool.
The machines are ridden during the annual Mayday parade - unfortunately I'm usually away to witness the "spectacle"!
DeleteA lovely trip for ScooterBob ... I know he'd especially appreciate finishing the tour with a chocolate brownie!
ReplyDeleteIt was gluten free too!
DeleteBonus!
DeleteI like the penny farthing photo. BTW, to brake, you slide off the seat with your foot on the back peg and rub the sole of your shoe on the small rear wheel. When stopped, you put the brake foot on the ground. All easier said than done...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info - As you said easier said than done by the sounds of it!
DeleteNick,
ReplyDeleteAn absolutely lovely post and fabulous photos - English (should that be Anglo Greek?) humour and eccentricity at its best! I've thouroughly enjoyed all your posts and Bob would have loved the travels which SB has done on his behalf.
Oh, and you're the only person I know that makes a penny farthing almost normal-sized! ;-)
Thanks Geoff. Yes, I would need to be careful going under low bridges!
DeleteWell done, and well written, Nick. Meanwhile met with Gary, and got to see SB again in St. Tropez. The little trinket is indeed on quite the eclectic journey. Thanks for being such a fabulous host.
ReplyDeleteThere are some wonderful pictures there. Great job showing SB around!
ReplyDeleteSonja,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your message, and I have been somewhat envious of SB's trip to the "Continent"!
Gary, thanks!
ReplyDelete