A Region Full of Surprises - Some Interesting Insights Into Pennine, Yorkshire

Hebden Bridge's library doesn't just offer books. Youcricket field and graveyard. Some have even
can sometimes also help yourself to seasonal herbsperfected the art of hurdling 1.5 m fences.
from Incredible Edible in Todmorden!Not all mills were used to spin wool and weave
Marsden Cuckoo Festival has been a tradition withintextiles. Many were needed for the earlier stages of
Marsden for many years. It is said that many yearsscouring - washing and removing grease from the
ago the people of Marsden were aware that whenwool and fulling or thickening the woven cloth by
the cuckoo arrived so did the spring and sunshine.matting the fibres together to give it strength and
They tried to prolong its stay by building a wallincrease waterproofing.
around it. Unfortunately the wall wasn't high enoughBecky and Ian Sheveling recently spent three months
as the legend says... "it were nobbut just wun courseplanting 7000 vines on a lush hillside in Holmbridge to
too low!"create the first of the summer wine at Holmfirth
Allison and Michael Mitchell are award-winning specialistVineyard. They are producing around 30,000 bottles
growers of alpines and hardy plants. Visitors to theof English wine and are now open to visit. The tour
900 ft high Slack Top Nursery and Gardens are& tasting takes about 1½ -2 hours and includes a
amazed at how many plants can flourish in the toughwalk around the vineyard, discussing how it was
conditions. Allison and Michael are also passionateplanted, the varieties chosen etc. There is also an
about wildlife and display notices about recentopportunity to taste 3 English wines - a red, white
sightings at the nursery. To date they have spottedand rose.
71 bird species including Great Spotted Woodpecker,The Trades Council in Holme Street, Hebden Bridge
Peregrine, Crossbill, Goldcrest and Waxwing. Despitefostered the interests of weavers, dyers, bleachers,
their exposed location they have also recorded 24tailors and garment makers. It has since become a
species of butterfly, 13 species of moth, Large Redmusic venue.
and Common Blue Damselflies, frogs, toads, PalmateThe Nook Brewhouse in Holmfirth uses eco-friendly
and Smooth newts.techniques. The river Ribble running adjacent to the
Holmfirth once had its own resident tiger. It belongedbrewhouse cools the beer in the conditioning tanks of
to the Overends, a family of circus entertainers, whothe cellar which lie deep below the water line. Spent
were offered a tiger cub to rear whilst they were ongrain is sent to Coddy's Farm, a local farm and
a circus tour of South Africa in 1939. They returnedbutchers, who then supply the pub restaurant with
to Britain after the outbreak of World War II,sausages, bacon and pork, all of which have a flavour
bringing the tiger with them. After a spell inof their beer!
quarantine, Fenella the tiger came to live in theOver 1000 years ago, the first inhabitants began to
Overends' back garden, and sometimes even insidesettle in the area now known as Holmfirth. In Saxon
their Holmfirth house. She was a popular andand medieval times, the lords of Wakefield used the
entertaining member of the local community for 10area as a hunting forest. The name Holmfirth means
years!"sparse woodland belonging to Holme".
Yorkshire clog makers Walkleys of MytholmroydThe Yorkshire Avalanche Dodgers are a team of
claim to be "the only place in the world where thearound 30 men who write, produce and act in an
great British clog is still manufactured in its entirety".annual pantomime in Marsden to raise money for local
Sheep don't just give up - they roll-over. Cattle gridscharities. The all male cast have raised more than
were installed on the approach roads to Marsden to£100,000 over the last 30 years and packed the
prevent sheep coming off the moors and munching inParochial Hall with what are described as "two short
private gardens. However it seems the sheep wereacts and one long interval."
undeterred and have taught themselves to roll 3 mThe toilet inside Sonia's Smile shop in Haworth is
across hoof-proof metal cattle grids. They havetwinned with one in Africa as part of the
destroyed gardens and grazed in the village park,toilettwinning.org "movement".