Halcyon Days

A Memory of Stainforth.

As a teenager, myself and friends would holiday here for weeks at a time. Parents of two of my pals had holiday accomodation in the field upriver of the old bridge over the Ribble. We would spend hours fishing for trout in the Stainforth Beck, especially in the pool below Catrigg Falls. Or cross the hills to Malham Cove stopping for a swim in Malham Tarn. All our ablutions would take place in the river at the Foss, were we would dare each other to climb the bankside trees and leap in at the deep hole.
Another popular dare was to walk the pipe crossing the river towards Settle. As the years passed we obtained motorcycles to reach there, and were allowed into the Craven Heifer for a pint of shandy and on reaching 18 to buy beer.
Then responsibility comes with age and all good things come to pass, but whenever I pass through now I have a smile on my face fed by fond memories.

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