First home game for quite some time (years!).

What a top weekend we had. Left Bristol Friday night, up to West Bromwich for a visit to one of the Desi grills and bar. On to Little Aston in Staffordshire for the night. Saturday morning got onto the M6 toll road in error; how you get charged £14.90 for 2 or 3 miles is beyond me.
Lesson learned, don't let your son do directions without telling him to set the mapping app to avoid toll roads.
Into Burnley a lot later than planned and having a camper van full of stuff used the Cricket Field Car Park, much better value than the M6 toll.
Quick dash to the Burnley Miners, stood around trying to get pie and peas to no avail so off to Park View Chippy for a snack.
Onto the game, beautiful weather and the autumn colour on the Hills beyond the town was lovely.
Enjoyed the game, we huffed and puffed and moved the ball nicely but QPR were excellent at the low block and for those with short memories, Tarky and Mee the same to to many a better team for years. Credit to QPR for doing it so effectively.
Post game, a look at the murals, Bene'n'Hot in the Miners and a beer for good measure.
Didn't fancy a wander around town so had a swift beer in the White Lion with a couple I'd met on the way so left the ex and son to enjoy Burnley shopping precinct.
Next up a drive out to Sawley for an excellent pub meal at the Spread Eagle (best pub meal I've had in years) and stayed in our VW Camper in the car park opposite which was a bonus as we chanced finding a parking spot within walking distance. Arrived in the dark and what a morning to wake up in the area. Had a look around Sawley Abbey ruins and chatted with a couple of residents whilst admiring their beautiful Grade II listed home. Made me think of selling up down South, what a lovely village and to compared to what you get in Bristol for the same money it's both cheap and wonderful.
A circular country walk in the sunshine and then lunch at Fence Gates.
Back on the M6 and headed south in much lighter traffic than on Friday/Saturday

It won't be so long before we come back. Never took the opportunity before to make a full weekend of it and couldn't have enjoyed it more. Just needed a goal.

Glad you enjoyed your weekend up in Lancashire , that's the one thing i miss living abroad is the beautiful countryside in and around Burnley...

Couldn't agree more Clive1960. I've lived in the beautiful county of Suffolk for over 30 years now and still jokingly say that I open the curtains in the morning and wonder where all the hills have gone! I always enjoy my (increasingly less frequent) trips back up north to the place that I still call home! I almost always make time to park up on the road between Lane Bottom and Thursden to admire the view. Stunning. Brings back some great memories of growing up in and around Burnley in the 70s.

Great post and glad you enjoyed it. I sold up in the south and moved back up here to the homeland last year and have never made a better decision. We are surrounded by the most beautiful countryside and fantastic places for a day out …Hebden Bridge and Calderdale , Skipton, Settle and the Dales , Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley, Haworth … the list goes on and on. Just yesterday had a meal at the Craven Arms in Appletreewick where both food and location outstanding.
Oh and I now leave home at 2.15pm on Saturday to get to Turf Moor instead of 9am !!
Never been to Sawley though so will investigate..thanks for the tip.

eastanglianclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 28, 2024 7:22 am

Couldn't agree more Clive1960. I've lived in the beautiful county of Suffolk for over 30 years now and still jokingly say that I open the curtains in the morning and wonder where all the hills have gone! I always enjoy my (increasingly less frequent) trips back up north to the place that I still call home! I almost always make time to park up on the road between Lane Bottom and Thursden to admire the view. Stunning. Brings back some great memories of growing up in and around Burnley in the 70s.

From where i used to live i would wake up each morning and see pendle hill and used to walk around bottom of Pendle and Roughlee in the summer, beautiful place..

Stalbansclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 28, 2024 7:38 am

Great post and glad you enjoyed it. I sold up in the south and moved back up here to the homeland last year and have never made a better decision. We are surrounded by the most beautiful countryside and fantastic places for a day out …Hebden Bridge and Calderdale , Skipton, Settle and the Dales , Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley, Haworth … the list goes on and on. Just yesterday had a meal at the Craven Arms in Appletreewick where both food and location outstanding.
Oh and I now leave home at 2.15pm on Saturday to get to Turf Moor instead of 9am !!
Never been to Sawley though so will investigate..thanks for the tip.

Don't forget to visit Wigan Warriors as well St Albans

Stalbansclaret wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 28, 2024 7:38 am

Great post and glad you enjoyed it. I sold up in the south and moved back up here to the homeland last year and have never made a better Just yesterday had a meal at the Craven Arms in Appletreewick where both food and location outstanding.
Oh and I now leave home at 2.15pm on Saturday to get to Turf Moor instead of 9am !!
Never been to Sawley though so will investigate..thanks for the tip.

Craven Arms Appletreewick, there’s a memory jerker. It was the only non smoking pub in Britain in the mid 70’s. Due to the landlord’s wife/girlfriend dying of cancer due to smoking.
Your pint was served up with a half of tar to illustrate what was in your lungs. Alas it didn’t stop me from smoking

Nice post I had a similar refreshing experience visiting Barnoldswick after the Preston game. Walking along the canal towpath from Salterforth and then back again via the town square packed with people enjoying the late autumn sunshine. A lovely afternoon infinitely more memorable and pleasurable than the game.

Lip wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 28, 2024 8:03 am

Don't forget to visit Wigan Warriors as well St Albans

Ha… slight problem there as, whilst I’m a fan of RL, one of my best friends is a St Helens ST holder so I tend to go there for my fix. I’ve also been over to Keighley to watch the Cougars and last Saturday went to the Championship Grabd Final at Wakefield Trinity. Have it in mind to visit all the RL grounds in the top two divisions in the next couple of years. Proximity to RL is another benefit of moving back north.