The B6160, Yorkshire, Part I - Kettlewell

 Click on image to enlarge

First of all, I have to tell you something I found online. I could hardly believe it: The area of Wisconsin is 54375 square miles. It has a population of 5.6 million. The area of England is 50352 square miles. It has a population of 51 million. And yet, you can drive through the beautiful English countryside and never see anyone for miles. Of course, it does depend upon where you are. Still, isn't that amazing!!

One of the prettiest drives we took in England was in the North Yorkshire Dales, from Leyburn to Kettlewell on the B6160, on our way to Embsay, where we would spend the last night of our trip.

One thing we'd learned earlier:  Although Mapquest says the 19.7 miles between should take 30 minutes, don't believe it for a minute! If we doubled the time, that would be more accurate. It always took longer to get anywhere, for there was never a straight path to our destination!

 Along the B6160

The roads in England are different. I'm trying to come up with a less-than-disparaging adjective here.  What they call 'A' roads are like our county roads in Wisconsin. 'B' roads are like...um...maybe our town roads, if you eliminated the ditches. But they're often flanked by stone walls or hedges. And they are narrow. In Yorkshire they are full of curves, often steep, and always amidst the most amazing scenery. Definitely worth the trouble.

A pretty door in Kettlewell

 Bridge and Blue Bell Inn, Kettlewell

There seem to be many walkers, even busloads of them, who walk those great hills around Kettlewell. Walking is a huge pastime over there. You can see the hills in the background of this photo, behind the Blue Bell Inn. I love all the stone everything in Yorkshire! But then, I wasn't the one who had to lift and carry those stones.

As I opened the car door, the first thing I saw were the two ducks standing beside the car. No idea why that chicken wire was on the ground, but it was. My husband wondered why I took the photo of ducks - because we actually do have ducks in Wisconsin. He said the same thing about the sheep I was continually photographing.

The bleak hills of Kettlewell

Downtown Kettlewell - notice the building material?

The villages are so close together here!

Racehorses Hotel - and iconic phone box

We weren't in Kettlewell long - just long enough to stretch our legs with a little walk and have tea and a treat at a little shop that charges far too much for blueberry pie and ice cream. But seeing Kettlewell and driving along the B6160 was so worth it. :-)

There's an entirely different England awaiting when you get out of London, Birmingham, Manchester, etc. and off the M roads
In other words, 'off the beaten path.'

Next week we will travel from Kettlewell south to Bolton Abbey. Hope to see you then. Bring your binoculars. There are some great views from the B6160.

Have a Great Weekend!

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