I set off far too early for the football match over in Hull. This was because I wanted to bag more photo squares for the Geograph project. It required a diversion south of the village of Gilberdyke and north of the northern shore of The River Humber. It's flat agricultural land over there and though dry the morning was quite grey.
Above you can see Staddlethorpre Broad Lane which connects Gilberdyke with the riverside village of Blacktoft. Staddlethorpe itself is more of a district than a village. There are a few scattered farms. Whenever we see "thorpe" at the end of place name, it indicates a Viking settlement. However, I am not sure if the prefix "Staddle" had its origins in a Viking name as is the usual case. It may refer to an agricultural practice - drying food crops or reeds on raised wooden platforms or "straddles".
After travelling into the city from the "park and ride" facility at Hessle, I met Tony and Carl at the little Polish cafe by West Park before we walked down to the stadium. After five minutes, new acquisition Anass Zaroury cracked the ball against the crossbar but Jaden Philogene scored from the rebound. It was a coolly taken goal and indeed the only one in the entire match.
Meanwhile back home the score is now Puddings 2 Mice United 0 and the "Little Nipper" trap has been set for a third time. We won't be getting a cat as one or two visitors have suggested. We had two lovely cats that lived for years - Blizzard and Boris and their deaths broke my heart. I don't want to go there again.
Drain leading to Gowthorpe House Farm - off Staddlethorpe Broad Lane
Isolated farm cottages by Greenoak Lane
I guess I'll never understand farms with drains that take away water. We were dryland farmers. Our average precipitation is 12 in per year. We grow crops that require very little moisture.
ReplyDeleteThough the farmland around Staddlethorpe is rich and productive, without the ancient network of drains it would often be a quagmire. Some of the drains are over a thousand years old.
Delete"Thorpe" indicates a Viking settlement? I did not know that. Those isolated cottages look lonely, they need a housing development nearby for company, extra lighted winodws on dark stormy nights.
ReplyDeleteI would not want to live in one of those cottages. So far from anything.
DeleteThat's an interesting thing to remember, 'thorpe indicating Viking history.
ReplyDeleteSo there was a second mouse and you officially had mice.
You don't get -thorpes on the west side of England. Mostly Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire for the Vikings came from the north east.
DeleteYou know I love those place names with Viking (or other) roots. My sister-in-law lives in Littlethorpe just outside Ripon. Then there are all the -bys. Go to Denmark or Sweden and you‘ll find plenty of those there, too, such as Akirkeby on the island of Bornholm.
ReplyDeleteNames can tell us so much. They are a fundamental part of our history even though the roots are sometimes forgotten.
DeleteIt looks a little bleak there.
ReplyDeleteFarewell Mickey and Minnie.
We are waiting for Jerry now.
DeleteFootball hasn't been the same since the name of the team just became the name of a multi-billion pound business.
ReplyDeleteFootball is not all about The Premiership. Every weekend thousands of young men and hundreds of young women play football with no expectation of financial reward.
DeleteNot the best of days for a tramp around the countryside. It all looks rather depressing and gloomy. How much more interesting undulating countryside is.
ReplyDeleteDid your team win - at football? You seem to be doing well in the mouse versus Pudding stakes!
We won 1-0. The last time I walked in that area it was bright and colourful under a blue sky.
DeletePaul has challenged me to cycle to the River Humber and cross the bridge. So far I have only made it as far as Brigg. (I could definitely make it to the river but I wouldn't have enough energy to get back home again!)
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should do it on a motorbike instead. If you do attempt it on a bicycle look at the wind forecast!
DeleteDid you see the River Cottage episode when a white witch told HFW to write a polite letter to his mice house invaders asking them to leave? I am sure you could write a letter of elegiac prose and wit to your rodent tenants? Maybe even post it on here YP?
ReplyDeleteI might do that.
DeleteI didn't know that about "thorpe" indicating a Viking settlement. I'm surprised there's not a town called ABBAthorpe.
ReplyDeleteABBAthorpe would be horrendous in my opinion with ABBA songs blaring out of every window and residents all dressing in ridiculous stage costumes.
DeleteYou certainly know a lot about many things, Neil!
ReplyDeleteAm I a bighead? I hope not Ellen.
DeleteSounds like a nice day out.
ReplyDeleteWhen you are retired, some days are full and some are empty.
DeleteAn area worth far more than a perfunctory walk just to tick off squares. There is nothing like a night out at the Hope and Anchor at Blacktoft when it is full of Russian sailors moored at the jetty.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that "The Hope & Anchor" is now a private residence.
DeleteI never knew that about Thorpe. I shall be looking at English maps with new eyes now.
ReplyDeleteEtymology is an interesting discipline. Most place names in England have ancient origins. For example, -thwaite is from the Old Norse for "paddock" or "clearing in a wood".
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