We spent the Coronation in what is perhaps the most beautiful campground we have ever visited – looked like a country club! (https://www.thornbrookbarn.co.uk) Everything you could ever want, save a laundromat! But that is coming.

We had a nice walk into the village of Ingleton, admiring the country road signs, new and old and visiting the local pub. Sadly, they were not doing anything for the Coronation.

Since nothing was happening at the pub, Fred walked to an amazing, eclectic farm/country store for a bottle of bubbly and we sat down to enjoy the pageant.(https://www.country-harvest.co.uk) And we went back for more goodies before leaving. They have a pork pie, topped with turkey and stuffing, that is amazing!

OK, historians gotta comment. It is amazing how almost every element of the ceremony had, at least at one time, a very serious, life or death meaning. Some examples:

— Charles is always referred to at the “unquestioned” monarch.

— The Stone of Destiny was brought back from Scotland so that he could sit on it.

— His son, William, the Prince of Wales, pledged personal fealty. The rest of the nobles did it by acclamation, but in the old days they would have done it each and every one, personally.

Today, it can all seem anachronistic, or merely a show for the tourists, but over the years, bloody wars were fought over these very details.

We moved on to a town named “Settle” which turned out to be a lovely market town with an excellent Booths supermarket. We camped in a field belonging to farmer Jack, who was busy lambing and calving but happy to welcome campers!  The weather continued to be pretty miserable with lots of rainstorms and lots of cloudy days.  It took ages to dry our towels each day.  Fortunately, the Webasto continues to work at least in the morning for an hour or so, so the camper warms up and we can shower.  

We visited Atkinson Vos as planned and they reviewed the truck.  (https://www.unimogs.co.uk) They were able to fix the radiator hose that was in bad shape on the spot, but we await the full pricing and projected work from them and a future date for completion.

Dinner that night was at the Golden Lion in Settle.

Settle has an interesting war memorial. Pretty standard, until you look at the World War II side and find the names of to US aviators lost in the area. A reminder that the weather was just as bad back then as it is today. (http://settlelibrary.org.uk/talks-two-us-airmen/)

See also: https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/dales/ag509.html and https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/dales/bx195.html

Our next stop was Skipton as we were desperate to find a laundromat. (Language lesson: they are called launderettes.) After an online search, it turned out to be a machine out in the open in the parking lot, attached to a Morrissons supermarket, but it worked and given the inclement weather it made laundry easier than draping half dry clothes around the camper!  Clean clothes in hand, we retired to the Town End Farm Shop for tea and, as they are part of BritStops, the night. (https://townendfarmshop.co.uk/town-end-tea-room/)

Returning to Skipton we visited the Castle, an amended Norman motte and bailey.  Rebuilt in the 1300’s with four meter thick walls and a sloping skirt or sloped wall, the source of the word outskirts, it was a serious military position, largely aimed at preventing raids by the Scots.

Skipton was never taken by the Scots, but it fell to Cromwell in 1645, after a three year (!!) siege during the Civil War. It had ample water, but the parliamentary artillery could fire down from a higher position and, most important of all, there was no relief coming from Royalist forces. The keep walls were too thick to be slighted, so the roof was removed. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skipton_Castle)

Now we come to the most interesting part of the story. In 1590, Anne Clifford was born in Skipton Castle. Her life story is simply amazing and she actually did some of the things so beloved by modern writers of anachronistic historical romances. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Anne_Clifford) Most importantly, for us, at least, she restored her family home after the siege and thus assured that there would be a Skipton Castle for us to visit.

The inner courtyard has a tree planted in 1659 by Lady Anne Clifford which is still healthy and thriving.

And today, Skipton Castle is owned by the Fattorini family, and that, too, is a history to be savored! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Fattorini_Ltd)

We loved the pastures, full of sheep, in both the Derbyshire Peaks and Yorkshire Dales.  The views have been magnificent!  The stone walls dividing the pastures could have been in place, repaired, for hundreds of years.  Less fun are the narrow country lanes but we manage as long as there is a chance of passing the cars or buses one meets!