A few days ago I went for an afternoon walk around Grassington. I climbed up over the moor above Yarnbury before dropping down to the pretty little village of Hebden and returning along the riverbank. Perfect.
Hebden+copy.jpg) |
| Hebden by Frank Gordon from Lady Anne's Way by Sheila Gordon |
I reached Hebden just as a large group of walkers arrived in the village. They'd clearly had a long day and straggled a bit as they headed towards the line of cars parked by the stream. I watched as they shrugged off their rucksacks, changed their boots and squeezed the last drops from their flasks. Then they all climbed into their cars and with a cheery "See you next week" they drove away.
And it got me thinking.
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| Hebden Post Office cum village shop |
Hebden's a small place with just 133 houses. There's a pub, a tearoom, a village hall and a Post Office cum village shop. Not one of the walkers called in at the shop before they went home. No-one had a cuppa or a scone at the tearoom although two of the women popped in and asked to use the loo. Nobody had a pint in the pub. This big group of people drove into Wharfedale with their packed lunches and their flasks of tea. They took advantage of free roadside parking clogging the village street with their Discoveries and Zafiras, they enjoyed their day in the countryside then they went home again.
What should they have done? Do we as walkers have a responsiblity to put something back? To try to use the facilities in the Dales villages we so admire and by doing so support local people in keeping their pub open or their bus running. Or is it ok to be completely self contained like the party I saw?
What do you think?
5 comments:
I just can't imagine going to a beautiful Dales village and not visiting the pub!
What a bunch of miseries!
You should *always* put something back - and gain from the hospitality and have a better day for it at the same time.
And look what a lovely pub it is too http://www.clarendonhebden.co.uk/
And the tea shop. I can't pass a tea shop. Although I am sure all these people didn't have big cars:)
Agree with earlier comments. Personally i don't like walking in circles so use public transport to start and finish points. Always starting from somewhere i've walked through before and usually finishing somewhere new, Staying in B&Bs and always finishing in the pub!
Yes, buy something. What it is doesn't really matter: a couple of pints; pie and chips; tea and cake; whatever.
If we want to be made welcome, we should at least acknowledge the hospitality and repay it; if only in a minor way.
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