Pighills Posted 18 January , 2009 Share Posted 18 January , 2009 Today we found ourselves just the two of us (our girls having been taken to see relatives up in Newcastle) and decided to have a trip out to the memorial to the Leeds Pals in Colsterdale. For those who don't know, Colsterdale is waaaaay up in the Yorkshire Dales with houses being few and far between in the region. A memorial cairn was built there after the war and remnants of the WWI training camp can still be seen to this day. We arrived there at 11.10, having taken 40 minutes to get there (no rush on our part - just enjoying the scenery as you do). Had hardly stopped the car and yet another car pulled up behind us, they jumped out (all four of them) one passenger promptly got blown over in the wind, they quickly scurried across to the memorial and then got back into their car and drove off, having been there about 2 minutes. We got out of our car and went to pay our respects and as we were about to go into the fields to walk amongst the camp's remains when a snow storm blew in so we jumped back in our car and broke out the flasks. Whilst there another car pulled up, stopped, looked out of their window at the memorial then quickly pulled away again. Once the storm passed over my OH got out and walked over the fields, taking it all in (for probably the hundredth time - we go so often). Whilst he was out there another car came, pulled up, looked out and drove on. My oh returned to the car, had another cup of tea to warm up, we turned the car around and, as we did yet another car pulled up and the gentleman got out and went to the memorial to pay his respects. Now we were there for a good 2 hours in all and I have never seen so many cars visit it. It was truly nice to see so many people taking the time out to visit - ok some only stopped for a few seconds, but three out of the five of us got out and physically visited. I think for such an out of the way place, on a cold and miserable day it was really a great thing to witness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59165 Posted 18 January , 2009 Share Posted 18 January , 2009 Got any photo's,Kim??? I know N & W Yorks well but have never seen this place. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 19 January , 2009 Share Posted 19 January , 2009 Maybe they were on a car-borne treasure hunt, and checking out one of the clues? Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted 19 January , 2009 Share Posted 19 January , 2009 Hi I have to make a flying visit to Harrogate on 13/02, (arrive at Leeds/Bradford at 10.30 and depart again at 22.30), to pick my son up from the Army Foundation College, have a car for the day and will have a few hours to kill. Is it do able from there? Regards IanC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 19 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2009 Definitely - I live in Harrogate, not that far from the AFC and it took us forty minutes at normal speed. If you pm me your email, I will scan in some information for you so you can a) find it and know what to look for once you're up there. Dave, I didn't take my camera this time and it's a shame because the snow storm itself was worth trying to photograph, let alone the views coming back down into Lofthouse from over the tops - truly stunning!! I do however have some photos from previous visits, which I will dig out and link to one of my websites so you can have a look. I will let you know when I've done it (today or tomorrow probably). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 19 January , 2009 Share Posted 19 January , 2009 Kim - just taken a look at Colsterdale on an OS map - 25,000 scale - I see that the Colsterdale Centre has "Toc H" as an alternative name! Do you know anything about this? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 19 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2009 Not a thing Alan!! The area itself (where the memorial and old training ground are) really is in the middle of nowhere. You turn off the main road and go past a farm on what, to all intents and purposes is a single track (admittedly it's tarmacked and in good condition, but two cars cannot pass by one another). You go past one very nice house a long way down the lane then swing up and past the old Methodist chapel (built in 1911) and a way down the road is the memorial cairn on the left. You then have on the field to your left part of the old training camp (mostly consisting of sleeping quarters) and on the right (of the single track) the other half of the camp - this contained the ablution huts, canteen, parade ground and a few more sleeping quarters. You have far reaching views for miles all around and can see across the valley one or two farmsteads. Further down the single track lane are two more farms but that's all there is. Originally part of the training ground was used to house the workers who were building the reservoir up there, which I believe is how they came to use the area - because a lot of what they needed (barracks etc) were already in situ. The only place I think TocH may be connected is perhaps one of those youth hostels? There must surely be one around the place for all the hikers to rest their weary heads - but I don't know for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 20 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Here is a link to some photos on Colsterdale training ground for anyone interested. I've put large pictures up on a page connected to one of my websites - hope you enjoy them! Click here There is more to see than the photos actually show, to do the area justice you need to get out of the car and wander about (preferably with the plan in hand). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Kim Your pictures of Colsterdale were really interesting - somewhere I had never heard of before. What we could do with is a list of Great War sites in this country (by county say) so if you happen to be in the area, you can pay a visit. There must be other sites dotted around that local pals are aware of but the rest of us will be ignorant of. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 20 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2009 You're quite right Brian - I've been to places before and come away again, only to later on find out something about the place I hadn't known at the time and wished I had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Well I am happy to have a go at it. I guess we would need a standard list of fields (county, nearest town, post code if available, map reference, general description & any access notes/comments, etc) & then some way of uploading the list to the Forum so it can be accessed. Or is a thread along the lines of the lines of "Battlefield Accommodation list" a better way...? I think I would prefer a list sorted by county which is updated & anyone can refer to. If we want to give it a go - then PM me with sites & we can see if we can get it to fly. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 20 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2009 It might be best to start a new thread on this Brian, people will be able to see it more easily - a lot of people have already looked at this thread and might not realise they are being asked to contribute information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Curragh Posted 20 January , 2009 Share Posted 20 January , 2009 Kim Good thinking - I'll get something started later today. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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