To find the swastika stone.

Tuesday and knocking around early again on a day off. I promised myself that I would apply for more work hours so I have written the letter to make the request formal. In the absence of Rusty van or any van for that matter! it is the best option I can come up with. so as the saying goes I bit the bullet and did it.
Then ordered loads of new stuff from ebay.....all pretty things for the house to make myself feel better about it.
 once the letter was delivered.....we set off in Fonz car with Monza to walk in the woods and moors to find the Swastika stone.

We found a fabulous walk in the woods

coming out onto the fern covered moor land.
Fonz car has lots of storage compartments and inside one hidden under back seats we found a pair of blue trainers. I only have flip flops and sandals or I just walking in bare feet, Nothing a practical as trainers or welly boots. This is July in Yorkshire and I am walking up a hill in the rain in trainers and my winter coat complete with fur collar....
The flip flops were not a good idea on this day in drizzling rain...So I wore the old blue trainers left by a previous owner. Good job I did as it turned out quite wet up on the moors. My time spent down south spoiled me, though having said that I have memories of me as a teenager wandering around permanently in flip flops all weathers.....any way back to the day.

 The Swastika stone is at the top of a steady climb through the woods and then another climb through bracken to the top of the moor.

The drizzle was steady but not to heavy 

so we ignored it and headed further into the woods. It was quiet with just the sound of bird song.we had the whole place to ourselves and Monza had no need of his lead as he padded along. We whispered as we walked not wanting to disturb the peace. In the distance at another path I heard breaking twigs....so there was others. It turned out to be a man and two dogs....this did not matter we just went along a different path in the vast woodland there is room for all.

 We came out of the woods at the top of the hill. Monza quickly worked out the kissing gate...and we came out onto moor land.
Here there was a notice about keeping dogs on leads as there was sheep on the moor. I took the decision not to carry on up to the Swastika stone........

We walked along the moor for a short while until I began to see fresh signs of sheep. I knew it was not a good idea for them to encounter Monza. It is not his fault, but it would be mine if he chased them. German Shepards are good sheep dogs if trained well. I know Monza has been trained by us...but what went before is unknown and it made him scared. One ancient stone was not worth the risk...so I did not climb the hill in the rain through waist high wet bracken!

And I could not take the risk. This photo above is the site of the Swastika stone. It has been protected by metal railings and these stand out on the horizon.. There are in fact two Swastika stones one from the Bronze age and the other a Victorian copy.So what is a swastika stone anyway?

This is the Swastika stone both the copy and the original along with the view from the top......This symbol is unique in this country and is believed to have been carved by Roman soldiers who were stationed here during their occupation of these lands. as the image is simular to
Camunian rose native to Italy. The theory is that the soldiers were recruited from Celic Lingones from a tribe from Gaul who would have crossed the alps to settle in the region around 400BC...The Swastika design was part of their symbolism.  So in short it is soldiers stationed far from home with little hope of return creating a graphiti likened to "I wuz here".

We came to another gate leading back to the woods and followed other paths across them. We were still the only people about with birds singing and sheep ba ba  on the moor.

Monza trotted along happily. Lots of new smells and sounds. He loved it!

Disappointing not to go to the top of the moor. But by now it had started to rain a lot harder so I quickly got over it. We headed back down to the road....

Lee and I were wet to the knees and Monza dog had a very soggy under carriage....

the knackered old blue trainers turned out to be invaluable.....something I would never have owned otherwise!!! And yes I probably would have done this walk in flip flops. I lived in Cornwall for a short while. I always walked my dog in flip flops or sandals. The temperature was a lot warmer but the drizzle and rain were much the same.....

We got back to Fonz car without getting too wet and then went to Otley where we parked up in our usual space we claimed in the Rusty van days.
Monza dozed in the back of the car whilst we went to the charity shops and bought lunch.......
Lunch was chicken pasties this week eaten in the shelter on the market place. We bought two punnets of strawberries for £1.50.....
I bought a Per Una top in the 99p shop and a Barbie necklace and earrings in the 20p shop...A plastic sparkly kiddy thing that will make my skin green.......it had Babie on it!......No dolls in Otley, Though I found a few in Yeadon later on .

 Once home I once again ignored the rain and went out into the garden to weed and replant partes of the "hanging wall". Eventually I came to the conclusion that I needed more plants....So I went to the high street and first found

 all these dolls as Buy One Get One Free.......99p each. How could I resist? well I did not.!!!

 There were also loads of ratty Barbies, and a few others. a whole basket full ,as I had just given away about 80 like them that I found still in another shop......I did not buy them.

 The gonk creature on the right is a "just because..."
Just because I do not have one.So now to identify them and give them a bath a new clothes.....
I also bought some plants and reduced bits of fish along with other reduced stuff as a treat for Monza.

 I headed home having spent about ten pounds. There before me on the grass as  I crossed the square to my front path I found a new five pound note.

Bingo Bonza Burty.

Lee was very delighted and immediately put it in his wallet and closed it with a final snap. It disappeared quicker that the blink of an eye.