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Hi everyone, I’ve met a few of you at recent Jakefests in Wirral, Beverley & Birmingham.
Thought I’d share with you that I’m halfway through a mini Jake tour, visiting some of the important locations in his life, and some places in his songs.
There are 8 villages mentioned in “Go Little Swale”; I’m currently staying in Thwaite at the west end of Swaledale, earlier today I walked about 11 miles east through Muker, Gunnerside, Crackpot, Healough to my destination of Grinton. A “country bus” took me back to my base in Thwaite.
Tomorrow I will hopefully tick off the 2 remaining names, ButterTubs and Booze, by car as I travel over to Leeds area.
Swaledale is a beautiful area, accurately described in Jake’s song, which I occasionally sung along the way, to the bafflement of nearby sheep.
I’m grateful to this forum for informing me that Jake’s birthplace is Clifford, just off the A1M south of Wetherby, where I plan to visit the cenotaph, (again thanks for the info in another forum post). Then I will venture to the western suburbs of Leeds to take a peek at Old Oak Close. At the moment I’m not sure about viewing the Intake School as it appears to have changed significantly since Jake’s era. The same goes for the “Swan with two necks” pub (where Jake met his wife) as it is permanently closed. I shall however be sure to travel down the Kirkstall Road concluding my mini adventure. (Last minute suggestions for other locations are welcome).
Also would be interested to hear if other fans have made similar pilgrimages?
Matthew
Wow, this sounds amazing! Are you taking photos of the places you’re seeing? Thanks for telling us about this!
The following morning I drove along ButterTubs Pass by car, then headed north over the dales to the UK’s highest pub, The Tan Hill Inn. The last of the 8 locations in “Go Little Swale” is Booze, which turned out to be the hardest to get to. Booze is a tiny hamlet of a few hillside cottages high up a narrow single track lane with grass growing high in the middle. The sensible thing would have been to park at the bottom and walk up, but to be honest I had had my fill of walking the previous day, so I drove slowly up the lane (in my fairly sizeable estate car), this time to the bafflement of roofers and builders working on the stone cottages nearby. I’ve since found out that Booze was in the news about 10 years ago when the Royal Mail deemed the narrow lane to dangerous for their postmen to deliver the mail.
An hour and a half later I was in Jake’s birthplace, Clifford. A charming village which, according to the information board, used to boast 6 pubs but now only 3. I thought I’d have a lunchtime snifter in honour of Jake, and headed off to the nearest, only to find it long closed. The second was also permanently shut, leaving the Albion Inn as my only option for my (no alcoholic) toast to Jake.
About 15miles west of Clifford, I visited 8 Old Oak Close in the north west suburbs of Leeds, Jake’s former home. I took a few furtive pictures for the record. I managed to have a quick look at Intake School (now Leeds West Academy), and completed my trip by driving down Kirkstall Road into Leeds city centre.
To answer Pam’s question, I have got a selection of photos which I will sort out and make available somehow.
Matthew
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