Friday 6 July
Julie, Kaz and Tom arrive at Gargrave and stay with us on the boat. Dan, Sarah and Joel drive up from Torquay and stay at Travel Inn near Skipton.
Saturday 7 July
Nic flies into Stanstead from Italy and Simon gives him a lift up to Gargrave. Lu, Mike and the boys drive up from Kinver.
Julie, Kaz, Tom and I drive out to Kirkby Maham to visit the memorial Plaque in the churchyard opposite the cottage where Dad was born. A few tears as we thought of dad and wished he could still be with us, especially with the reunion the next day.
All met at boat in the afternoon, so lunch for 14. Paul was the star, busy cooking a homemade soup, rolls etc to feed the starving masses (men and boys are always hungry). Thank goodness the rain stopped so we were able to sit outside on the towpath.
Late afternoon folk decamped to check into their hotels etc. Simon books into Malham Youth hostel with the lads – Tom, Matthew, Andy, Joel and Nic!
We all meet up at the Victoria Inn in Kikby Malham for the evening meal. It was a lively affair with sqabbles over the treacle sponge and custard. Wonderful to all be together, though we missed Kate and Will, and Dave and Nat.
Sunday 8 July
All gathered in Malham for a walk up to the Cove, all that is except Paul who kindly looked after Roly and Pip and waited for his Mum and dad to arrive from Penrith.
The sun held off and we had a fantastic walk past the youth hostel up to the Cove, then over the limestone pavement at the top. Black clouds were gathering over the moor in the distance but the rain just missed us.
A cup of tea in the local cafe then it was back to get changed, and on over the top of the moor for a white knuckle ride on single track roads to Kettlewell for the gathering.
Aunty Louise, Uncle Peter and family had worked really hard to provide a fantastic spread – lunch for loads of Woolers and friends. Does anyone know how many came along, it must have been a couple of hundred?
It was the first ‘reunion’ we (Brian Wooler’s offspring) had been to; and although I had met uncles, aunts and cousins when we met up to bury Dad’s ashes at Kirkby Malham, I only had a vague memory of who was who. It was moving to meet Dads brothers again, as they reminded me so much of Dad. I feel there is a definite Wooler look and shared manerisms and speech.
It was sad that Dad, David and Valerie are no longer with us. Edith and Marjorie were not able to be there, so it was the 4 brothers, John, Richard, Peter and Barry who delighted us with stories of their early years and memories of Dad. Paul and I let everyone know we were going to be around in the Skipton area for the rest of July, and we received lots of invitations to meet up with folk again later on.