Category: Columns

LEO… Star sign of the month A fun time for the boys and an annoying time for the girls. This is probably because the boys are having fun while the girls are not! Either way, the accent is on leisure and pleasure, and social aspects are very bright and interesting, especially for Leos in their late […]

Between Harrogate and Ripon This walk traverses the undulating countryside between Harrogate and Ripon, much of it managed by the Mountgarret Estate. Mainly crossing farmland with a few stretches of woodland, it visits Burton Leonard, Brearton and a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve. Getting there The walk can be started from South Stainley (recommended), Burton Leonard, […]

We hear from our resident sports writer and York City F. C. fan, Simon Pattinson. As I write this, I am still looking back at how on earth we managed to gain promotion from National League North! What a superb achievement and what a day it was for all York City fans to finally see the back […]

Barton-le-Willows, Crambe and the Derwent The highlight of this walk is a long stretch beside the River Derwent. It also provides an opportunity to visit Kirkham Priory and Crambe, one of York’s most tucked-away villages. Directions: 7.5 miles Time: 3hr 15 mins Getting There The recommended starting point is the Barton-le-Willows crossroads. On-street parking is […]

Free advice and help line, email: jcp@magepublishing.co.uk ARIES A few tingles of financial tension this month as you measure your income against your outgoings, and there may be twinges of regret at some of the purchases you have made earlier this year. I’m not saying that this is necessarily a time to sell, but it […]

Kohlrabi is one of those vegetables that have never really caught on in this country. Widely grown and eaten elsewhere, especially in German-speaking countries (kohlrabi literally translates as ‘cabbage turnip’ in the Swiss-German dialect), it doesn’t even have an English name. In case you’re not familiar with it, kohlrabi is a rounded globe or bulb, […]

2¾ hours 6 miles (short walk 4 miles) Appleton Roebuck and Bolton Percy are situated in an area of quiet countryside between the river Ouse and Wharfe, away from busy roads. The walk, which can be shortened by emitting a riverside section, visits both villages. Its main charm is the unspoilt countryside traversed with a […]

This month, our resident travel expert, Kerry Lakey, is bringing you all you need to know for a summer in the savannah. For many people, an African safari is on their bucket list. It is a must-do now that the pandemic restrictions are no longer in place, and it is certainly bouncing back in style. […]

Free advice and helpline, email: jcp@magepublishing.co.uk ARIES March 21 – April 19 Some areas of emotional tension flaring up between the 5th and the 17th when couples do not see eye to eye on financial priorities: male members of the sign (of a certain age) need to measure their energy levels and avoid taking on new […]

We hear from our resident sports writer and York City F. C. fan, Simon Pattinson. As I write this, York City have just reached the playoffs. In what can only be described as a remarkable achievement, City have finished fifth in the league — the highest they have been all season. Their form going into […]

Recently I lost a relative who was a big York City fan and loved his football and sport. He was someone who, when I was younger, dedicated a lot of time to being a steward at the football at Bootham Crescent, and I always remember him being one of the first faces I’d see as […]

Free advice and helpline, email: jcp@magepublishing.co.uk ARIES March 21 – April 19 An easy-going month in which a deeper degree of compromise and understanding is found within relationships and partnerships, and more often than not, you find yourself singing from the same hymn sheet. Travel aspects tie in with family reunions around the 4th, 5th and […]

This is a walk of wide views and quiet valleys. After climbing high onto the Wolds from Bishop Wilton, where there are far-reaching vistas over the Vale of York, the walk arrives at the hamlet of Great Givendale with its picturesque church. The route then traverses typical Wolds country, dipping into a deep valley before […]

This walk explores the countryside south of Harrogate. The route crosses Crimple Valley to Follifoot then skirts Rudding Park to return to the start with a walk along the valley through woodland and fields. The walk is 7 miles long and should take around 3 hours. Getting there The starting point is Hornbeam Park station […]

Sometimes it seems lettuce is losing out to other leafy salads. When I began growing, it was just about the only leafy salad vegetable gardeners cultivated. Salad leaves like rocket, mizuna or lamb’s lettuce were almost unheard of – rocket wasn’t for eating, it was either something that went to the moon or was let […]