Appleby Fair
 

Does anybody else from Accrington ever venture up to Appleby for the horse fair in june ? This year is set to yield the biggest ever turnout.

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Hi Dec, I have been, about 5 years ago, but it was a horrible rainy day so I did NOT see it at its best.
Maybe some Accywebbers might care to organise a coach trip out?
Will you be riding a horse that day, as on your piccy?
Atarah

Re: Appleby Fair
 

You really do have to go on a nice summer day to appreciate the atmosphere,.. im sure that even when you did go it was still a hive of activity,... and yes ill be riding in the river lol,.. where taking up 4 irish cobs to sell.

If you go again i must really recommend that you venture off the "touristy" bits and have a walk up to gallows hill or fail hill as the travellers call it and go and watch the races on flashing lane on saturday.

Re: Appleby Fair
 

It's worth going to see Dr Busker, the last Victorian pub pianist. Not one for the kids but very very amusing in a West Country-satirist sort of way!

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Aye you find him stumbling out the pubs at closing time in his top hat an tails, worse for wear after all the free beer he gets lol. Hes a good laugh and a regular at all the travellers festivals and steam fairs.

Re: Appleby Fair
 

been going up for years and the scenes up the hill are well worth the walk
or jump a ride on the many trucks pasing you by
imho never been the same since they split the hill
but still a day out not to be missed :theband:

Re: Appleby Fair
 

The king of all steam fairs is at the end of August every year in Blandford, Dorset. Even in miserable weather there's still too much to see and do in four days, wonderful stuff.

Was there not a steam fair in Accrington recently, or fairly recently?

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Aye when we set off we take our normal trailers and vans but take the old bow top and horses up as well and always end up picking people up on the way to the hill.

Re: Appleby Fair
 

I was working in the area back in 1975 and had a shufty, he place was full of Gypos:D

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Haha aye it does tend to attract quite a few of us travelling folk lol

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Ged away:D

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Aye ya'd neva believe it

Re: Appleby Fair
 

how much r the irish cobs?

Re: Appleby Fair
 

I went once in the early 80s when I was friendly with a yorkshire man who managed a shire horse herd. Horse trading is why it happens.

Re: Appleby Fair
 

4 Year old Hairy Cob, 14'2" £2,000 ono
3 Year old Cob 13'1" £1900 ono

were taking up 8 horses this year, some shires too.

Re: Appleby Fair
 

i always thought horses were measured in hands, not feet and inches!!!!!!!!!!! Thought they were very tall horses. :rolleyes: :D

Re: Appleby Fair
 

The romantic notion of ye olde gypsies exercising their horses in the river before trading them under a gentlemans aggreement seems such a wonedrfully idylic picture
What a pity the whole thing is spoilt by drunks and idiots determined to wreck an otherwise beautiful town.

As for the harness racing, well the price they wanted to charge us fo a car and 4 occupants, you'd think you were buying one of the ponies mentioned earlier.

Plus you have the hassle of horses and carts heading for Appleby and their famous trick of going as slow as they possibly can through the twisty windy bits, only to speed up to a gallop when there is a chance to pass them.

We use the A65 regularly and it seems a popular pastime for the apparently unwashed.

Is pepper harmful to horses?

Re: Appleby Fair
 

A nudge from 1500kg of car is :rolleyes::D

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Pack it in you pair or you'll have young Dec up on his High Horse again, we've just about got him settled. :D :D

Re: Appleby Fair
 

Oh come on Dave how the hell do you settle a gypsy:D

Re: Appleby Fair
 

That would be "settled" as in quiet Jays, but I get your point :D :D