Hit The North

Ever since we've been trading at Stockport's Vintage Village Lynn and Philip (aka Mr Dapper) have been regular visitors and, over the last couple of years, have grown to be firm friends. When I mentioned that we'd been invited to a mate's 50th birthday party forty minutes up the road from them they invited us to travel up north a day early and spend the night at their gorgeous cottage in the Rossendale Valley...so we did. The doorway is just a taster of the wonderfully eclectic home they live in.

I'm wearing a vintage Crimplene maxi dress (gift from Heather), Stuart Weizmann boots and customised 1960s leather jacket (charity shops), Lynn's in a vintage metallic dress & 1970s suede jacket, both from Stockport's Vintage Village.

Typically, after last week's mini heatwave, the weather took a turn for the worst so out came the boots and jackets but did that dampen our fun? No!

After spending Friday night in the pub we travelled to nearby market town of Todmorden on Saturday morning. If you follow Lynn's blog (HERE) you'll know that she's obsessed with the place and you can see why. Nestled in the Pennines and surrounded by moorlands, Todmorden is outrageously picturesque and, with a town centre completely free from the retail chains that dominate almost every high street in the UK, it's a real joy to spend time there.

In 2008 a group of locals started the Incredible Edible Todmorden Project, planting public fruit and veg gardens around the town and inviting passers-by to help themselves to the produce. The idea was such a success that it's been copied in 15 other towns and cities around the UK.

Pretty it might be but Todmorden has an odd claim to fame. In 1980 the police were called to a coal yard where a body had been discovered. Zigmund Adamski, a 56 year old miner, had been reported missing five days earlier. He was still dressed in his suit but his watch, wallet and shirt were missing. A post-mortem established that he'd died from a heart attack but discovered burn marks on his neck, shoulders and the back of his head. These injuries had been dressed with a green ointment which toxicology tests were never able to identify. No suspect was ever arrested and the coroner claimed it to be the most bizarre case he'd ever investigated, leading to claims of an extraterrestrial abduction. The police are still forbidden from discussing the case with the press. 

We had lunch in the old Co-op, a 150 year-old shop with a deli on the ground floor and a vegetarian cafe-bar upstairs. I'm not sure what I loved most, the original Victorian shop fittings or the menu - both were incredible.

Next door was one of Lynn & Philip's favourite shops, the amazing Picture House Antiques. With boxes stuffed with black and white photographs, antique glass bottles, 1960s textiles, Persian rugs, vintage kitchenalia, enamel advertising signs and Smiths tour posters it felt like someone had ransacked our house while we'd been away.

After exploring the chazzas we waved goodbye to Lynn and Phil and checked into Todmorden's Queen's Hotel, our home for the night, for a power nap, an Olympic catch-up and to get ready for Saz's 50th Birthday party, due to kick off at 7pm in nearby Cornholme.

Saz and her partner Andy are fellow vintage traders and brilliant company, we met up with them in Goa earlier this year (see HERE). When they're not selling retro clobber they play in a bonkers psychedelic band who you can enjoy in all their glory in the video below.

We wore leis, drank Champagne and ate an amazing Thai feast prepared by the landlady of the local pub. We chatted and laughed until the early hours and still manged to be up for the inclusive hotel breakfast a few hours later.

WEARING: Vintage gingham maxi & silver pendant (charity shop), Richard Shops denim waistcoat (gift from blogger, Bedford Gypsy)

After a final soggy walk around Todmorden we checked out o the hotel, jumped in the van and had a scary journey home as the clutch (already a jittery from the endless stop/start journey on the way) had decided to play up. Luckily we'll be back in Gilbert this week as we're trading at Camper Calling from Thursday so we can leave the bloody thing with the mechanic.

WEARING: Tee shirt featuring John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) & Don Letts' daughter, Jet (birthday pressie from a mate), Black skinny jeans and brogue boots (charity shop), Leather Baker Boy cap (end of the Road Festival, 2015)

We didn't return to the Midlands empty-handed. From the Todmorden charity shops we bought a Jaws tee shirt and some unworn Mexican cowboy boots and Lynn & Phil gave Jon this crazy cat pen holder and a giant Wade tortoise ashtray for his birthday. I got a 50th Birthday present too but I'm being a good girl and waiting until December to open it.

See you soon!