When it's called 'Howgills Bunk Barn' - Your invite to view
  Nigel & Liz Close are ready to celebrate the opening of their latest business venture almost 10 years after they first bought the Barn. Long ago falling into redundancy from it's former use as a hay storage and milking byre for the Castlehaw Farm behind 'Tommy Winns Hill', this barn was fast decaying into the grounds. Many a person used to look at the property as they walked past on one of the myriad of footpaths around it and wish that they could turn it into a home. Having superb views to its North side directly onto the Settlebeck Gill between Winder and Crook of the Howgill Fells on the backdrop of Sedbergh, it was this wonderful aspect more than any other that prompted Nigel to consider how best to utilise this barn.
  "We first started in the Holiday letting business in Sedbergh through Cobble Country Holidays in the mid 90's and became aware of a need for good quality accommodation for larger groups. We also used to find difficulty ourselves when planning to meet up with friends and family on Holidays in larger properties.
  In 1998, our first designs and applications for outline planning permission from the Yorkshire Dales National Parks Planning Department were submitted.
  As the Planning Officer could not recommend the application for approval, a campaign to persuade Committee members to vote for our Barn was set in motion. I am glad to say that after a site meeting, committee members saw that the advantages of the development were so strong that Planning Policy was overcome in favour of our scheme.
  On gaining that approval, funding was sought from a lender and plans drawn up for the project to commence in the new millennium. The disastrous Foot & Mouth experience in the area and other business setbacks of the early Millennium years soaked up those funds without any progress on the conversion and it had to wait until 2005 before funding was once more available to start. By this time, new demands regarding construction for Environmental and Disability regulations were in place that had a huge impact on the original concept for a simple structure for a large group holiday gathering.
  It was therefore a straightforward economic decision to raise the standard from basic to something that has already been described as 'de-luxe' and provide modern, warm, efficient and very comfortable accommodation within the barn. You are invited to come along yourself on Thursday 14^th December between 12 noon and 3.15pm when we will be happy to show you around. Please join us for a celebration drink and snacks. We will also be pleased to see those who can't make the daytime viewing anytime between 7.30pm and 10pm.
  To allow us to prepare for numbers on the day, please call in at Cobble Country Property Office at 59 Main Street to collect your free voucher for you and friends to enter a draw on the day for a Half Price Voucher for an event in 2007.
  Some events already booked by local people are Weddings, Birthdays and family gatherings just to give you some idea of the uses of the Barn for local people as well as Visitors and Holidaymakers to the area.

  I am pleased to say that our range of courses for this autumn has been very well received. Several of our computer and language courses are full and almost all have been really well supported. In total we will run 26 courses this autumn. Not bad for a small place!
  Part of our mission this year is to support the Booktown initiative by trying to build up a series of courses with a literary theme. So far we have had two successes. Firstly we have joined forces with the Sedbergh poetry group to run fortnightly poetry workshops tutored by Jonathon Allen. Secondly we have started a Creative Writing class run by well-known children's author Janni Howker. Both are going well.
  Keep pestering us if you didn't manage to get on a course you fancied as we will try to organise additional classes where possible. Some courses that might interest you are:

• Machine Embroidery with Liz Rice. A 6 week course about creating pictures and panels. Monday evenings from 6^th November
  
• Begin Using Your PC. 5 weeks from 16^th November.
  
• Know Your Computer Better. January. An afternoon course for people who already know the basics.
  
• How to Buy & Sell on eBay. 20^th November. An evening session about how to use the world's most popular online market place.
  
• European Computer Driving Licence. A 27 week course leading to a valuable qualification.
  

  On Friday September 22^nd, a Sedbergh delegation comprising Garth Steadman, Kevin Lancaster, Susan Garnett, David Burbidge and his partner Lucia attended celebrations in Zrece to celebrate 800 years since the town was first mentioned in records.
  As ever we were very well and generously received with Garth, Kevin and I staying at the Thermal Spa Hotel Dobrava.
  With Zdenka and Urska from the Tourist Office as our guides, we spent every waking hour when not eating or enjoying the Dobrava facilities of pools, jacuzzis and saunas, touring the local area.
  Lunch on Friday was at the Hotel Smogavc. The mayor Josef and proprietor Ludvig came to welcome us and send their best wishes to absent friends in Sedbergh. As this was Kevin's first visit Urska took us to visit the ski resort at Rogla and the youth centre at Gorenje. En route we made several stops so that Kevin could examine the methods, mechanical and otherwise, of hay-making on 45 plus degree slopes. Then back to the hotel for a quick swim in and out of doors.
  That evening saw the hall at the Dobrava transformed into an over-sized railway carriage with historic footage projected onto the walls giving the impression of scenery passing the windows as we sat inside. A larger screen showed video clips of historic sites, manuscripts and local views with a narrative which we presumed was relating the long and no doubt fascinating background to our twin town. In between clips, we enjoyed songs and instrumental music featuring amongst others Samo and his group. David was interviewed live for Slovenian Radio, mostly in English although the audience cheered appreciatively when David courageously replied in Slovene. Then he led the assembled company in a rendering of "Rolling Home".
  The evening concluded with light refreshments accompanied by more spontaneous folk-singing from those present. One of the delights of being in Zrecian company is their ability to break into song at every opportunity. Everyone knows the words and a great time is had by all!
  Saturday began with a swim and aquarobics before breakfast followed by another tour led by Urska. First we visited a moving and poignant memorial to 100 partisans who were executed in wartime reprisals during the German occupation. Then onto the valley of St John the Baptist. Here, in a wooded and secluded setting, are the remains of a Chartusian monastery, founded in 1160. The monks were particularly known for their knowledge of natural medicine and pharmacology. The name of the neighbouring village is Spitalic is derived from the word for hospital. Having withstood many assaults including a Turkish invasion, the monastery was finally dissolved in 1782.
  From here we drove to Sloveneske Konjice (literally "horsetown") to visit firstly the old manor house where a wide array of herbal products for health, bath and kitchen is produced from their own herb gardens. From there we drove to the old mediaeval main street. This sloping cobbled road with its central stream, bridged at intervals, is straight out of a film set. More was to come! We were taken to visit a private art gallery up a modest stairway in a quiet yard. A local industrialist had amassed a jaw-dropping collection which included, at least, paintings by Modigliani, Vermeulin and two Klimt drawings and many others which could be identified as Old Masters. The ceiling was embellished by a dramatic mural (?) of St George. Several churches in Slovenia are dedicated to St George and contain statues or paintings of him along with distressed damsels, dragons etc.
  Zdenka, David and Lucia joined us for lunch at a tourist farm near Skomarje where, as ever, the table groaned with the array of home-made soups, meats and other mouth-watering local delicacies. We were entertained by the accordion played, we believe, by the young son of the house who, because of his diminutive stature, could only be glimpsed occasionally behind it. Not to be outdone, and fortified by the comestibles, Garth and David then performed for us with Garth on keyboard. We all joined in the choruses.
  Our next official engagement was lunch with the mayor on Sunday (only two hours after breakfast) before we were taken to Graz for our flight.
  Singers from Zrece will be visiting us in Dent and Sedbergh in early December and hopefully, Zdenka will accompany them. We have also been promised a visit from Iztik Mirosic, the Slovenian ambassador.
  The tourist industry in Zrece is supported by both Government and local industrial funds. Unfortunately we have no such support and rely on Twinning Club membership and any funds we can raise by various events or from local charities to entertain official visitors to Sedbergh. This delegation, as usual, paid air fares etc. out of our own pockets but we feel this was very worthwhile to keep the Town Twinning project alive and going forward. Should any reader wish to join the Town Twinning Club and support our ventures through their subscription please contact Susan Garnett (21138) Your annual membership will run from January 2007 (Special offer!!)  Photo.