Walks to blow away cobwebs
first German-style board games to become popular in the UK and has been around now for 20 years. Get the original version for £22 or so.
Only families with hours to spare and a forgiving tendency should attempt this game. However, it is most definitely a game of strategy and, quite often, it is the least-assuming family member who wins; the one who quietly amasses armies while the others squabble among themselves. It was invented by a French film director and first released in 1957, so it has certainly proved to be a survivor. We often play the Secret Mission version, which is faster and less vitriolic than the standard game, as players can blame their despotic ways on their mission cards. There are Star Wars, Narnia and Lord of the Rings versions (we have the latter) and many others. An original can set you back about £20.
Our neighbour introduced us to this fast word game, played with letter tiles. She plays it with her grandchildren. The aim is to get rid of all your tiles by building a crossword grid. It’s suitable for up to eight players at a time and for ages seven and upwards. More fun than Scrabble, because no-one can spend half an hour thinking about a single word, and with simple rules. The banana-shaped pouch with tiles is about £15. Local chorister Carol Armitage says her family, in particular her eight-year-old granddaughter, enjoy playing Dog Bingo at Christmas. “Instead of numbers there are pictures of different breeds of dogs with their names underneath,” she explains. A great game for dog lovers and educational into the bargain - how many eight-year-olds can recognise or spell Lhasa Apso or Chihuahua! Expect to pay £15.95 or more.
Ordinary, good old-fashioned bingo captures the imagination of Volunteer Kirklees Services Manager Sharron Wilkinson and her family. She can recall immediate family and grandparents playing it with her when she was a child and is now continuing the tradition with her own family and friends. “Friends still comment now, years later, that it was a highlight when visiting our house at Christmas time,” she says. There are lots of versions of bingo on the market but sets with 70 cards and 90 number cubes can be bought for as little as £6.59.
We learned to play this ancient Chinese game when my son was studying Mandarin at school. While it looks complicated, it’s essentially the game of gin rummy but played with little domino-shaped tiles. There are many different rules and in China it’s a big gambling game, however we chose the Shanghai rules and introduced a few house rules as well, which is allowed. The only drawback is that you need four people to play and it can take some time setting out all the tiles into ‘walls’, from which playing tiles are drawn in strict rotation. Buy a version with ‘English’ numbers, otherwise you’ll have to learn Chinese characters. Sets cost from £20 upwards. BY Boxing Day most of us will be ready to blow away a few cobwebs and work off the Christmas calories.
So why not wrap up and get out into the glorious West Yorkshire countryside for a good long walk.
We’ve found five easily-accessible scenic walks, all within reach from Huddersfield, and a quirky collection of village strolls.
This exposed moorland is ideal for getting a reviving blast of clean Yorkshire air. There’s a car park in Norland Village, just off Shaw Lane, from which a circular track leads around the edge of the moor. Popular with dog walkers, it offers a panoramic view of Calderdale but is often a couple of degrees colder than the surrounding area – so extra jumpers, scarves and a hat are advisable. This walk can be as long or as short as you want to make it, as there are numerous paths crisscrossing the moor. Find the free Wood Edge car park off the A640 and then follow the path around the edges of the reservoir, which takes in woodlands and rough pasture. The four-mile main route is mainly on unsurfaced paths and there are gradients, steps and stiles to navigate. It is rated as fairly difficult by Yorkshire Water.