posted
Actually, it doesn't rain that much. In general, rain in the UK comes from the westerly winds, and the eastern side of the country gets significantly less than the west. However, that's all relative. It does rain in England a lot compared to many other places, and the particular thing is that it can rain at any time of the year (which is why it's said that while other countries have climate, we have weather).
I haven't actually travelled in the Whitby-Scarborough area so I'm not sure I can be of much more help than that, though. What sort of things do you need to know?
posted
The main character is 12 and his mum inherits a big old house on top of the cliffs and lots of money. They have moved there from an industrial part of Manchester. I want to know what would be his most powerful impressions (people and colours etc) of the place compared to his former home.
So far he has encountered a number of fisherman and grounds-staff, lawyers and the old man that runs the railway museum. He has been mostly engaged with the house and those affairs, but now they are going a couple of miles to a village fare so he can 'meet the local kids' before he starts school. I am scared of the scene because he is about to be immersed in the people/culture rather than just the scenery. Insecure about making the deifferences feel authentic
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited July 17, 2005).]
posted
When is this set? modern day, or historically?
OK, well, if he's moved from an industrial part of Manchester (which is, inceidentally, the rainiest major city in England, so he certainly isn't going to think of it raining a lot on the North Yorkshire coast), then I'd think the immediate differences will be the sense of space and openness and emptiness; the clear air with its smell of salt instead of the smell of a town (though modern towns don't smell the way they used to, but there's still a difference).
Manchester is traditionally seen as the heart of Lancashire, Yorkshire's traiditonal enemy and rival, so he may experience some hostility (mild or otherwise) because of that - though among children, it's possible such rivalries will be less important (again, it would probably depend on when the story is set - local identities have eroded hugely over the past 50 years in the UK). Culturally, however, they're both "northern" with their traditionas of blunt speaking and "take people as you find them" and so forth. Someone from the south would probably be seen much more as an outsider. Depending on how outgoing the boy has been, he may get a lot of ridicule over his ignorance of everyday rural life (these days, there are many children in towns who have never seen a cow, don't realise milk comes from it, have no idea what sheep are, etc etc - scary but true).
Let me know if that helps and if there are any other questions - I'll do my best.
posted
I saw on TV that there is a series about all of Britains coasts & beaches coming up soon. Looks quite interesting. Maybe the tourism board have had a few extra quid to splash out or something? Maybe if you keep an eye out, there may be a program with some of our Northern resorts featured.
Unless of course, you are an american and Yorkshire is a place over there as well (I know how they like to rob our English names for places and confuse me sometimes with such crazy antics)
posted
Arhh. Sorry for the lousy tip then. But, I may be able to redeem myself a little bit. I've found some info about the program on the bbc's website here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/coast/
It says that there is going to be some information on 39 Walks posted on the site soon. One of those listed is North Yorkshire. There is some info about walks posted for other counties already, but not the North Yorkshire one yet. You never know, it might come in a little bit handy.
posted
Hey Thanks guys, The story is set in modern times but (being a YA speculative fiction) there are a few strange things going on, so the town should feel isolated andlike it comes from another, earlier age. Post WW1.
I guess I really want information on stereotypes too. Like you were saying about the 'plain speaking'. I also appreciate the comment about the traditional riavalries as this can play into the storyline at points.
Thanks for the tip on Manchester and the rain, and Benskia thanks for that website, I'll keep an eye on it.
Also, just wondering: is field hockey a popular game for girls in England? Would the main character being from Manchester, be a target of ridicule among his peers for supporting Leeds United (his dad's team)? Would it be a significant thing? What would be the most logical team for the youth of a North Yorkshire Coast town to barrack for?
The last thing is, does it sound strange to you to talk about a long, heavily forested ridge near the coast in the area we are talking about?
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited July 18, 2005).]
posted
Hey. I think field hockey is popular at school, but it's not massive sport other than that. Some fanatics of the game will argue this point, because there is most likely a hockey scene out there, which plays a large role in their lives, but it doesn't get telly or radio coverage.
Folks from different cities do support footy teams of other cities. Mancs usually support Manchester City, and everyone else around the world supports Manchester United. Someone supporting Leeds would likely get ridicule, but anybody who supports a team different to somebody else gets ribbed about it in England. I'm not a football fan, so get left out of this a lot. But in sensible folks, its normally light hearted fun, but there are a lot of people who would beat you up for not supporting the right team. Not sure what the nearest team for someone from Yorkshire is though.
posted
Depending how insular you want to make your coastal town/community, then they would support: Whitby or Scarborough (non-league teams) York City (recently dropped out of the league) Darlington (lower league team) Middlesborough (Premiership team - getting more successful)
It's a standing joke (if an inaccurate one) that no-one from Manchester supports Manchester United (though they do support Manchester City). Leeds United are historically great rivals of Manchester United and their fans do NOT get on, so a Leeds fan in Manchester would definitely have had a very hard time (Leeds fans in particular still chant about the 1950s Munich air crash in which a number of Manchester United players died).
The North Yorkshire Moors have a number of forested areas, though most of these are forestry plantations (closepacked monocultures for logging/paper production) rather than genuine ancient forests.
posted
Thanks! This is the sort of thing that is very hard to research, so thankyou, and thanks for the time you have spent on it.
The hockey information is good. They are a fanatical school-girl team.
I read that a Yorkshireman tends to be blunt and crude. They are often 'big-lads' with a predilection for wrestling. I know this is an horrendous stereotype, but is it a widely held one?
I am sure more questions will crop up, but this has got me out of my 'where do I go now?' hole.
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited July 20, 2005).]
posted
Northerners in general in the UK tent to be regarded as "blunt", though not necessarily crude. They may "call a spade a spade", but they don't necessarily swear any more than southerners (swearing, in the UK, has a tendency to be a class thing - "working-class" people will traditionally pepper their speech with swearing, middle and upper class much less so). They do also use a number of different words (e.g. the wonderful "chuff" - the sentence "Chuffing chuff the chuffing chuffer!" would actually be perfectly reasonable, and comprehensible, in Yorkshire). But don't overdo it.
You may be best just getting on and writing it, as you feel comfortable. I'm happy to read and comment on cultural elements once the story's done.
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I know this is an horrendous stereotype, but is it a widely held one?
