Eric and me descended the steep side of Fin cop hand in hand (he’s not good with heights bless him), just heading for an old tree by the river, if I managed to find Hobs cave it would have to be by chance, my map was no help, google earth wont let me play, so chance would have to be my only allie, it came up trumps too.
Away to our right I spied some interesting looking rocks and knowing Eric likes a good scramble we mozied over.
The oppresion I’d felt above in the hillfort was easing up now, and I felt this was a good place and that Hob where ever he is nowadays (some say Northumberland) he didnt mind our encroachment , and when I found the cave and the manner I found it, I felt almost welcome.
I was wandering amongst the rock stacks stumbling as I gauped around, there are some thin passageways through the rocks reminding me of the Wadi that leads to the treasury at Petra, well we came out of the rock stacks and there right in front of us was this cave mouth, I looked down at Eric and said “this way Indy”
Upon reaching the tall thin cave I turned around to survey the vista, and over to our left was this obvious man shape looking skyward, even the lad pointed it out, this must surely be the demigod himself,I silently said hello and entered his mansion.
The cave is no more than three feet wide but as much as thirty feet high, was the rock man recognised as Hob before the cave became his house ?because its not very roomy exept upward.
Just inside the entrance some large boulders have fallen almost blocking egress to the rear of the fissure, Eric could get under but I opted for over then drop down, we then scuttled as far as we could, all this by camera flashlight only, eventually eric called for a return to sunlight, but strangely I liked it in the cave more than up on the hillfort.
We laughed and joked about poo dodging mostly all the way down to the river, where we sat by the weir and watched a Dipper going about his wintery tasks, then oppresive feelings forgotten we made our tired way back up to the carpark.
This brought a smile to my face ... you and Eric sound like quite a team.
What an adventure, really great to read. It looks like it's got a special and mysterious air (it reminds me a bit of going to the superb Lud's Church). And surely you must be right, that the figure of stone has to be the inhabitant? (It makes extra sense because Hobs aren't normally giants I don't think, they normally help out round the house so are normally quite small? But the folklore here calls this one a giant. But then maybe it comes from Hobthrust and thyrs and Anglo Saxon thyrs-es are giants. Hmm. Not that it makes any difference :)
Thanks all, I like taking Eric out, we dont get as much time now theyre both at school all the time and my work patterns have changed somewhat, every chance has to be taken even just for the afternoon.
So a Hob isnt somethings name but a whole species of creature?
Ooh yes, well kind of I think. They're often a bit like brownies. Or maybe brownies are a bit like them. You know, you leave some food out overnight and they'll clean the house or the farm up. But you mustn't leave clothes or they get offended and go away. And they're mostly a northerly english thing. Boggarts are kind of similar but probably a bit naughtier. Maybe hobs are a bit less domesticated, live further out in the wilds usually like your one, have their own agenda.
It's all a bit mad really. I should get back to work and reality now I suppose.
It's all very mad, but stay right where you are.
I dont know why but I always thought Hob was an actual giant with a name, like Fingal and his kind .
Many many thanks