_{SATURDAY 19TH}

 

_{Yesterday we left Castleton and drove through heavy fog, the  visibility was almost zilch in some places which was a pity because we were in some of the nice mountainous areas and} the villages in these mountains.  As the morning wore on it improved and by the time we got onto the main roads it was much better.  We stopped at Wimslow and vacuumed the car and then went through the car wash.  It was pretty dirty after 7 weeks of travel.  We then drove on towards Manchester Airport and finally dropped the car off at the car rental return depot.  This was not our original plan but we couldn’t find the hotel we had booked into so decided it was better to ditch the car and get a taxi to the hotel which is what we did. This took up the best part of the afternoon.  

 

This was taken on Thursday when we were driving up around the Edale area.  We sat watching for the break in the clouds and were rewarded when there was just a little bit of sunlight  in the valley for a few seconds.
 

This morning we are repacking the cases and making the sardines fit back in the can.  Things never seem to fit the second time like they did the first time.   We catch the plane tonight at 9.00 so will just mooch around the hotel for the rest of the day.  Of course it is showery and miserable.   We keep reading the updates about the fires in NSW.  They sound frightening and just hope that our family and friends are safe. 

We arrive in New Zealand on Monday so actually miss Sunday altogether.  How strange is that. 



CASTLETON

_{THURSDAY 17TH}

_{Today is has been much nicer that yesterday when in rained constantly all} day and we really just spent the day reading only braving the weather to go out and have a long lunch at a local pub. 

 

We made the most of the day today and started doing an underground canal boat ride through an old tunnel that was dug in the 18^th century when the lead miners needed access to underground mines.  We were 200 meters underground and finished in a big old mine.  The tunnel was very low and we had to wear hard hats and were glad of them if you straightened up out of the crouching position whilst in the boat.    We then drove up through the Derwent Valley passed two reservoirs or dams.  This is where the Dam Busters trained before they dropped the bomb over a dam in Germany during WW2.  I was interested in this because one of those known as the Dam Busters was from Manilla (NSW) where I grew up and Don Kennedy was an absolute hero when I was a child.  He was a solicitor and I worked for him when I first left school.

Later we had lunch nearby and as it was still fine, although overcast, so we decided to go back over the hills around us and we could see much more today than on Tuesday when we first arrived at Castleton.

 

TUESDAY 15^TH

_{I didn’t write anything about yesterday probably because it was such a miserable wet day I wanted to forget it last night.  Ian went off to do a walk that he had planned to do from Bakewell to Rowsley donned in his rain gear and hat and I later went for a walk up around the village.  I finished up getting wetter than him.  It was market day in Bakewell and the village was very busy.  Apparently it is not unusual for up to 40 coaches to arrive in the place on market day.   Later in the morning we went for a drive around the area however it was really hard to see much of the Peaks because the mist was so thick.  We had some lunch at Hartington and did a circle back to Bakewell.  Called and bought a Bakewell Pudding at the Bakery and went back to the B & B and just sat around reading.}

_{Today we left the B & B at Bakewell.  Although it was still overcast the rain had stopped and we drove to Eyam.  This little village was where there was a plague in 1665 and the village was isolated for a year.  Many of the residents died during that year  Geraldine Brooks wrote a book,  The Year of Wonders, which we had read and it was interesting going to the village and the Museum and reading more about it.  We also found the well and stone where the outside villages left food for the people in Eyam to survive during the year.} 

_{We then drove on to Castleton and had lunch here.  Over lunch we decided to stay here for the night as we are getting close to Manchester where we finish our trip on Friday.  It was a good decision as we were able to drive around the Peaks this afternoon and see the rugged hills and valleys that the area is known for even though it was still overcast of misty at least it was dry.}

Today we could see the multi layers of mountain peaks through the mist. There are many different shapes and levels.

 

BAKEWELL

SUNDAY 13^TH

It was still raining this morning.  We went down to breakfast at our appointed 8.15.  Yesterday the owner recommended the oat cakes so I decided to try them.  They were like a heavy pancake folded over a filling of bacon and cheese.  Very filling and not something I will try again in the morning.  Ian went off for a short walk around Bakewell and found the shop that sells Bakewell puddings, the main reason we are here I think and I am sure will be back there tomorrow to try one.

Later we caught the steam train from Rowsley South to Matlock, maybe this was the attraction.  It was only a 20 minute trip.  We got off and walked down through Matlock village.   We decided to eat in an Italian Restaurant for a change and had a lovely meal.  It was certainly a change from pub food.  We wandered back through the village looking at the various shops.  We are surprised at the number of Antique and Collectibles shops throughout all these small villages and they are very popular with the English people.  They use a lot of wallpaper in their interiors and flowery curtains which suit the old style buildings and heavy furniture.

When we finished lunch the rain had stopped and there was some faint sun however it didn’t take long for the dark clouds to come back.  We caught the train back to Rowsley South and drove back to the B & B.  We were both well and truly full from lunch and didn’t even need our usual snack at tea time.   The rain returned and continues again tonight. 

All he needs is the right accent

One of the many pheasants we used to watch in the orchard at Melbourne Hall.

YORK TO BAKEWELL AND MATLOCK

SATURDAY 12^TH

Time to move on again.  It was raining when we packed up and left Melbourne Hall.   It has been a nice week and we have really enjoyed the rural atmosphere and sitting watching the birds in the trees and the pheasants in the orchard. 

The rain continued all the way to Matlock where we intended to stay however couldn’t find a B & B with a vacancy so drove on to Bakewell where we were lucky enough to score one room for two nights.  The rain has continued since we arrived. 

We had lunch in a pub called Arkwright which really tickled Ian’s fancy.  He loved Ronnie Barker in ‘Open all Hours’   Don’t think the pub would open all hours though. 

At last I have some decent service with the internet connection and have been able to put on some photos and get the blog done without it cutting out.  Technology is great till it doesn't work well.   

FRIDAY 11^TH

This morning we went off driving to see if we could find the start of the Canal we had walked along earlier in the week however couldn’t.  We did find a lock along the way in another part that still hasn’t been restored.  This drive took us through a number of little villages and some farm land.  After doing some shopping in the supermarket at Polklington (the largest of the villages nearby)  we went back to the cottage for lunch.  Later in the afternoon we met up with Simon and followed him to his place where we had a lovely home cooked meal .   Before dinner he and Ian went for a walk up to see his shop and other things around their suburb just a few minutes out of York City centre.    We found our way home without any problems.

Part of a Canal that has not been restored.  As the restoration is by volunteers it is a long slow job as they are choked with grass and weeds.

THURSDAY 10^TH. 

We decided to go back into York today and left the car at the Park and Ride.  Ian went off wandering around the city again looking at the various old buildings that he had on his list and I went back to the  Shambles and did some shopping in the little shops there.  Afterwards I went to a couple of Department Stores however Department stores are the same the world over and I didn’t see anything that said ‘buy me’.   I met up with Ian for lunch and we then walked up to the York Minster, a beautiful old cathedral built between 1220 and 1480.  It is huge and easy to understand how it took over two hundred years to build.  There was a long queue to go in and, as we had been into it last time we were here, we decided to give it a miss.  The weather had turned really bitter during the day and started the misty rain so we went back to the car and drove home.   Up until now we had been saying how everything is overheated but we glad of the warmth when we got inside.



Roy.  Melbourne Hall Estate was a horse stud for many years and this man was the Groom.  When the Hall was sold to it's present owners he sold Roy a little cottage on the property to live in so that he was able to stay on.  Roy, at 83, likes to keep the place looking ship shape and 'besides, what else would I do with my day after I've fed my horses and check the stock on the place,  after all I'm only 83.  Not sure if you can see but he is wearing a white shirt and tie under the dust jacket.  Old habits are hard to undo. 

WEDNESDAY 9^th

We went off walking this morning along the restored part of the Canal that Ian discovered on Monday and then continued on along the part that is still awaiting restoration to a bridge on the way to another village.  The walk along the tow path was very rough and we had to be careful not to tread in holes which we well hidden in grass.  It was a nice day and warm walking.  Later in the afternoon we met up with Guy’s friend Simon and his wife Leanne and two little boys, Thomas and Harry, both very active little fellows.  We had an early tea at a pub between Melbourne and York.  Although it was only a short catch up it was nice to do so. 



Some of the Long Boats anchored in the Canal.  I liked the name of the one in front.  "Still Thinking".  I wander what?

More photos

The Atlas Fountain in the grounds of the Castle looking through the window of the dining room



Howard Castle.  The Dome at the back right collapsed in the fine in 1940 and has been replaced. 

 The Dome which has been replaced.  The artwork was copied by a Canadian from old black and white photographs and drawings.  This stands above the great hall where functions are often held (I guess for VIPs)

The Shambles in York.  The buildings overhang the narrow road leading through.

Photos that I couldn't do last week

White Cliffs with caves at North Landing

Foggy Morning at Whitby.  The beach looks very different when the sun is not shining.

WHITBY TO YORK

 

FRIDAY 4^TH

It was very foggy when we woke up and I knew the tide would be low so we went down to the Marina to take some photos however the fog was more around the beach area although there were boats sitting out on the mud waiting for the tide to come in.  We drove around further  to where the river goes out to sea without much luck for photos.  The best were up around the beach where the beach chalets were.  Ian went off for a walk after breakfast and then we drove to Ruswarp not all that far away from Whitby had some lunch and waited for the steam train to come through.   We were back at the flat by mid afternoon and just sat around reading for the rest of the afternoon.   Watched the funniest show on TV.  Ronnie Corbett comparing this thing about a dog whisperer.  He obviously didn’t take it seriously, anymore that we did and it was a good laugh.  Ian kept saying ‘do we have to watch this?’ 

SATURDAY 5^TH

 

Time to move on.  After a long farewell with our landlord (we felt he was a very lonely man) we left Whitby and went down towards Scarborough stopping at Ravenscar on the way.  From here we had a great view back to Robin Hood Bay and the cliffs that Ian walked along on his walk.  Then on to Scarborough which is a very commercial holiday destination.  Lots of Fun parlors, souvenir shops and heaps of hotels, guest houses etc around the beach. It must be bedlam in the peak holiday season.  Donkey rides on the beach.  We didn’t stay long, just had a quick walk around and moved on.  Not my sort of place.  We drove through a few more villages and seaside places eventually coming to North Landing.  This is a little bay surrounded by chalk cliffs with caves in them.  Perfect place for smugglers.  We had lunch in a pub there and then went to South Landing, the other side of the headland and walked down around past the lighthouse and the lighthouse buildings.  Again the chalk cliffs and little caves. 

Time was getting away so we drove on to Melbourne, about 12 miles from York where we have booked a cottage for the week.  We are in the Chauffer’s Cottage, part of a manor estate.  It is very nice.  The wife greeted us and assured us her husband would be in to tell us all we needed to know.  As promised he came and we didn’t think we would ever get rid of him.  He had a note book with a list of things to tell us about which went on and on.  He reminded me of a couple of English gentlemen we deal with from time to time.  There were some nice little cup cakes as a welcome as well as a bottle of wine, so we are not complaining. 

FRIDAY 4^TH

It was very foggy when we woke up and I knew the tide would be low so we went down to the Marina to take some photos however the fog was more around the beach area although there were boats sitting out on the mud waiting for the tide to come in.  We drove around further  to where the river goes out to sea without much luck for photos.  The best were up around the beach where the beach chalets were.  Ian went off for a walk after breakfast and then we drove to Ruswarp not all that far away from Whitby had some lunch and waited for the steam train to come through.   We were back at the flat by mid afternoon and just sat around reading for the rest of the afternoon.   Watched the funniest show on TV.  Ronnie Corbett comparing this thing about a dog whisperer.  He obviously didn’t take it seriously, anymore that we did and it was a good laugh.  Ian kept saying ‘do we have to watch this?’ 

SATURDAY 5^TH

 

Time to move on.  After a long farewell with our landlord (we felt he was a very lonely man) we left Whitby and went down towards Scarborough stopping at Ravenscar on the way.  From here we had a great view back to Robin Hood Bay and the cliffs that Ian walked along on his walk.  Then on to Scarborough which is a very commercial holiday destination.  Lots of Fun parlors, souvenir shops and heaps of hotels, guest houses etc around the beach. It must be bedlam in the peak holiday season.  Donkey rides on the beach.  We didn’t stay long, just had a quick walk around and moved on.  Not my sort of place.  We drove through a few more villages and seaside places eventually coming to North Landing.  This is a little bay surrounded by chalk cliffs with caves in them.  Perfect place for smugglers.  We had lunch in a pub there and then went to South Landing, the other side of the headland and walked down around past the lighthouse and the lighthouse buildings.  Again the chalk cliffs and little caves. 

Time was getting away so we drove on to Melbourne, about 12 miles from York where we have booked a cottage for the week.  We are in the Chauffer’s Cottage, part of a manor estate.  It is very nice.  The wife greeted us and assured us her husband would be in to tell us all we needed to know.  As promised he came and we didn’t think we would ever get rid of him.  He had a note book with a list of things to tell us about which went on and on.  He reminded me of a couple of English gentlemen we deal with from time to time.  There were some nice little cup cakes as a welcome as well as a bottle of wine, so we are not complaining. 

SUNDAY 6^th

We had a quiet day mainly just reading and relaxing.  We walked up to the local pub and had some lunch and walked around the little village which really didn’t take very long.  No photos.  Actually didn’t even take my camera out.

MONDAY 7^TH

Ian went for his walk after breakfast and discovered a small canal here which he walked along and continued along the tow path for a while.  Many of the old canals are being restored by local volunteers however it is a long process as they are really clogged up with debris and overgrown.  When he came back we went off to Stamford Bridge and found the two markers, one in the town and another overlooking the site where the Stamford Bridge battle happened in 1066.  This is where King Harold defeated the Norwegian invaders before he had to rush down to defend his throne at the Battle of Hastings which he lost to William the Conqueror.  The rest is history.   We then drove on to Castle Howard.  The grounds are fantastic and the interior is very interesting.  It was built in 1699 and still being lived in by some of the Howard family.  There was a fire in 1940 however most of it has been restored.  Brideshead Revisted was filmed here.  We were too late arriving at the Lavender Gardens however knew that it wasn’t the right season for lavender anyway.

TUESDAY 8^TH

Again Ian went off on his morning walk and then we drove to the Park and Ride depot, parked and caught the bus into York.  Our first stop was the Shambles.  This is where our son, Guy, worked when he was living in York 20 years ago in the fruit market.  This has changed hands since and is now smaller than it was when we went there 10 years ago  We had met the man in the fish market last time and went and asked about him to discover that he passed away 10 years ago.  Time changes so many things.  We then went off wandering around the old part of York.  So many old historic buildings still exist.  I spent some time trying to top up my internet modem in a shop and finished up with a new Sim card after a lot of frustration.  We caught the bus back to the car and drove back to Melbourne along some little roads that are so narrow. 

SANDSEND

THURSDAY 3^RD

Ian went for a walk this morning after the mobile “Chips Away” fellow had finished repairing the few scratches to the car which happened the first day we had it when Ian reversing in a very tiny street.  Ian wanted to see another viaduct that we saw when we were on the train yesterday. 

When he came back we went off to Saltburn where we had lunch at a pub down by the water.  This is another of those coastal towns where the main centre is up above the cliff with very little down at the water.   We then drove back through Staithes where we couldn’t drive into the village but had to park at the top of the hill and walk down a steep hill to the bottom, not unlike Robin Hood Bay and then on to Runswick and then to Sandsend.  The weather was deteriorating rapidly and by the time we got to Sandsend the tide was in and the seas were rough and blowing up over the sea wall.  It started raining lightly however the wind continued. 

Tonight on the weather the forecast is for a bad night and up to 3 mm of rain and possible flooding.  Not sure if they really meant 3 mm however the rain is not very heavy, just cold. 

Rough weather at Sandsend

GOATLAND STEAM TRAIN

WEDNESDAY 2^ND

Although Ian said there were no more steam train trips to go on he seems to notice another one every now and again.  Today we went from Whitby to Goathland.  We had been to Goathland to Pickering last time we were here so have now done the complete trip.  There were two older ladies from Sussex sitting opposite us and they kept us well entertained on the way.  Both a pair of characters.  One used  to be a truck driver for the company the other’s husband owned.  She was the most unlikely truck driver.  They came straight back to Grosmont (a little village between Whitby and Goathland) to see where the truck drivers aunt used to live.  When we got off the train at Whitby they saw us and the truck driver excitedly told us that her aunts place was now a café and the old school accommodation.  She was over the moon.    Whilst waiting for the train I told Ian I would sit and wait on the platform whilst he wandered around.  As I did some other ladies heard me say it and commented ‘another steam widow’.  The men just love the trains and they run around with cameras and videos, sniffing the steam and love to tell you where the old engines used to travel, how fast they used to go and what they were capable of carrying.

When we came back to Whitby we went to the Magpie Café for lunch.   The Magpie is known far and wide as the best fish and chips in the world.  It lives up to it’s reputation.  It was nearly 2.00pm when we arrived and only had  to line up for about 15 minutes today which was quite long enough, the wind is bitter off the water.  Last time we were here we lined up for about an hour and a half however it was a lovely sunny day that day so it didn’t matter.  Ian and I both decided to have other than fish and chips and Ian’s fish pie was great and I had the seafood hot pot which was magnificent. 

After lunch we wandered around some of the little streets on that side of the harbour.  Whitby is famous for it’s jet and these streets are lined with jet jewelry shops.   It was well after 5.00 when we walked back to our accommodation and we are both pleased to be out of that wind. 

Goathland Rail Station - note the two station men chatting across the lines.

ESK VALLEY

TUESDAY 1^ST OCTOBER

We started our day driving up to the Whitby Abbey ruins which stands on top of the hill overlooking the town.  After paying the One pound fifty pence to park for an hour we walked down to the entrance to discover it was closed.  After a walk around we drove around to the Tea Café however it was locked up.  There were lots of people walking around asking questions but no one to answer them.  We found out later that the Abbey is closed as from today Monday to Wednesday so maybe will try another day.  Should we ever come to the UK again we will budget for parking fees.   There are pay and display signs in every car park.  We walked around the Abbey 10 years ago when we called in to Whitby and it was just sitting in a paddock however it is now managed by English Heritage, I guess necessary to protect it however it all seems a bit over the top.

We then decided to drive around the Esk Valley through some of the many little villages and through the moors.  I don’t find this area half as nice as the dales however the landscape is interesting, although quite dark.  It has been dull and overcast all day with strong winds.   We finished up having lunch at Goathland (where Heartbeat was filmed).  The little pub was full so we went back to another one near the old church.  Last time we were here we were looking at the church when a lady walked up to Ian and asked if he knew where the Doctor was buried.  Of course the Doctor was in Heartbeat.  How seriously people take TV shows!!   Back to Whitby, did some shopping and home out of the wind.  Ian braved it again though and went back down to the bookshop to buy another book.   We have both read a few books on this trip. 

These vines cover a lot of the old stone buildings and are turning a beautiful red.  We've been seeing the all over the place and add lots of colour to the villages.

Close up of the leaves. 

WHITBY AND ROBIN HOOD BAY

MONDAY 30^TH

Yesterday we made the most of a nice morning and walked down to the beach.  Our little studio apartment  is not far away on the headland.  The beach  is at the bottom of a steep cliff, known as West Cliff which Ian is adamant faces east.  As we looked down we saw the row of old beach changing sheds (called chalets here).  They are all painted different colours and certainly added colour to the promenade. As we walked along towards the far end of the beach past the chalets people were using them for different things, storage etc and one lady was actually cooking breakfast or brunch inside one and it was well set up with all the things you would find in a kitchen campsite.  We came  back up to the top  and then around a few blocks finally coming back to the end of our street and having lunch in a pub nearby. It was interesting people watching along the promenade and down on the sand.  Families were there with the kids having a whale of a time making sand castles, digging holes and some were running in to the water with their gum boots on.  One lady was sitting in her chair with a crocheted rug wrapped around her reading with a coffee pot and mug on a small table beside her.  It was carvery day at the pub and again lots of families enjoying lunch.  We spent the afternoon sitting around reading and then watching a bit of TV and catching up on emails etc.  It is nice to be able to go online and stay online.  Up until now we have had so much trouble getting service.

 



Beach Chalets along the promenade at Whitby

Family Fun on the beach rugged up in the winter woollies with the wind break for shelter.

 

Today Ian left after breakfast to do the walk from Whitby to Robin Hood Bay, about 6 miles.  Robin Hood Bay is where the coast to coast walk finishes so we have seen the beginning and now the end.  The walk took him along the cliffs.   He thoroughly enjoyed it.   I walked down to the bus station and caught the bus out later in the morning and met Ian at the bus station  We then walked down to the bottom of the Bay.  This is a very steep walk down.  The old town is a twist of little lanes (no cars allowed).  A few little shops, a couple of pubs and coffee shops and lots of guest houses and B & Bs.  We had lunch overlooking the bay and then did the climb back up to the top again.  We caught the bus back to Whitby and then walked back up from the marina to our accommodation.  Our landlord called in with a bottle of wine and sat and chattered to us for about an hour.  Nice fellow who is by himself and seems to enjoy chatting.

HAWES TO WHITBY

SATURDAY 28^TH

Well we covered most points north, south, east and west of Hawes, some days only driving thirty miles or so and today moved on to Whitby on the east coast.  We spent some time at Fountain Abbey, a world heritage site near Ripon.  Monks built this enormous place in the 12^th century.   It has fallen into disrepair however the internal stone work is beautiful and the colour of the stones amazing.  Later in the 1700s some Lake Gardens were constructed and these are now being restored.  The grounds are huge.  At the top of one of the surrounding hills was the Anne Boleyn seat overlooking the Abbey and grounds.  There was a headless statue near the seat and Ian wondered if it was of Anne Boleyn after she was beheaded or if someone had pinched the head!  

We drove across the Moors and the landscape changed dramatically.  Much more agriculture and as we came closer to Whitby we drove through low heathland which is dark purple and so different from the bright greens we have been in in the Yorkshire Dales.  We have found a little studio apartment where we will stay for the next week.

Near Natby.  So typical of the landscape in the Yorkshire Dales.  Beautiful green grass and fields with the stone fences and little shelters for the sheep scattered around.  Friday was a lovely sunny day.

The coloured stone work inside Fountain Abbey

A portion of Fountain Abbey and the grounds leading to the Water Gardens.

Thursday 26^TH

It was a nice morning and after breakfast Ian set off on a walk along the Pennine track in the opposite way to yesterday.  He had no intention of going as far as he did however now feels he can call himself a fell walker.  He climbed quite a hill outside Hawes.  I  the rounds of the shops trying to replace two wine glasses that I managed to break last night.  I finally found some in the Electrical shop.  Obviously Hawes  has not got a lot of shops and those that are here seem to sell the oddest of things.  The chemist sells wine, the lolly shop sells tobacco.  The supermarket is a nightmare.   They have a row full of chocolates however trying to find tea was impossible and I finally had to ask. The young fellow isn’t particularly friendly and pointed to the small shelf as if I must have been blind not to see it. 

When Ian arrived back we headed out to see the Ribblehead Viaduct, another of Ian’s obsessions with railways.  This is a pretty impressive structure across a valley.  We had seen it before and crossed it in the train from Settle to Garsdale Head 10 years ago.  After a photo stop and a walk to the viaduct we drove on to Horton-In-Ribblesdale where we had a late lunch and chattered to the lady serving for ages.  People are so friendly and always ready to tell us about the area.   We then drove on to Settle, had a walk around and drove back to Hawes.

Ribblehead Viaduct stretching across the valley

WEDNESDAY 25^TH

Ian had discovered a little bridge just off the Pennine track and wanted me to go and see it so we walked up a bit till we came to the track and then across the fields, through the sheep to the Packhorse bridge obviously built for the packhorse to cross the creek.  Whilst there a couple of hardcore walkers from Chester came along and we chattered to them for a while.  They walk Mt Snowdon as a weekend treat however were in Hawes for a week for a boys week.  It seems they had it all sorted.  One was the chef, one the barman, another in charge of the washing etc.  Not sure what the other three did.  They were on a rest day today and just taking a stroll. 

We came back to town, had a light lunch in a tea room,  very old style.  They advertised good coffee which is why we went there however the coffee was not good.  After lunch we walked up to the Creamery (cheese factory)  and had a taste of the various cheese.  Left with a few goodies.  Later in the afternoon we drove back up to the tops to find the Buttertubs which we didn’t find.  These are so named because, it is said, that in past years the people that bought the butter to the markets in Hawes stored any that wasn’t sold in these wet holes in the ground until the next week.  The people living next to the cottage can not understand why we can’t find them and even offered to take us there before we go.   Whilst looking around the mist came across again and we sat watching it roll across the hills and down into the valley. 

 

Ian loves a chat, this is at the little Packhorse bridge.

TUESDAY  24^th

The mist that fell over the valley late yesterday was still hanging on this morning when we woke.  Ian went off for a walk after breakfast and when he came back we went off driving towards Skipton.  It was hard to see very far and as we climbed higher the mist became thicker.  We went through a lot of little villages with the quaintest of names and finally stopped at Buckden for lunch at the Buck Inn.  The pubs have some amazing names as well.  After lunch we continued on and stopped at Bolton Abbey.  This is enormous and just one of hundreds that was demolished by King Henry V111 during the reformation.  The nave survived the demolishing and was used as the Parish church for the locals and is still in use today.  Right next to it is a huge property and manor house belonging to the Duke of Devenshire, just one of his many properties in England and Ireland.  Beautiful grounds.  By the time we had reached Embsay just outside Skipton it was after 5.00 so had a quick look at the Railway (missed the last steam train ride) and headed back to Hawes.   Although the mist had made it hard to see much we discovered the colours changing on the trees and this certainly adds to the colours and vista in the valleys.  Some trees are already quite yellow. 

Looking down to Burnsall with the misty hills in the background. The road winds around through these little villages.

 

MONDAY 23^RD 

Ian set off on a walk after breakfast around some of the villages and fields.  He was exhilarated when he arrived back and had been walking across fields with the sheep and chatting to various people along the way.  The overcast morning turned into a beautiful day by lunch time.   I had been out and about Hawes looking in the various shops (that took all of half an hour),  and stocked up on some groceries etc. 

We had lunch in a little tea room in the centre and then came back to the cottage for a while before going out later in the afternoon driving further up into the hills and around the tops.  Whenever we stop and walk around people stop and chat.  By the time we started home the sun was setting and because of the smoke around there was some nice colour in the sky.   As we came closer to Hawes the mist had started to move across the valley again and it was really thick when we arrived back. 

The fields are so green and even better when the sun shines.  The dry stone fences divide the little paddocks up and make great patterns.  This is sheep country.

SUNDAY 22ND

We left Keswick yesterday morning, and although the local man assured us it was going to be a nice day, the mist was still clinging to the mountains and across the lakes as we drove away.   By lunch time we had arrived at Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales and had left the wet behind however it was still clouding.  Our main mission was to find somewhere to stay for the next week and with luck managed to get the last cottage left in Hawes.   It’s a cute little one up, one down stone place attached to other buildings. Not sure what it’s original use would have been, maybe a store room or something. 

This morning we went for a walk around Hawes and up around another little village.  They all seem to run into each other.  The views are lovely from high up and although we are in the town there are sheep in the paddocks around us giving it a rural feeling.

This afternoon we went driving around, probably not even 10 miles, around more villages and up onto the hills where we had some nice views over the valleys. 

Overlooking Hawes and the fields beyond

FRIDAY 20^TH  

We woke this morning to actually see a pale blue sky however by the time we had breakfast it was past and the clouds and mist have rolled over yet again.

Yesterday the forecast was for it to clear around 3.00pm so we went off to our local pub for lunch and then to Grasmere Lake and village however the promise didn’t come to being.  Grasmere is a really pretty little place and obviously very expensive to live in.  We went for a walk however unless you are prepared to tramp through the long wet grass it is impossible to get right down to the lake except near a café where there are boats for hire.  I went down to the edge and started taking photos.  Ian stayed and talked to the man and noticed the sign that said if you wanted to take photos on his patch then you needed to spend money in his café so Ian bought a Kit Kat (big spender) and when I came back up I picked up some post cards after discovering that he was the photographer.  He certainly has a great place to get some interesting shots.  Just missed a Photography Exhibition when we got back into the village.  

There are dozens of walking tracks around the area and walkers are well catered for with places to park their cars on these little narrow roads.  It’s hard to find other places to stop and take in the sights as you drive around. 

WEDNESDAY 18TH
We booked into a cottage at Thirlspot just a short distants from Keswick on Saturday and have spent the last days bunkered down in the rain.  We discovered the local pub half a mile away and have become regulars there for lunch, they started greeting us yesterday.   Today was predicted to be better so took a punt and drove up to the old slate mine Honister Pass and then back to Rosthwait where I celebrated my birthday with a beautiful local trout freshly caught and poached followed by a sticky pudding covered in toffee sauce and a huge bowl of fresh thick cream which I shared with Ian.
We did this drive 10 years ago when the mine was just as it was originally however it is now all commercial with tours, café etc so not half as good however the drive through the mountains and and around the lakes are stunning even though we have been in and out of showers all day. 

We haven't had any internet or phone service where we are staying so are currently sitting in Costa Café where we have discovered the best coffee in England so far. 
It has been nice being in a cottage during this drenching the alternative in a B & B room would have been awful, at least we can move about and read and watch TV etc.  

LAKES DISTRICT

FRIDAY 13^TH   Ian went off in one direction this morning looking for some Standing Stones which he didn’t find and I went off the other way for a wander along the beach.  The tide was out and there is plenty of sand between the cliff and the water.  I walked along taking photos, I think for the sake of it, and down to the jetty which only reaches half way in low tide.  We met back at the B & B and decided to go to Ennerdale Water, another lake a few miles away.  We found a car park and took one of the paths down to the edge of the lake and walked along for a while.  It was then time to find a pub for lunch.  The one we chose is where the Coast to Coast walkers stay on the first night after leaving St Bees so Ian feels he has at least touched part of the walk.  After seeing the terrain and being in the misty rain yesterday I think he is glad he is not trying to do the walk which has always been a bit of a dream for him.  

After lunch we seemed to take a lot of little roads back towards Seascale and finally wove our way back via St Bees.  The Sellafield Nuclear Station is between St Bees and Seascale is being decommissioned which they say will take between 50 and 100 years.  It is obviously a big part of the economy for the area and many of the workers stay in the accommodation around here.  The traffic at 3.30 is horrendous.  There must be hundreds of people employed there. 

Ian on the path at Ennerdale Waters.  Everything is very green still..  We have't seen any colour change so far. 

THE LAKES DISTRICT

THURSDAY 12^TH  -  It was a good decision to leave the train trip till today because we had a nice morning and managed to get the trip from Ravenglass to Dalegarth.  This was about a fifty minute trip in the tiniest carriages with a very small steam engine.  We had a hour there and then the return trip.  It was lunch time when we came back to the car and decided to drive on to the Bridge Inn at Stanton Bridge.  Another nice lunch however we have decided to give coffees a miss.  So far we have not been able to get a decent cup for days. 

We then drove to Wast Water.  This is the deepest Lake in the Lakes district.  It also claims to have the smallest church and the highest mountain however by the time we arrived at the end of the lake it was impossible to see the top of the mountain (Mt Scafell Pike) as the cloud and mist had moved in and on the way back it started really raining again.  Obviously it pays to get going early and do the sights before the rain comes across.  We have booked into the B & B at Seascale for tonight and tomorrow night so hopefully we will get a chance tomorrow to have a look around this coastal area. 

Misty rain starts moving in while we were at Wast Waters.

ENGLAND

WEDNESDAY 11^TH   -  It was overcast when we set out this morning and soon came into showers and misty rain.   We called at Lytham St Anne’s Golf Club for a quick look and then proceeded to get slightly lost, finishing up at Blackpool.  This was not the road we wanted to take at all however the drive through the streets was fascinating to say the least.  There must be a couple of miles of amusement places all the way along the shore line.  It is all pretty ghastly and not somewhere I will yearn to go back to, 

We finally found our way to the road we wanted.  Ian was keen to go to St Bees which is where the coast to coast walk starts on the west coast.  Not that he is planning to do the walk, he just wanted to see the place.  We stopped at a little place, Crook, for lunch in a country pub and then through to Ravenglass where there is another steam train ride.  After checking the timetable decided to leave it till tomorrow in the hope that the weather will be better.  St Bees didn’t do much for us either so we backtracked and came to Seascale and found a B & B opposite the beach.  It is really misty with low cloud so not much to see. 

It really was miserable when we arrived at Seascale.  This is the view from our room. 
I'm sure it is great on a nice sunny evening but tonight you almost can't see the horizon.

WALES TO ENGLAND

TUESDAY 10^TH   We went off after breakfast and found the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct over a deep gorge (World Heritage Listed) allowing narrow boats to travel on the Canal from Llangollen via Trevor on route to Froncysyllte.  Quite a marvel of engineering.  It was impossible to photograph the whole structure because of it’s immense size however interesting watching the boats going along the canal.  We then drove on to Chester and parked in the Park and Ride and took the bus into the city.   This is a very old walled city and we did the walk around the wall which was up and down and around about 2 miles but felt like 20.   We then found a nice little French café to have some lunch before going back to the car and taking the M road from Chester to Preston and then out to Lytham St Ann’s where we are tonight. 

Although it has only been about 180 ks it has been a long day and was even worse when we had trouble finding a bed for the night.  Finally Ian went for a walk and found two places.  The first had a room but no sheets of the beds so sent him next door which thankfully had a room.  This is the first time we have had trouble finding somewhere to stay.  Hopefully it is not a sign of things to come in England.    One thing we won’t miss in England are the Welsh signs.  Everything is now in both Welsh and English and it was really hard reading the signs.  Welsh is not a language you can relate to.  Apparently it is the same in Scotland too.  All very PC. 

OLD ROMAN BRIDGE INSIDE THE WALL AT CHESTER