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.