Skip to main content

A weekend on the east coast of Yorkshire

While I'm now back in my favourite place on earth (guess!) I had a wonderful time in Yorkshire.  I spent last weekend with my cousin Sue in her home in Sleights which is just outside Whitby on the east coast.  Whitby is a gorgeous town and while my photographs don't reflect the true loveliness of it due to cloudy skies, seriously it is beautiful. 

I took the train from Liverpool to York where my cousin Judy and her husband Colin picked me up.  A little confusion as they came right to the platform and I didn't see them nor even look for them and headed for the entrance/exit to the station where I thought they would meet me.  England it seems has taken down ticket barriers as your tickets are checked on the train - it used to be you needed to put your ticket through a slot in the barrier to get through to the train.  So I just assumed they would be waiting at the entrance of the station....haven't I learned yet...never assume anything...

Anyway they drove me back to their home via Castle Howard which was closed however we had tea in the nice cafe and had a browse around the shop.  We then headed to their beautiful home in Beckhole which is near Goathland.  So I had them stop briefly in Goathland where I could take pictures...so many wonderful memories there.  Not only of my aunt and uncle who would go there for holidays but of Judy's mom and aunt who lived there and were absolute sweethearts.  And we mustn't forget the British show "Heartbeat" which was filmed there.  Judy's mum and aunt were extras on the show now and again (as were quite a few of the locals) so it was great fun to watch it and spot them! 




Isn't it a darling village...there are sheep everywhere! 

Okay before you get confused....Judy and Sue and I share common great grandparents...our grandmothers were sisters, our mothers were cousins....but don't assume (we know that's dangerous) my roots are in Yorkshire...nope my grandparents were both from Gloucestershire.  However as far as I know no one is left there...they all either followed each other to Canada, died childless (or as I call it childfree..)or as in Judy and Sue's case...their grandmother married a Yorkshireman and moved north. 

So we headed to Judy and Colin's place and had a delicious evening meal of lasagna, salad and garlic bread. (and wine of course)  It was so good!  After traveling for so long it was good to have something home made....They then drove me on to Sue's place in Sleights. 

The last time I was in Yorkshire was 2007 which was much too long...Sue had just purchased a house in Sleights and had a massive remodelling project ahead of her.  Her house is absolutely beautiful with a lovely view out the back...


The next morning Sue drove me into Whitby and we had a mosey around stopping for a coffee...I resisted climbing the 199 steps up to the ruins of the Whitby castle and the Abbey!  Been there, done that - won't be doing it again.  My knees do NOT like steps! 

Abbey and castle on the hill

Lots of lobster fishing but the fishing of cod and other fish has really gone down in recent years and Whitby's fishing fleet is sadly not much now


Saturday morning shopping

Beginning of those 199 steps
We had a soup and sandwich  lunch in a nice pub and we both had stilton and apple sandwiches - a new combo for me and it was quite tasty.  No pictures sorry!

We then headed along the coast to Staithes, an old fishing village where the fisherwomen used to wear special bonnets to balance the basket of mussels on.  No longer of course.  I remember visiting this village back in 1975 on my firet ever trip to England so this was a nostalgic trip down memory lane for me.

Heading down into Staithes...coming back up was fun but no stairs so it was all good

typical houses

I love these little passages - good for smuggling stuff I am sure!
View of Staithes from the breakwater


Time for tea and a yorkshire curd tart - good but not as good as those Portugese custard tarts!
Fully refreshed we headed inland to the moors per my request...I wanted to get close and personal with some sheep and believe you me you do see sheep on the moors....


Did you know Yorkshire sheep are called Maureen, Brenda or Glady?  This one was Brenda


In mid August to early September the moors are covered with purple heather....
That evening Colin took us all out for a wonderful meal at a pub in a nearby village...I had the famous Whitby scampi.....don't worry there were chip as well....



 
 
The next morning Sue fixed me yummy bacon and eggs and we had a relaxing morning before going to Judy and Colin's for a late lunch of ham, pork pie, chicken, salads and bread....delish.  All too soon it was time to say goodbye and Sue drove me to my bed and breakfast in York.....need I say I didn't need to leave the room to go and eat...especially as Judy had sent me with leftovers for lunch as a snack!! 
 
Luckily I was able to see Sue a couple of days later as she picked me up and we drove to her sister Ann's village of Wetwang and had lunch in a nearby pub. 
 
It was wonderful to see family again and revisit the beautiful coast of North Yorkshire....


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Peeing on fish or a fish out of water

Well this morning we headed off by boat to Siem Reap.  Due to the low water on the Tonie Sap Lake (more like a river until near the end of the trip when it widened considerably) the trip would be an 8 hour one... It was supposed to be boring but ended up as anything but...in no certain order...let's see.... We had a rest stop (turned out to be the only one) along the way and the loo was just a hole over the lake and there were fish circling around underneath.  Yes it was just a hole in the floor...you definitely had someone watch your stuff while you went in or one false move and your camera/purse or whatever would be in the lake.  The fish either like the warm pee coming in or they are pervs and like to see ladies parts.  We were just a few minutes out when all of a sudden there was something flying over me and jumping all over the floor - a little fish!  Guess he wanted to join the tour.  Roger reached down and scooped him up while I hooted and hollered.  Okay it wasn&#

A walk along the coffin trail (and a couple of lakes) in the Lake District

While in the Lake District I wanted to do some light walking but not heavy duty hiking where I could easily get lost and my body not found for days partially eaten by hungry...sheep?  Anyway, you get the drift...not too grueling and safe for a solo walker.  I get a bit nervous when I am too far from civilization. There are lots of books about walking in the Lake District but they seem to be all about walking the fells in remote places...neither Thelma nor I fancied that.  While browsing in the post office/shop in Ambleside one day (if you are ever in Ambleside you must go there - a treasure!) I found a stand of walk descriptions on post cards.  And there I found my walk.  After all who could resist a stroll on the "coffin trail" in William Wordsworth country... I took a look and thought hmm...cafe along the route...that works for me. (with at least the security of knowing there was an available "loo" along the way.)  Okay, I may not have totally followed the

The highlights of my Fall 2023 trip

I'm back home after a great six weeks away. This was a "short" trip for me.  So here we go with an overview of my trip.   London London for me is always a good idea.  I fell in love with it back in the mid 70's and it's been calling me back ever since. Some of the best things in my life have happened in London.  When I learned my two Oz friends Loraine and Linda were going to be in London in the fall I knew I had to be there.  And what fun we had!!  Of course, I did loads of other things as well.  I spent two weeks there from mid September until very early October and then back again for four nights at the end of October before flying home.   After over five years (delayed for two and a half years thanks to Covid) of walking, I finally finished the 126 km Capital Ring.  The picture above is taken at the end of my walk and where I started in May of 2018 at the main door of Streatham Common station just steps from my B and B.  What a walk!  I got to see so much more