Levisham Moor and the Hole of Horcum

Another large hotel breakfast!   Smoked haddock and poached egg for me and scrambled egg, tomato and mushroom for Peter, plus toast and preceded by prunes and apricots.   Well, we needed the strength for walking!
Great weather for a hike, though when we were up on the moor the wind blew mightily. There was a splendid view at the beginning of the Hole of Horcum, a great hollow in the land.

Today's walk

The Hole of Horcum

Peter on the trail

Ruth looking brave

 The path started off wide and gentle and eventually narrowed to a rocky path above a deep ravine.   I was glad of my stick!  The last part of the walk was through the Hole of Horcum itself and then a steep ascent to get out.  

The narrow path above the ravine

Although I was dying to stop and eat lunch, Peter wasn't feeling hungry so after our 5 mile walk we got back in the car and drove to Thornton le Dale where we had lunch.  A nice little village with a beck running through it and a very superior car park which had clearly been a walled garden at one time.

After consuming our sandwiches we went to Malton, an interesting market town and were seduced by a shop selling bags and all sorts of ropes and gadgets.  

Woodall's in Malton

The man in the shop had a very interesting line in sales patter...mainly involving insulting the customer!   He was very dry!   After going off for a cup of tea and another piece of coffee and walnut cake (mea culpa) we went back and bought a bag.   He pretended to be so grateful for our custom that he asked me my name and presented me with a personalised door stop!

Back in Pickering we got out of our walking geat and did a bit of the town walk.   Mainly the church with its amazing wall paintings and churchyard criss crossed by paths. 

Churchyard

Then a half pint of beer in the bar downstairs at the hotel and a short saunter to the Indian restaurant down the road.  Probably the best Indian restaurant food we've ever had!  If you're ever in Pickering, visit Cilantro. 

Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey and back

The route

 Breakfast at the hotel...very quiet and polite.  Delicious prunes, apricots and Greek yoghurt followed by a full Yorkshire and toast!  Then into the car with the walking gear and a drive to Helmsley where we parked and wandered around a little and bought our picnic lunch - Yorkshire pork pie (large and tasty), tomatoes and apples. 

The beck in Helmsley

We set off on our walk along the Cleveland Way.  Lots of lambs in the fields and good paths though much more up and down than we're used to in Norfolk!  In fact the 7 mile walk was much more effort than expected. 

Little lambs eat ivy

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There are some pretty steep places on the path but we eventually reached the Abbey and we allowed in without paying as we were only venturing as far as the picnic tables.   We enjoyed our lunch and cup of tea from the café with the abbey in the background.

Rievaulx Abbey

The path up to the Rievaulx Terraces

Rievaulx Abbey from Rievaulx

Then climbed up a long winding and steep path edged with wild garlic to the Rievaulx Terraces where we toured one of the Temples and admired the view of the Abbey from above. This diversion added another mile to the walk but was worth it.

Then back to Helmsley, fortunately down hill most of the way.   We fell into the Beck Tea Shop and consumed three cups of tea each and a piece of coffee and walnut cake!   A very good day's walking with light cloud and little wind.  Perfect!

Pickering, North Yorkshire

The White Swan

This afternoon we arrived in Pickering, North Yorkshire for a 4 night stay at the White Swan.

A quick walk round the town revealed at least 4 bakeries, 2 chemists, an Indian, a Chinese, 3 pubs, an Italian, a fish and chip restaurant and a couple of cafes...and a Co-op supermarket...and several charity shops.   A bit short on delis!

We also investigated the station of the North Yorkshire Steam Railway.  A wonderful time warp.

Pickering Station

Looking South

The kiosk

We had a good meal in the hotel restaurant and a great bottle of wine.

 My pink lamb was fantastic, though Peter's steak was average.  When asked for our desert order we elaborately described the makings of an affagato only to be told it was on the menu (admittedly on the back) making us look like a couple of complete, pompous idiots!

Tomorrow, walking off the wine and food!

18th April 2017

Progress on all fronts at Southwold.   The new shed has been toned down with preservative and shelves have been made.  The conglomeration of pots, bits of wood and tools has now been cleared.  Pots have been filled with plants and the tools stowed in the shed. 

The old green plastic table which for several months was covered in tools has now been moved and will become a platform for a flower pot garden.   At least, that's the plan.  I have started to plant up pots and hope that soon the table will disappear under a wealth of trailing plants. 

New garden furniture has been installed.  We bought it at a pop-up sale in Reydon Village hall, despite the very hard sell from the wife of the team.  We almost walked away, her patter was so relentless!   We like the furniture, and so do the seagulls and pigeons who seem determined to decorate it!   Not much we can do about that.  There's very little chance they will observe a no-fly zone!

The bulbs I planted in the autumn are up and blazing with colour.   I hadn't realised how bright they would be!  Other things are also growing well including the most vigorous mint and parsley I have every grown.  They are monsters!  The crab-apple tree has survived the planting and the winter and is about to burst into flower. 

Inside, the living room is finished and we have done some re-arranging which makes better use of the space and the furniture.  Our bathroom has been painted and our next job is to do the finishing off (bath panel, mirror, shower rail, clean up the floor times) and make a curtain. 

A couple of weeks ago Rupert and Laura came down with the chainsaw to remove the holly tree.  Eliot came down with the boys so that Nancy could do some painting in their kitchen so we had extra hands to bring the tree down and chop it up.   Abe and Saul really worked hard with their secateurs!

Rupert and Laura have enjoyed a couple of weekends at Southwold and Simon and Tania have a couple of weekends planned too. 

Planters given to me by the family for my birthday

Sweet williams and tulips

More tulips

Sitting room views

The shed and herb bed

Abe and Saul hard at work

Rupert saws, Eliot pulls

Ready for meals in the sun

Checking the level of the shelf

February at Southwold

Nothing much has happened!   There are only so many times I can report on a curtain finished or a painting job completed.   So, lets just say that the work continues and in the meantime the house is very comfortable and enjoyable.

The grandchildren were with us for 4 days at the end of their half term (with their parents).  We had great weather for walks, playing in the garden and on the beach.  It was just warm enough.

No Grandma, we're not kicking the ball on the flowerbeds! 

Rupert and Laura joined us for one night.  On their last day Eliot took the boys to the swimming pool at Yarmouth which has a wave machine and slides.  Abe tripped on the steps up to the slide and got a cut over his eye which bled profusely and caused the slide to be shut.   Eliot took him to A&E and Nancy and I went to meet them there.  Quite a lot of rushing about and drama for a little cut.  Abe was a bit shocked and wobbly and so was his father!    In the end we had lunch at 5.30 in the afternoon  - prepared, in our absence, by grandpa!

This morning the shed we ordered on Friday was delivered and erected.  Very fast work!   We are looking forward to making shelves and fitting it out and clearing the garden.   Now we are on look out for garden furniture.

...will go in here, we hope.

This lot...

Another good week at Southwold

A lot has been achieved in the last three days:

• Curtains have been altered and hung in the front bedroom
• The carpet has been laid in the front bedroom (not by us of course) and the bed made and the TV installed and it's ready for occupancy! 
• The electrician has been and checked the hole that Peter drilled in the cable sending out a large bang, but, thankfully, nothing worse.  The hole has been patched and the batten for the curtain track installed.
• The curtain track has gone up and the curtain for the second window in the kitchen has been altered and hung.
• The handrail from the stairs to our bedroom has been sanded and stained and is ready for varnish in the morning.
• The hall floor is black and gleaming and really looks good.  All Peter's work.  His Christmas kneedpads have proved their weight in gold!
• The redecoration of the understairs cupboard is complete and coat hooks screwed back on.  We are on the lookout for more.
• The wardrobe doors in our bedroom have had another coat of paint.  They weren't exactly right.  So far just the lower doors done.  The upper doors still remain to be finished tomorrow.
• The thresholds to all the rooms have been re-varnished. 

Front bedroom

Front bedroom

Arts and Crafts hall table and umbrella stand and the gleaming hall floor

 

 

 

Plate made by yours truly in pottery class! Pattern from 50s wallpaper I had in my bedroom.

One end of the kitchen. Note Liss Bros bureau

The unholy holly

We have been giving the holly tree by the back gate the evil eye.   It's been badly pruned in the past and is lopsided with foliage on the street side only.  It is a roost for pigeons which foul the path to the back gate and the gate itself.   I have made enquiries and as the trunk at head height is bigger than a bean can we have to make an application to remove it.   There are two forms and a set of instructions.  This should be fun!

Between Christmas and New Year

Peter at work under the stairs

After the children had departed on December 27th we spent the day doing laundry, tidying up and going to the dump with the cardboard and paper!   Then we went to Southwold to continue our labours.  I refurbished another curtain for the kitchen and Peter attempted to put up a new curtain track for it.   Unfortunately he drilled rather too close to a power cable, smoke came out of the hole  and the trip switch went, but nothing worse, luckily.  However, he called a halt to his work and telephoned an electrician.  The electrician will call next week to check out the situation.  So a slight delay on getting the curtain up.   We took a brisk walk along the sea front as far as the pier and then back via the carpet shop to check on the front bedroom carpet, but the shop was closed for the holiday.

Instead we turned our attention to the cupboard under the stairs.   This has been emptied of coats and clutter so that the new floor boards that also run along the hall could be stained and varnished.   With the cupboard empty, the opportunity presented itself to freshen it up a little!   Hardly a priority, but the day was largely spent slapping white paint on.   Just the doorway and door and the skirting board to do and then we can get the coats back in.   It's an excellent space for storing 'stuff'.