A misty Day on the Dales

Our last day in Thirsk, and we were off to drive through the Yorkshire Dales. This is the countryside that Alf Wight (James Herriot) worked in as a vet. The landscape is magnificent and the old dry-stone walls give the place an ancient feel.











Above, one of the many stone bridges over the clear streams and rivers.

Below, a field of sheep, close to a geocache, being watched by an anonymous wombat.









The sheep were curious









Probably wondering if I was a small brown sheep











But look, what could possibly be under this natually arranged pile of stones? Well a geocache of course, they are often found under piles of stones, supposedly for "camoflage"










With the cache taken care of some more driving and...











A visit to Richmond Castle, which was a pleasnt break in the journey back to thirsk.









Tomorrow we are off to Edinburgh... Scotland.... I feel an urge to wear a kilt and paint half my face blue.... why is that ?

Grand old Duke of York

Well we didn't actually meet the Grand old Duke, as he was busy marching his 10,000 men to the top of the hill and marching them down again..... so










We visited York Minster. An amazing place. We climbed the steps..... nearly 300 of them to the very top of the tower and saw the views around york













Here is some of the stained glass from inside












Here is the view from one of the turrets
The minster also has an undercroft where the ancient Roman remains have been excavated and explanations of their construction .













After leaving the minster, we wandered down the Shambles, an ancient street preserved as it was with overhanging buildings.














Finally we dared the York Dungeon. where we were entertained by some clever actors in a suitably spooky atmosphere.

Tomorrow we are off to the Yorkshire Dales.

Off to the Sea

On our way out today we saw a white horse on a hillside. There are a few of these across the country side.








Stately Homes look fine, Wombats of course feel that a good warm burrow is sufficient but its interesting to see how the well off live. This is Castle Howard, a home in Yorkshire.










Peacocks as pets, not a patch on Wombats of course.










The home is notable in that it was used for the production of "Brideshead Re-Visited"









We headed to Scarborough not to the "Scarborough Fair" but to the Scarborough Castle. The keep above was blown apart in an attack.










The castle overlooks the ocean and there were great views from here.






















Up on the opposite hill is the ruin of an abbey. The abbey is still magnificent even in ruin.










Down on the seafront is a typical English seaside with amusement arcades and donkey rides












and the TARDIS (again) the Doctor really does get around doesn't he !












We travelled north from Scarborough to Whitby where we saw the Whitby museum, which contained many interesting things, including some of Captain Cooks manuscripts

more soon....

A visit to Darrowby (Thirsk)

We left Hereford and travelled to Thirsk in north Yorkshire. A pleasant market town... but why did we go there?

As we wandered around the town, I heard an old Yorkshire man comment "Ohh Aye, thats a poorly lookin wombat! he ort to see 't vitinary! 'erriots not bad, go see im!"

Filled with concern I looked around for a "vitinary" and managed to find a practice on Kirkgate, here I am waiting outside Skeldale House.









Unfortunately I could not get in to see the Vitinary as he was tending to a poor dog owned by one Mrs Pomphrey. Apparently the dog suffers from "flop bot" and also suffers from the unfortunate name of "Tricky Woo".










Of course Mr Herriot (or Alf Wight) used to practice here and wrote the wonderful James Herriot stories. The practice has been preserved.










With life like figures and furniture depicting life in the Vetinary practice

























The car used in the television series "All Creatures Great and Small" was also on display










As were the studio sets from the series.









After leaving the surgery we wandered down by the river before dinner and saw this location which may contain a Geocache but used to contain a Mill and the remains of the old mill race can be seen.

More soon!

Castles, Romans and Time Lords?

Sunday morning and off to see some Midlands sights. This is Ludlow Castle. The town of Ludlow is almost exactly preserved as it was at the time the castle was occupied. The castle was interesting and had many places to explore











This is the front entrance to the castle. The Moat was empty and was a "dry moat"










The buildings in Ludlow are very old.










Ludlow castle may be old but this is older. An ancient roman ruin north of Hereford. This wall formed part of a massive Roman bath house.











Much of the foundations, but little else remains of this location.













Monday and time to head to Cardiff, what or WHO will we find here? Ahh a TARDIS! this must mean the Doctor is nearby...... but if the Doctor is around then there may also be .....













EEEK! DALEKS! Daleks and Wombats do not get on. This one waved his sink plunger at me and threatened to E-X-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E me. I beat a hasty retreat and left him for the Doctor to deal with.












Far better to see a castle. This is the central keep of Cardiff Castle. Which is mostly original.











Here is a view from the top of the ramparts.










And despite the castle information describing these holes as "POST" holes. I am convinced that they are evidence of wombat inhabitation. they are very cosy and just the right size!










Travelling back to Hereford, here is a view from the top of the national park. Lots of sheep and grass but no trees up here.











On the way down we came across a canal and a lock. A canal boat was using the lock at the time and we were able to watch and help a bit.











Here is the canal boat now up at the right level and ready to proceed to the canal.

More soon !

Off to the Midlands

Time to leave London. Here is the train timetable at Euston station. We are off to Birmingham to get ourselves some wheels. Yes wombats can drive too.










But for now we can relax and watch the countryside pass by










After arriving at Birmingham, we travelled briefly south to Coventry and stayed one night there. Here is the view from our hotel window.











Saturday morning, and we are off again, we are seeing a few well known places today. This is Heather Road in Binley Woods (near Coventry). What is this you ask ?











It is of course the location of Hyacinths House from "Keeping up Appearances" Very nervous driving past but fortunately Hyacinth did not appear to "sing at us"










The British make some wonderful TV, Us wombats have been watching it for years..... and the locations are real, and usually in tiny little villages. One such village is Turville. The windmill above appeared in the movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" The town has also been used for "Midsomer Murders"










And above and below in the same town, the home and church featured in "The Vicar of Dibley"




















After our visit to Turville one more TV related spot to visit. This tree, located next to lake Boldermere near east Clandon, was the site where Catweazle departed the 20th Century at the end of the first series of the show back in the 1970's










Here I am looking at the lake from the tree, at the same spot where Carrot (Catweazle's young 20th Century friend) asked "will you come back one day ?" as Catweazle vanished standing in the water you can see..... they don't make tv like that any more....sadly

more soon....