Bleak House Farm CL, York

    Mike had done a good deal of research & preparation for this trip.  He found a C.L. site at Bleak House Farm.  It's far from bleak although we don't see much in the way of farming going on.  There is a little Shetland pony which grazes the field every day although he is tethered.  He munches a complete circle of grass around him then the owners move his tether point to pastures new.  A sort of lawn mower cum crop circle maker.  The idea behind coming to York is to see the sights so Mike arranged Yorkshire passes for all of us ensuring we got our money's worth out of all the places we visit.

That pony does a grand job!

    The weather on the first few days was absolutely gorgeous.  We all catch the sun.  Mind you, we can't really help it when we're cycling and walking everywhere.  I'm so glad that we brought the bikes, it would have been awful waiting for a bus.  With the bikes, we ride along the River Ouse every day.

    A few days during the week, we came across tree surgeons doing what tree surgeons do so we had to skirt around them.  That means we need to cycle closer to the river!  Watch out Carol.  Don't fall in!  The gears on Mike's bike break on the 4th day.  He can still ride it but it's made it more difficult.

Last one up is a sissie!

   The York Castle Museum was particularly interesting as we learned all about York's history from Roman times to the present day.  There was also a 60's exhibition complete with a juke box where for 20p we could listen to an old 45.  Carol put on 'Glad all over' by the Dave Clark Five and of course we danced.  One lady came over and thanked us for taking her back to her youth.  I don't think that she was much older than us!

 Clifford's Tower was a race to the top with the last one buying coffee - I was last but I didn't have any money!  There were a few good views from the top.

 

  




Carol trying disassociate herself from the devil

   One part of Mike's preparations included finding 'Snickleways' and York is full of them.  He'd bought a book describing them and giving routes around the city using them.  A Snickleway is a conglomeration of the words alley, ginnal and snicket and are all path ways to get around the city. 

   There are more than you think and if you're not looking for them - you miss them.  We've snickled whenever we could and have seen parts of York that otherwise we wouldn't.  They're always a great way to get around without going on the roads.  

   This snickleway exits into Stonegate next to the site of a printers and a red devil was the customary sign for a printer's shop.

 



   One of our days, we went to Whitby.  It took us about an hour to get there but we were glad to have made the journey.  Whitby seems to change every time we go and this time was no exception.  Mind you, we haven't been there for around 15 - 18 years!   We went to the church next to the abbey - St. Mary's.  It was a rather strange church in that the seating was divided off for families, visitors, etc.

   We had a bit of an ice cream story in Whitby.  Carol wanted an ice-cream.  All we could find along the tourist side of the river was whippy ice-cream so I had one topped with blackcurrant mousse and nuts.  Mmmmmm!  Carol kept looking for other types but to no avail.  Then when we we were waiting outside the Co-op for Mike (he'd gone inside to use the facilities), Carol spied a café and came out with chocolate cone!  Then Mike decided that he wanted on so nipped back into the Co-op to get one.  He came out empty handed - the queues were too long!  Ah well, never mind.  Then about 5 minutes later, him and John spied a trailer selling ice-creams.  They ran across the road and stood gazing at all the choices. (they were like little kids at a sweet shop window)  They came back with some lovely flavours AND decent cones.  I'm not sure who liked theirs best but I sure enjoyed mine.

   The Jorvik Centre was good and still boasts a train to take you through the Jorvik journey.  It is very well organised and thought out.  The last tine that we went, there were smells reminiscent of a typical village of the time.  It wasn't there this time.  Maybe it was too pungent for some people!

   York Minster was also impressive both outside and in. Much of it has been restores since the fire in 1984 and there is still scaffolding outside. The crypt was a Roman display showing what had been found.  A little disappointing as I was expecting tombs, stone archways and dank passageways.

   Our visit to the Roman Baths at the bottom of a pub was interesting.  it was found when the pub wanted to expand their cellar.  Naturally, once they found the archaeology, they couldn't have the cellar.  They had a bit of Roman regalia on show so we had to have a go.



   The Merchant Adventurers Hall was quite impressive.  Plenty of high wood beamed ceilings, large rooms and old carved furniture.  One chair looked rather strange and was the Abbot's chair.  Another was designed by Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson who always carved a mouse somewhere his furniture.

   One of the cycleways into York was down the west side of the river Ouse and took us down the side of Rowntree Park.  From this side, we caught a glimpse of Carol & John along the east bank heading into York for their boat trip.  Walking and cycling as much as we have seems to have taken its toll.  We are all quite tired but it has been a great way to get around York and see the sights.

   The York Dungeons were fun.  Very dark, very smelly but a great way to learn the history of York or rather the sinister history of it.

   Our first beer in York was Samuel Smith's 'Old Brewery Bitter and John quite liked it...

   The Barley Hall was another old building that had been divided into 2 dwellings with a snickleway running between them.  Originally built for the clergy to rest and sleep when they were visiting from other parts of the county.

   We've been taking it in turns to cook the evening meals.  It has certainly kept the costs down and I'm not sure if we would have wanted to go back into York having spent the day cycling and walking already.  John has been a little concerned about how much life was left in the battery.  One evening, Carol noticed the voltage drop as John put on yet another light to cook by.  She said as much to John to which Mike extolled "She cannae tek any more, Cap'n"  Well, we all fell about laughing and not for the first time this holiday!  We are all certainly enjoying this trip.

    Robin Hood's Bay was lovely, if a little cold.  We had to park at the top of the hill and walk down.  It was steeper than I remembered!  We had a welcome coffee break on the way back up although it was a rather weak coffee.  The view across the sea certainly made up for it.

     On the way back to York, we stopped at the Hole of Horcomb for a cuppa, snack and read of the papers.

   The York Ghost Walk was excellent.  Unfortunately, we didn't take any photos.  The guy (Dan) who hosted the walk was obviously an actor which helped with the overall atmosphere.  He was also one of the staff at the York Dungeons.  The Ghost walk was the same as Mike and I had done before but was still as entertaining.  A definite 'must do' on a visit to York