random ramblings: Eh oop! we 've been to Yorkshire

Well, one of the reasons I didn't have time to blog is that I was getting ready to go away, and the other was that I was actually on holiday. Daughter and husband and baby came with us, they had had bad news at the beginning of the previous week, Son in Law was to lose his job, in fact he would be leaving the Friday of that week. despite this we were determined to try and enjoy ourselves. Daughter was looking forward to having 3 other pairs of hands to look after an increasingly mobile almost 10 month old. He has now discovered stairs! We stayed in huge house in Scalby Village. It wasn't luxurious, in fact somewhat stuck in a 60s timewarp. But at least we weren't worrying about a certain young man wiping messy fingers on cream sofas. We had fun deciding what we would do if it was our home. First the 60s bathroom with formica fittings would have to go, and its gloomy lighting would have to be updated. The Aga, never used one before, would have to be updated to a 3 oven, and the olive green Poggenpohl units would have to be replaced. However since we are never likely to own it, it was just a game. There were still some of the servants bells left from when the house was built.

It was a tad cool when we arrived but the owner soon showed us how to operate the heating. He lives in a house in a parallel road, so his garden backs on to that of the holiday house. We explored the half acre gardens, lovely for older children, but decide that like the house the garden needed some tlc. On Sunday we mainly just took things easy, recovering from the journey. I tried out the Aga for steaks, and they cooked really well and were quite moist. I felt much more confident. We went to a little church fellowship which meets in a church hall, in Scarborough. They get speakers from Whitby and Pickering. It was a nice service, and better than dashing over to Whitby as we did last time. The only problem was the time of the service, 3.30 pm, no time for zizzing after lunch!
The beds were reasonably comfortable, good thing, as I had elected not to take the mattress topper, as it didn't make any difference last year, so decided to risk doing without. It took awhile for Nathaniel to settle in, but eventually I managed to sleep through most if the night. On the Monday we went to Whitby, and had lunch in a restaurant. Then we explored the North side of Whitby.


Whitby Harbour

Nathaniel waits for lunch


Whitby abbey

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On Tuesday we went down into Scarborough, bought M&S sandwiches before taking Nathaniel on the beach for the first time

Wednesday was the day when we chose to go on the North York Moors Railway, it was good weather wise in fact we only had a couple of showers in that first week.We had a steam haul both ways, which was nice. We could see from passing other trains that they have started doing lunches on some journeys, and afternoon teas.

engine at Grosmont

Fun with Mummy

rounding a bend

On the way back we managed to get a compartments to ourselves in a corridor coach, so Nathaniel's excited babble did not annoy too many people. Sadly he does not have a volume control yet.

On Thursday we went to Sandsend, as husband wanted to look for fossils, but the tide was in, so after lunch we walked along Sandsend seafront, and back again, then headed off for Robin Hood's Bay.

Sansdend

Checking the nets

The hill we climbed back up to the car park

Me at Robin Hood's bay

Friday was spent in York, daughter wanted to visit the Minster, but it was £11 to go in. I think that is scandalous for what is supposed to be a place of worship. We wandered around for a while, the men disappeared into a coffee place with wifi, and I had a cuppa at a small Betty's tearooms.

On Saturday it was the culmination of Scalby fair. The road near our house was to be blocked off, so husband and I caught a bus into Scarborough for a couple of hours in the morning then we attended the fair and watched various dancers, browsed stalls, and went to inspect the church's flower festival.