Yorkshire Staycation Day 5 - Hawes and going home

Going home slowly! 

We packed up our lovely room and walked to the Bordar tea room for breakfast, sitting on the picnic table again. 

Breakfast!

It was sad to say goodbye to Masham but we did say we would try to return once a year.  I hope we are able to do this.

Our idea was to go slowly through the Yorkshire Dales and stop for coffee and cake along the way. 

Our first stop was Hawes, one of our absolute favourite  Yorkshire villages.   We parked at the Ropeworks and always enjoy going in there.  You never know what you will find that you did not know you needed!  However, it was not open to the public - only the rope works was working, meaning you could shop online……. About half the shops were not open, not just food related but also retail.  

Hawes has a lot of traffic that go through it, some very heavy and noisy so our dog was not able to relax because she is still very frightened of engine noise.  There were some hotels open and a few coffee shops, but the outdoor tables were too close to the noisy roads.  Other places we have enjoyed going in to were not open, all of these for no apparent reasons…..  We discussed going to the Wensleydale Cheese factory but I said no, the time in Hawes was just too sad.  

The best bakery....ever!

However, one of the reasons we will take massive detours to get to Hawes was not closed, so it was not all bad.  The first time we went to Hawes together (Alan had been before I moved over), we discovered Cockett's bakery and butcher shop.  We went in that first time and found the absolute best pie ever made.  It was apple and blackcurrant and made a lasting impression on us.  We have stayed in Hawes often but also made huge detours just to buy pies.  Sadly, the apple and blackcurrant pie was retired many years ago, but we are still very loyal fans of their pies, preferring apple but will buy other flavours if that is all they have. On this day, we got one apple and one blackcurrant to take home. I have been known to sit on a bench in Hawes and eat a whole pie, but that was years ago and I was pregnant at the time!  (and it was a small pie!)

various photos of Hawes.

We drove through the Dales and along Buttertubs, the scenery was perfect, as always.  

Next stop - Thwaite - another place with very pleasant memories, including time spent there with my Mom and Stepfather.  And again, the teashop we looked forward to going to was closed, for no reason.  

Thinking Nateby or Kirkby Stephen would offer some sort of tea shop there.  Sounds like we were getting obsessed with tea shops but it had been hours since breakfast and we needed to eat something.  

The drive through the Dales was scenic and I loved being there, but it was also heartbreaking to see so many closed shops and tea rooms.  

As we left Yorkshire, we came to Tebay in the Lake District and found a little hotel where we got lunch.  I got terrific Leek and Potato soup!  But it was disappointing not to be able to see and enjoy Yorkshire the way it should be seen and enjoyed.  

Sorry to end our fabulous first “staycation” on such a low note, but it is sad to see how the countryside is being affected.  I hope we can find a way to make our new era work out for the benefit of all of us.

As we crossed the border to Scotland, we saw a lovely horse and cart.  I guess full circle start with horse and carts and end with them too.  

Yorkshire Staycation Day 4 - Masham, Ripon

We had a lovely breakfast at the Bordar Tea Room at the market square. This is directly in front of the Kings Head Hotel and has always been our choice for breakfast when in Masham!   Looking out of our room window it is only the trees blocking view of the tea room.  You can see the picnic tables though.  The system was a bit different this time, thanks to Covid.  Instead of going inside to eat, everyone has to order at Window 1 and collect the order at Window 2.  There are picnic tables with lovey pink umbrellas to sit under while customers eat their choices too.  Not a bad change, but just different.  I do wonder if these sort of changes will continue when COVID becomes less of a threat….

We packed up the few belongings we had taken up to our third floor room  (second floor if you are British) in the hope of getting moved to a courtyard room later today.  Let's hope we are successful! 

Then we left Masham and went to Ripon.  Ripon is the smallest “city” in Yorkshire and the third smallest city in England.  The designation of “city” is much different here in the UK and has more to do with if  a place has a cathedral or a university or some other qualifying factors. But even this is not enough, city status has to be awarded by the monarch!  

We have been to Ripon before but In only remember visiting the cathedral, which is always necessary since it is so beautiful.  Since dogs are not allowed in the cathedral, Alan and I took turns going in. There is also a fee to take photographs, so Alan paid it and I asked him to take a few for me! 

When it was my turn to go in, I was able to truly enjoy the amazing collection and display of 100 years of wedding dresses!  The styles were  so different, yet so similar it was fascinating.  One, designed in 1923 by Coco Chanel, was stunningly Flapper style, but clearly a wedding dress.  I fell in love with it. Done in Winter velvet that made my fingers really want to caress the fabric, and the simple dropped waist and virtual nothing design of flapper dresses.  The note associated with it explained the family lace on the veil and teh simbyolisme of the orange bloosam, which I cannot remember. But what I do remember is the footnote that said the bride had other ideas and ran off with the challleur days before the wedding!  So that gorgeous dress was never worn! (apologies, Alan did not get a photo of my favourite dress and it would have been impossible for me to explain exactly which one it was!)

Here is what the leaflet I got at the cathedral said:  The exhibition contains gowns, with their headrests and veils, from 1885 to 2021.

The collection includes a gown donated by Kleinfeld, New York - known for the TV programme "Say Yes to the Dress". And the leaflet also mentions my personal favourite, the gown by Coco Chanel handmade by her for a family friend in 1923.

Kevin Thornhill owns a collection of over 200 wedding dresses which has taken around 40 years to acquire. (maybe I could donate mine!  It is so beautiful but much too tiny for any modern bride to wear. I was shocked when I looked at it recently! I don't think I was born as small as that dress I wore on my wedding day!)

There are also over 10,000 origami angels suspended from the ceiling, the title of this exhibition is "A Wing & A Prayer".  They were so beautilul.  This was  a Lockdown project was designed in the early days of Lockdown, to recognise the hard work and dedication of key workers and those on the frontlines of the fight against Covid 19.  The congregation was invited to make and contribute these origami angels. The assumption was the church would receive a few hundred….there are over 10,000!  They also thought the angles would only be up a few weeks….18 months later, they are still waiting for the end of this pandemic.

Many thanks to Alan for taking these.  Skye and I enjoyed our time relaxing on a park bench while he was inside Ripon Cathedral.

Cakes and tea at Wilfrid's

One goal I always have is to have proper English tea while in England. I accomplished this goal in Ripon at Wilfrid’s tea room.  This was actually my second choice based on research of tea shops!  I had chosen Chimes, which is near Ripon Cathedral and the info stated it is dog friendly.  We found it quite easily, almost across the street from the Cathedral, but had not finished wandering yet.  That could have been our fatal mistake because when we returned, there was a queue outside but the worst was being told the beer garden was full and that was the only place dogs were permitted!  So we walked on.

Almost immediately, we saw Wilfrid's, which was my second choice anyway.  There was room for us and the best part was .....  dogs allowed inside!  The service there was second to none too.  We ordered an  amazing cake lemon drizzle sparkle cake (which is only down seasonally and has surprise flavours in it!, millionaires' cake and I got a pot of Yorkshire Tea.  The, what I call, "ritual" of tea being served is always so impressive to this long standing and grateful tourist:  the teapot, cream jug, and extra pot of hot water.  After over 30 years, this is still one of my cheap thrills. The cakes were terrific too.

We then tried to go to Middleham, but could not get parked. I will continue to harp on about how full the UK is and this is without International travellers, this is UK residents doing staycations - like we are! 

Leaving Middleham, we then went to Leyburn. We have very pleasant memories of Leyburn since the first time I was there was for a WWII event.  The whole town was decked out in bunting and “everyone” was dressed up in 1040s attire.  We have only been there once but it was so much fun!  

Today was just normal day in Leyburn but it was still very nice to bed there. We had lunch at >>>>>>> sitting outside and just being happy to be there. Then we went back to Masham.

Upon arriving at the Kings Head Hotel, we discovered they had given us a lovely room in the courtyard, each room here is ground level and suitable for dogs. There is even a dog bowl with special mat waiting for her! This room is on the furthest left of the little lane that goes behind the hotel. We have stayed on the other side before and I hope we remember to always request a courtyard room whenever we return. My personal favourite room in on the second (first) floor overlooking the market square. Those rooms are huge and it is fun to look out the windows. But the ease, comfort and access to an outside table wins over even that room.  But in every room, regardless of where it is located, there are lovely bits of thoughtfulness, such as the bedside plugs where it is easy to plug in any appliances or battery chargers that might need electricity, without having to rearrange and move furniture to reach them! Also the requisite kettle, coffee and milk left at then rooms. Yes, this is standard, but it makes me happy when the kettle does not have someone else's leftover water in it!  And of course, the little dog mat and water bowl, so simple and so thoughtful.

Our reservation for Steak Night at the Bruce Arms was for 6:30 so there was ample time to return to the Bay Horse for another drink. If they cannot serve food, the least we can do is buy a drink!

We visited Black Sheep and Theakstons breweries since we really enjoy going to these places. We times it so we coudl go before going to the Bay Horse for dinner.   I got two local gins at Black Sheep gift shop - Black Sheep gin and Masham gin.  I do like to buy local gins as souvenirs but have tried to avoid this since I have so many gins now... but these two were in small bottles and that made it "ok"!  We got to Theakstons’ too late to get a beer, last call was 4pm. It is a nice pub in the brewery and I am sorry we missed that, but I know there will be a next time.

In speaking about the chef shortage I have learned it is more a perfect storm of so many other factors. Even before the pandemic, the number of chefs coming through was going down. It is a hard lifestyle with split shifts of lunches and dinners.  That has been the case for years.  Then of course, Lockdown.  There was no work for chefs during this time.  Some might have toughed that out with furlough payments or whatever, but many also found other ways to support themselves and have not returned to their original profession. Then so many of the Europeans we depended on in this industry, who have now been told they can no longer live or work in the UK without expensive and hard to come by visas…..This makes chefs more valuable and this makes it difficult for smaller businesses to afford them.  A perfect storm of bad news for many restaurants.

Steak night was delicious, and fun1 This is a real Yorkshire feeling pub and the service was informal and professional at the same time. We also ended up having a great conversation with the couples at the other two tables in our room.  One lady even gave Skye the rest of her steak since she could not finish hers.  

Skye waited patiently for us to finish dinner!

Return to our fabulous room and collapsing after another wonderful day.

Yorkshire Staycation Day 3 - Bempton Cliffs and Masham

St Andrew's Church, Weaverthorpe

Who would think Yorkshire is so big!  When we usually visit Yorkshire, it is the Dales we concentrate on. This trip has been spent in the East Riding and North Yorkshire regions.  I am not sure we will even drive through the Dales on the way home! These areas are not what springs to my mind when I think of Yorkshire, but they are equally fascinating and beautiful and well worth visiting.

We had a super breakfast at the Blue Bell Inn and then left for Bempton cliffs again.  Much later this time since breakfast was not served until 8:30 and the service was incredibly slow….

It is never too early to start looking for Albert!

The RSPB reserve at Bempton cliffs was so much busier today, probably due to much better weather.  We ended up being parked further away, but in a quieter and shady location, with was good later when Skye and I had to wait for Alan to be done with Albert Ross. 

We did walk along with him to the lookouts again and stayed for a while, no sighting of the Albatross for us today, also not for Alan, but he stayed an hour and a half after we left him living in hope!  

Skye enjoying the shade 
on a hot day

There was no puppy ice cream today, since they had not gotten another delivery, but all the staff were excited to see Skye again.  We went back to the car and set up a blanket in the shade, Skye slept and I read my book.

A very funny thing happened while we were waiting for Alan.  After being in a bit of a spot of trouble yesterday when I learned I had let a friend down when I promised her use of a travel cot, but forgot the day she needed it - which was today!  Then I had no phone signal for hours. I would get messages, such as the texts and phone calls Alan was frantically making since he knew Skye and I had had our differences on that long, training walk home (alongside a very steep cliff!).  So he and I agreed, if I needed him, to ask one of the volunteers - they all have radios and are all over the cliffs.....

Skye was asleep on her mat in the shade and I was sitting in the backseat of the car also in the shade, reading my book. then I heard one of the volunteers say to the radio, "I found the Boxer".  Uh oh, what was wrong with Alan was my first thought! 

Turned out the coffee shop volunteers had let everyone else know Skye was back and they all wanted to see and/or meet her!  It makes me so happy how she can affect so many people in such a positive way.  

We went to Malton after leaving the cliffs.  Alan used to go there as a child on holiday and he had fond memories of it. What a gorgeous town!  There was a petrol station that sold meal deals so we got a lunch and ate that in the car park before walking around to enjoy being in Malton.  We enjoyed a nice walk around the square and then headed off to Thirsk.

The crochet topped bollards

Thirsk Visitor Centre

So many tea shops,
so little time

Thirsk Market Square

Butcher Shop

It says the Shambles but not like York's Shambles

This post box has ERII on it.

We parked in Thirsk’s market square and Alan had nap.  This town is where the real James Herriot worked as a vet. But the the tv series was filled in Askrigg.  

While Alan took a nap, I walked around the town square and it was lovely.

There are parking bollards in the centre of the square and it took me a while to notice they were all topped with a variety of crocheted animals!  Once noticed, I could not understand how I had not seen them immediately. One was cuter than the other! 

Then off to Masham, we have been here too many times to count.  Simply arriving in their market square, which is the largest in the district, was wonderful.   There is a market there on Saturdays and Wednesdays but we were too late arriving this Wednesday to enjoy that.

This market square is like a huge car park in the centre of town, but hosts festivals and displays as well.  And, after quite a few years - maybe four or more - nothing appears to have changed and it felt like coming home.  We have always  stayed at the Kings Head Hotel and this was no exception.  Unfortunately, the message we were bringing a dog along had not travelled with our reservation, so we were placed on the top floor of the hotel.  3 floors and steep steps.

View from our room!

We had hoped for the courtyard since that would have been perfect for her. With any luck, they will be able to move us today.  As expected with all the UK residents doing mainly staycations this year, hotels are full and this one is no exception.  

The sign on left says "no food"

Another vast difference is the feeling of desperation all over where we have been travelling, due to staff shortages.  It is tangible and impossible to miss, recruiting signs everywhere, in elderly housing, restaurants or anywhere considered a service industry.  Alan and I are afraid this is one of the many results of Brexit since we are used to seeing European workers everywhere and there are simply none to be found.  Even the sink in one of our hotels was cracked and the owner was struggling to get anyone available to repair it. 

On our way into England I had received an email from the Kings Head stating due to staff shortages, if we had not pre-booked a table, we would not be able to eat in the hotel.  This was a disappointment because they usually have great food.  However we asked when we checked in and there had been a cancellation for 7:30. This gave us ample time to wander around Masham and reacquaint ourselves with one of our favourite Yorkshire villages. 

Alan's gammon steak

This was also fortunate since, in our wandering, we discovered there was no other space available to eat! Ok, there is a fish and chips shop and a Co-op grocery store so,we would not have starved!   

My steak pie, look at the amount of gravy!

Both other hotels in Masham were not serving food that evening at all.  We went into the  Bay Horse and sat in the “gin and tonic” garden. Coincidentally, we met both owners at different times.  One of the owners explained that they are unable to serve food at all due to the lack of chefs right now.  

    The Bay Horse Inn

We went to the other hotel that had a sign in front that stated no food, but also offered a steak night the next night.  That sounded nice and so we booked it right away.  

All these places are dog friendly and it makes such a nice experience too be able to eat indoors and not outside in the beer gardens!

Dinner service was different and I wonder if these things will ever go back to normal. Instead of a server asking 

what we would like or getting drinks for us, we had to

 order at the bar! This is not a problem at all, just different.

After dinner, we walked along the quiet and peaceful market square and then climbed all those stairs and collapsed!

Another super day.