A heatwave was promised, we headed off again to Craken House caravan site for a few days.
Arrived in the glorious sunshine and had a walk into Leyburn and looked round the shops.
A magical full moon that night which started looking more like the sun. Every window open in the van gave us a cool night.
Day One, we drove to Cover Bridge and did about a 6+ mile loop, walking up to East Witton first, a pretty village but probably all second homes! Up on to the moor with the heather in bloom and crazy sheep who walked over a cattle grid. On to Ellingstring where we had lunch under a lovely oak tree. Then Roy did his short cut way down a mad overgrown path with nettles, thistles, bracken and brambles! Not sure exactly where we where as we came out at a field full of bouncy castles and a maze - Brymor, the icecream parlour!
On to Jervaulx Abbey, a peaceful, beautiful site, but sadly we could not find the tea room it advertised so back along the River Ure to our car at Cover Bridge Inn where we had a glorious drink in the beer garden. A very hot walk but good!
EAST WITTON
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| WILD FLOWERS |
EAST WITTON CHURCH
CRAZY SHEEP ON CATTLE GRID
ELLINGSTRING LUNCH
BRYNMOR ICECREAM PARLOUR
JERVAULX ABBEY
BLISS AT COVER BRIDGE INN!
Day two, temp still in the 30s but feeling bit better with a lovely breeze at times. We drove short ride to Middleham and did a 6 mile loop starting at Middleham Castle, and seeing the race horses coming through the village from the gallops, I thought at first we had missed seeing them up on the training track but as we climbed up the short hill on to Middleham Low Moor and walked along the gallops there were other horses still riding, so lovely to see. On to Tupgill Park, also known as The Forbidden Corner, after having an interesting talk with a young guy who had been riding the horse we'd just seen. Jordan was from Tipperary been here 4 months and was hoping to get an apprenticeship flat jockey rider. Such a polite young man.
Had a look in the entrance to Forbidden Corner, very busy.
Onwards to Coverham, stopping at the church for lunch then saw the ruins of Coverham Abbey. Back along the River Cover then up the six dales trail to Middleham with superb views of the castle.
MIDDLEHAM CASTLE
THE GALLOPS
A PLANE? ROY THOUGHT A HURRICANE
COVERHAM CHURCH, NO LONGER USED FOR WORSHIP BUT OPEN A COW PLAYING PEEK A BOO WHILE WE ATE LUNCH, REALL SCRATCHING HER NECK!
ALL THATS LEFT OF COVERHAM ABBEY
MIDDLEHAM CASTLE PICS
Day three, glorious again, we drove to Castle Bolton and did a 63/4 mile walk through peaceful fields of sheep to Carperby, across more fields full of squeeze gates to Aysgarth Falls. Amazed to see water flowing, we lunched at the side of the Upper Falls then continued to Middle and lower Falls, all so very pretty! Back across fields to Castle Bolton, where we decided not to look round the Castle, saved for another day! A gorgeous day!
AYSGARTH MIDDLE FALLS
THESE BIRDS WERE FARMED NOT SURE THAT THEY ARE
WOOD CARVING OF A DRAGON
WILD BOAR
Our last day, it was always going to be weather related whether we stopped another day, but the thunderstorms and rain looked less likely and with a pleasant temperature of 23oC, we had a leisurely walk over the fields to Harmby waterfall, so pretty! Upwards on an empty lane alongside an unused quarry with some birds for Roy to spot. Across the fields and back towards Leyburn, Roy got his ice cream and we headed back to camp. A wonderful time away!
HARMBY WATERFALL
BIRDS AT THE QUARRY
HARMBY QUARRY
END OF A WONDERFUL TIME!
