The first stop was Brimham Rocks and that was amazing. An alien landscape of granite weathered into odd and fascinating shapes, towering and incredible and open to be climbed and investigated. My youngest daughter went from bored to full on regression to 9 years old and she climbed and laughed and had lots of fun, more than a 17 year old is entitled to have.
We didn't spend nearly as long as we could have. It appears to be a place known mostly to locals as every voice Yorkshire born and bred. There were a lot of people there but this is a huge park and simply swallowed up the numbers. It is a testament to the beauty of Yorkshire that something that appeared as a footnote in a book, took up half a day and the promise of a return trip.
The main attraction of this trip, the piece de resistance,was Whitby Abbey, and whilst it was more incredible
than the last time I saw it, appearing more like the set of a film, apparently there were hundreds of seals in the
bay and we missed them, finding out about them after
we'd left the area. Having said that, what a place, it is so
atmospheric, definitely worth visiting. The arches are stunning and you can imagine the bats flitting round the ruins at dusk.
On the way home we stopped briefly at York and formulated a plan for next year, maybe stay in York and properly explore Yorkshire over a few days.
On the way home, not far from home, there was a loud bang as a bird flew into the side of the car. It was around 10pm and I of course stopped and saw a shape flapping around on the road. Close investigation revealed an owl. I foraged in the boot of the car and found some loose clothes and managed to wrap a struggling and clawing owl into a package and handed it to my eldest daughter and made the 30 minute detour to St Tiggywinkles. Thankfully they think the tawny owl has a broken wing and will be all right. They did comment that not many people will stop for an injured animal, all I would ask is that you do, a simple web search will show you the nearest sanctuary that will take them, it is the humane and right thing to do, when we stop caring we are lost.
Anyway, Tuesday was a day off, my rest day.
Wednesday was down to Glastonbury to see my Aunt Pat. I haven't seen her in a few years and she adores the girls. Unfortunately Anastasia has a stinking cold so we left her in bed. We met Pat in Cafe Spiral for lunch. They advertised gluten free sweet and savoury pancakes. The chap there said that he wasn't the pancake expert but would do his best and said we can pay at the end, if we like them, if not he'd just charge us for the drinks!
We had a nice catchup with Pat in this tiny Cafe, they didn't hassle us to leave and the pancakes were amazing. Anouska had a garlic mushrooms with a creamy sauce and spinach, I had cheese, red onions and mushrooms and Pat had smoked salmon, it was all really nice, definitely worth visiting and I paid him in full and tipped. Lovely service and the food was excellent.
We then had a wander around Glastonbury, looking in at all the Witchy shops, the crystals and the wands and the ceremonial garb.
We then left for Avebury.
There is not much to be said about Avebury, older than Stonehenge, it is a series of stone circles threaded throughout a village and a pub. Nearby is Silbury Hill and the West Kennet Long Barrow, if you've not been there then you must go, Avebury is wonderful.
We are now up to yesterday and it was time for the Clacton Airshow and the final flying year of the Vulcan. I feel very sad about that, it is criminal that the Government or the RAF haven't taken this mighty warbird on. It is sad that we no longer have any of the battleships left from either World War, no Mosquitos, only a single Lancaster and we have one airworthy Vulcan that is being grounded...I won't get into a rant about this because this makes me sad.
Anyway, the wind stopped the Lancaster from flying but it was all OK, the Spitfire and the Hurricane filled in for the old lady.
I then made the cardinal photographers error, my battery ran out and the spare was in the car, a 30 minute round trip away. I missed a few planes including the B17 and missed the first half of the Red Arrows but did catch the second half. They were unbelievable as usual, truly the best of British, the World's best pilots in a single squadron, long may they reign!
Then the fond farewell. The sound of the Vulcan was like the sky was being shredded then sudden peace as it turned away and then turned back so slowly, how can something so large stay aloft at such low speeds, graceful turns and those sleek lines, such a beautiful craft.
And then the new kid on the block, similar yet so different to the Vulcan, the Typhoon. Unlike the grace and curves of the Vulcan, this is the bad boy, looking like something forged in Mordor, all sharp lines and spikes with fire flaming out of it's arse, Sauron Junior.
It has been a busy week but lots of fun. I am shattered but it feels like it's been a little while since my last trip.
My next visits will be Somerset and Gloucestershire and I have heard today, possibly Dorset for the Wounded Badger Patrol, another reason so be sad and another reason to be mad at the bastard Government, bunch of tossers sitting in ivory towers making judgement calls that benefit friends and family and cost the rest of us and the Countryside, dear...
