Tuesday 25th June

We chose to spend today at Beamish Open Air Museum just south of Newcastle.

www.beamish.org.uk

We started with a ride on this tram all around the extensive site.



 

The town has a range of shops, a bank, pub and masonic lodge as well as houses. They are all authentic Victorian or Edwardian buildings and full of items which everyone enjoyed recognising.

There is a large stable yard complete with blacksmiths behind the inn with a range of coaches and carts stored inside the buildings.

The highlight of the day was talking to the printer who worked on the first floor of this building.

As we walked through the park to the tea rooms a Suffrage meeting was taking place on the bandstand.

Rhubarb flavour boiled sweets were being made at the back of the sweetshop. They were very tasty, fruity and not too sweet.

We enjoyed our return journey on the top deck of this tram having explored less than half of the site.

Thursday 20th June
This morning we visited Richmond to have a look round and to follow the Drummer Boy walk. It starts at the Market Place and passes this stone which commemorates a local legend. A tunnel was supposed to link the castle and Easby Abbey. A drummer boy was lowered into the opening so that soldiers could follow the sound of his drumming as he walked through the tunnel. This stone marks the spot where he was last heard and he was never seen again.

The path follows close by the side of the river Swale.

After about a mile we came to Easby Abbey which is one of the most complete ruins that we have seen.

The return route crosses the old iron railway bridge and we enjoyed the view as well as watching a large trout feeding below us. The walk continues along the old railway track back to Richmond.



Tuesday 18th June
The buttercups have been fantastic this year and we passed fields full of them on our way to Pateley Bridge.

Two miles through the town we stopped and walked up to Coldstones Cut, an art instillation on the edge of this quarry.
www.thecoldstonescut.org
We spent quite some time just watching the quarry operations and, luckily, got talking to the quarry manager.

Nearby are the remains of the extensive Toft Gate limekiln which was last used in the mid to late nineteenth century.

There are extensive views of Nidderdale from this site.



Sunday 16th June
We spent the afternoon in Golden Acre Park walking through the woods and ending up in the formal garden area.



Tuesday 11th June

Today we visited Brodsworth Hall to see the roses but we were a couple of weeks too early, though the rest of the gardens were lovely.

 

We saw the laburnum arch just at the right time and the scent when we were underneath it was lovely.

There was a croquet match taking place on the big lawn to one side of the hall.

After lunch we drove the short distance to Cusworth Hall on the other side of the A1.

The museum inside the hall was very good.

The chapel had been neglected and during restoration these painted ceiling panels were found underneath many layers of paint.

We walked through the gardens down to the lakes and enjoyed watching the varied birdlife.