Whitby Weekending

Hello Lovelies, 

my blog just seems to be about weekends away at the moment doesn't it!

I was so sad to miss Yarndale this year due to work commitments, but last weekend I was fortunate enough to spend two nights in Yorkshire with mum.

We decided to head for the North Yorkshire coast and booked two nights at a little

 B and B in Whitby as our base.

So on Friday morning, once the boys had left for school, we set off on the long journey from the Midlands.

By early afternoon we had reached the North York Moors National Park , an area of this huge county I'm not familiar with. 

The first really sunning sight we came across was this impressive natural amphitheatre... The Hole of Horcum..........

It was a stunning sight on such a lovely sunny Autumn afternoon. There's a panorama I took on my phone HERE, which shows it more clearly.

A little further along we stopped again.
We just couldn't believe our luck with the weather, it's such an exposed upland area, but yes...even though it was October...you could fancy an ice cream.

And the view from this lay-by on the moors was perfect for spotting the steam train as it travelled along the this heritage railway ............

Woo wooo

The train was heading to Goathland, and so were we.
 It looked so charming, nestled beneath the moors, as we approached..........

Pale stone buildings, with red pan-tile roofs are typical of the area. And it seemed sheep in the streets were typical too :0)

I was walking while mum went off to do a bit of painting. That's our routine these days and it works really well.
Ahhh, here's the hotel I need to find ( with sheep of course) ..........

and here's the sign...always reassuring :0)

I was clutching a copy of THIS short walk  as I squeezed through the beautiful old kissing gate and looked back at the squat stone church........

The light was fabulous and I smiled at the glimpse of purple moorland here..........

and as I descended I smiled again at the Autumn colours beside the path........

In the valley bottom it was suddenly cool and very damp, but the sunlight still penetrated and the beck looked gorgeous....

I had to risk stepping out a little way ........

to try and capture it's sparkly beauty.......

My route said I could follow the boadwalk here, or take a short detour to see a waterfall....I tell you...what would you do?

It said " it's a rocky scramble and should only be attempted by the sure footed."
Pah...looked easy enough to me.........

Oh, maybe it might be tricky......

Oooh, bit close to the edge.......

Huge boulders, strewn with leaves...ummm.......

But I managed it....and Mallyan spout was very pretty, if not a huge torrent ;0)......

It was the whole atmosphere down there I loved anyway. There's certainly something magical about woodlands on a warm sunny day don't you think. I kept expecting to spot a fairy in the sparkly light.

What a gorgeous start to our weekend, I was smiling from ear to ear...and couldn't resist a quick selfie to prove it :0)

Aware I had promised to meet mum at 3.30pm I managed to tear myself away from this mesmerising spot .......

and carefully return to the main path, which soon began climbing away from the valley bottom......

and the trees gave way to gentle, countryside views ( oh and more sheep of course).......

It was quiet a steep walk for a girl from the Midlands, this lovely cottage was in the bottom of the next valley.......

And this, thankfully shaded path, led back up to the village ..........

Where I passed a tiny fire station.........

and a bus shelter, with gate to keep those sheep out..........

Here they are, think they own the place :0)......

Goathland is a beautiful village and it's quiet a tourist destination, largely due to it's connection with the popular British T.V. series Heartbeat, where it was used as the fictional village of Aidensfield.

I met up with mum and we had a little look around the shops.........

and smiled at the old police car being used to raise money for the air ambulance.......

But soon it was time to resume our journey, and put mum's little red car into low gear, as we climbed steeply upwards and onto the moors.

Looking back at Goathland, and that magical fairy woodland...........

and forward to the unknown :0)..........

Here we stopped for coffee from a  flask, and some home made tea loaf. Not far to go..........

but time enough  to stop in this beautiful and timeless  spot. To stare a while and breathe in that special moorland air...........

We really were feeling so lucky with this start to our mini holiday.
Do pop back soon for part two.....oh and mum's painting :0)
Jacquie x