Ross's and Clare's Travel Adventure
20th July 2019 - 31st August 2019
We moved from Northants to the village of Loftus in North Yorkshire. Loftus is an old Mining Village not far from Whitby and close to a seaside town called Saltburn. We are staying in a flat above the laundry and an Arcade. It was also across the road from Alice’s Gin Palace with an Alice in Wonderland theme and a dangerous walk across the road when intoxicated.
Arriving in Loftus I realised out I had not insured the car; it is illegal to drive a car in Britain without insurance. I am lucky I was not fined. The car was put in dry dock until I got it insured. My cousin Susan and her husband came to stay, lucky David likes to drive so he took us out. It is very hot, so we went to the beach. Captain Cook was born in this area and grew up in Staithes the village we went to, it was lovely. Good Pub for seafood.
It is school holidays so there are children in the sea. I find it all amazing as I walked into the water and found it freezing
After a week, we moved upstairs to a nicer flat and I got the car re-gassed so that the air conditioner worked.
We were getting organised for a few trips around when my Dad got sick, I rushed back to Australia but was too late to see him. He died while I was in the air. I had 10 days catching up with family and friends and if it had not been so sad, I would say I had a good time. I met my Great nephew Jack who is quite a character. Mum had moved into a Care home and seem very happy. Sadly, a few short weeks later, after I was back in England, she followed my Dad. I could not get back to Australia a second time so unfortunately missed her funeral. Thank you all for your kind thoughts at the time. Enough of the sadness.
Gino, Funeral Celebrate turns out I use to work with him. It was nice to catch up even at a sad time
Marian my cousin from Newcastle returned to Loftus with me and we had a great time visiting Whitby. A walk up to the Abbey is always good exercise and sets me up for fish and chip lunch, Whitby is famous for its fish and chips.
We spent some hours in Saltburn when we dropped Marion off at the railway station. They have a funicular railway that is worked by pumping water quite amazing.
The pier was decorated with sea side dolls etc. all crocheted or knitted by locals. The weather was a bit cold but the locals were still swimming in the sea. Mad Pommies. I was thrilled to see donkeys on the beach. I was not allowed to have a donkey ride Ross said I was to old!!
Back in Loftus the car continues to be the center of our troubles. We were off to see a stately home and the engine temperature light came on, we waited until the engine cooled and limped back to the garage. They checked it all out and said it was the gauge and not the engine, great sigh of relief as the engine could have been expensive. As it was a bank holiday weekend, we could not get the car booked into the auto electrician until halfway through the next week.
Ross and I did one trip in the car with the temperature gauge on and found that when the gauge came on the air conditioning stopped. We had chosen one of the hottest days in the summer to venture out. Ross was not impressed. We saw and amazing stately house called Raby House. We did a tractor tour of the grounds (nothing but the best), It is a good way to see the animals, cows of some rare breed and lots of deer even an albino one.
The house had many paintings, 4000 gleaming copper pots in the Kitchen, which get polished every winter, a big job. The gardens are also stunning.
With the temperature in the high 30’s and no air conditioning I decided it was the perfect time to continue on to High Force a waterfall about 45 mins up the road. No Ross did not get a say in it and yes, he did grumbly a bit (well a lot). It was well worth the hot trip as High Force is the highest waterfall England .Not in drop but in altitude, it is still fairly impressive.
More cousins arrived and again they had to drive us around, this sounds like my way of not driving!! We visited Skeines again could not resist the fish and chips.
Another trip out with air conditioning!! Was to Bose Museum in Bernard Castle on our way we sort off got lost, Must have been the driver not concentrating we found ourselves down a pretty country lane with an old ruin at the end of the road. It was Egglestone Abbey and made for a brisk walk about in the wind. it is very old and only has one sculpture left a gargoyle above some steps. I found it and there is a photo.
The Bose Museum in Bernard Castle's claim to fame here is it is the family seat of the Queen Mother and it has a mechanical automaton. The automaton is a silver swan and it is set off every day at 1:00 we arrived at 12:55 so rushed upstairs to see it. It was a little underwhelming, but we are glad we saw it. It moved its head and wings a little the workmanship was spectacular. The music room was lovely. Ross is supposedly a Bose Lyon this could be the family seat. It would be quite nice.
We took the car to Middlesbrough to get it fixed and walked around town while we were waiting. Quite impressed by the Art gallery. The town was a little depressing but the weather was gloomy.
