A visit to Scarborough Castle

On kind invitation from English Heritage the S.H.A [Scarborough Hoteliers Ass]and organised by Alison Barnes many members went along to a coffee morning. I am sure everyone had a good time despite the rain.Here you see Alison Barnes who is the hard working Secretary of the SHA and Mrs Brenda Frank braving the rain. For me it was interesting to look around the museum. I saw a canon ball which had a strange resemblance to the "dinosaur egg" which I use as a door stop. My dad unearthed it many years ago when he was ploughing. It made me think when Byland Abbey was under attack in the days of Oliver Cromwell in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. My Dinosaur egg could well be a canon ball !!Shame we haven't had a resident canon -think what fun we could be having...No trip of Scarborough would be complete without the sighting of a seagull or two. Looks as if this pair were having a difference of opinion. I did enjoy the visit and Pat at the office is very helpful being very generous with tastings of wine as well as information. if you think to visit here while staying with us we have the added benefit of a reduction in the entry fee.

Birdgate Chocolatiers of Pickering.....

Easter is just around the corner and as I was on my way to Scarborough I thougth I would pop into Chocolart . Chocolart has not only moved to bigger premises around the corner and is now at the top end of the market place in Pickering. It in a street called Bordgate and the man who owns it is called Mr Peacock.I am not one for change and was disappointed that they had left their quirky little shop on Smiddy Hill.This one is very smart and has some of the nicest wallpaper I have ever seen -with birds on it of course. These premises are bigger enough that customers will now be able to see chocolates made and their wonderful cakes been decorated. Here ou see Dawn the friendly assistant who came up with a cracking idea for an Easter egg -The goose that laid the golden egg. of which I got one for my Dad A chocolate goose on a chocolate stand with a small egg painted with gold at its feet. What a great idea. To place your order you need to ring -01751 477755. Around the corner from Mr Peacock is Cafe Cocoa, with other chocolate creations in the shape of a cafe serving delicious coffee and unrivalled Hot Chocolate besides cakes as delicious as lemon and pistachio battenburg or a more traditional Victoria sponge.

Ten tonnes of pebbles and ...

..no help from the cat. Here you see her enjoying the sunshine stretched out in the summer house while we are debating how much spinach we will have to eat. We are getting spruced up for Spring and had some pebbles delivered this morning -all ten tonne of them .It is surprising that nearly every year we get a load like this to put on pathways and the walk round the house and they seem to get disappear

Dont Miss....

On Monday evenings at 8pm on ITV. A new 12 part series is going to start called THE DALES. It features farmers,vicars,vets and publicians as they go around their daily lives in the Yorkshrie Dales National Park.It is presented by Adrian Edmondson and the programme follows on from the success of the The Lakes.The programme is produced by Mark Robinson from Darlington.Lots of positive comments have already been said it and we are really looking forward to watching it.

My Dad and his garden

My dad loves his garden and his greenhouse. Those who know him will know how ill he was a year ago. He is 89 in September and he is still supplying us all with what he grows. Today I was over there to get some rhubarb,And jolly good rhubarb it is. His potatoes are well up in the greenhouse and the mint already a couple of inches high. He grows his tomatoes from seed,there are onions,beans and peas in containers and sweet peas all growing waiting for the warmer weather to be planted out. There is a multitude of different trees to be planted and some game cover to sow. Fruit trees to be pruned and his flower beds to be planted up. What a marvelous man and even more a marvelous Dad.

We join forces with Ripon Race Company Limited

Inflation,budget news and all the boring stuff -we have had enough of it. You will be glad to know we have not increased our prices for your holidays this year. We have also been busy joining forces with local businesses to strike deals for you. Whether it is 2-4 -1 offer,10% discount or even a free bottle of wine with your meal.These you will be able to find soon on a new page on the website. The most exciting news we have to report today as Ripon Races unveil its date list of race days.
We are delighted to have been selected by Ripon Race Company Limited as one of only a handful of recommended places to stay in a partnership offer. When there is a race meeting at Ripon any of our guests wishing to go can purchase 2-4-1 tickets from us. The opening meeting is on Thursday 7th April when the first race is at 2pm. This is a favourite course of mine.Known as the Garden racecourse for it has a wonderful display of flowers and makes for a very pleasant day out.www.ripon-races.co.uk

Welcome to Yorkshire Brochure Day......

took place today at Thirsk. Chris Atkinson of Yorkshire Laundry very generously sponsored the event which saw a good turnout of attractions exhibitors from throughout Yorkshire. Gary Verity,David Shields,Ian Ashton and Sarah Barrowby were all there from Welcome to Yorkshire. Many thanks for my super pink mouse pad which is in use already.I am conscious of taking not too many brochures as they all cost to be produced but I still came out with a whole box full which weighed so much my arms must be inches longer than when I went out this morning.Joe Cornish was very generous handing out his beautiful calendars.Sarah with an equally beautiful one of Yorkshire gardens.I always stop to have a chat with the lady from The Ropemaker at Hawes.She is a mine of information and told me if you get on the steam train at Leeming you then go as far as Redmire transfer on to an old fashioned bus and arrive in Hawes in time for lunch .Her enthusiasm just rubs off on everyone. This lady doesn't have to wear a badge to show how proud she is to be part of "Yorkshire" A more energetic way to spend your time in North Yorkshire is mountain biking. Here you see James Risker who was promoting Purple Mountain Cycle Centre which is based in Dalby Forest.This boy had his feet firmly on the ground today but I have witnessed him sailing through the air on his cycle with the greatest of ease. Talking about that young man on his flying machine