Hello from the Yorkshire Dales
Well the last blog was from Skye before we headed to Edinburgh, I didn’t get a chance to blog from Edinburgh as there was no wifi connection in our hotel room, had to sit in the bar and you all know that’s something neither Wazzy or I could do!!
So, the trip from Skye to Edinburgh was about 5 hours with a side trip to the Dalwhinnie distillery for a tour and taste. Apparently the distillery is geographically the highest in Scotland, it sits in the Cairngorm National Park just off General Wade’s military road. The distillery is not owned by Dalwhinnie’s now but part of the Diageo spirits conglomerate. Tour was interesting, but they don’t even malt their own grain anymore, its bought in pre-malted. The whisky was okay, but nothing I would rush out and buy, I’m still a Glenfiddich girl!!
Anyway we left Dalwhinnie and drove on to Edinburgh, or I should say I drove, Warren, in his infinite wisdom decided he would rather yell at me for going the wrong way once we hit the city, than have me yell at him..... well we made it to the Britannia Hotel without bloodshed thanks to superior driving on my part and competent navigation on Warrens part. The hotel was definitely not the best we have stayed in but seeing as both the tattòo and the fringe festival were on we were lucky to get any accommodation. Edinburgh was packed, the population has more than doubled and there are so many languages being spoken its hard to make conversation with each other.
As the weather had improved and the sun was out we decided we would walk into the city and do a hop on hop off bus tour, we were about a 30 minute walk from Waverley Bridge where the tour busses are located and the walk gave us a chance to see the beautiful architecture up close.
The tour took us to all the usual places, Hollyrood palace, the castle, the kirk of the Canongate, Greyfriars etc. We walked some of the Royal Mile and had a late lunch in the Worlds End Pub which sits on part of the old wall which was built around Edinburgh after the battle of Flodden Fields. We then hopped back onto the bus and headed to Greyfriars kirkyard, checked out the statue and grave of Greyfriars Bobbie as well as the grave of Tom Riddle – for those non Harry Potter fans Tom Riddle is the arch enemy Voldermort. We decided not to tour Hollyrood palace or the castle as there were 2 hour long queues to get in. Edinburgh is a feast of architecture, from the early buildings of the 1600’s to the buildings of New Town built from the 1800’s everywhere you look there is a carved sandstone facade.
On Tuesday morning – again with me driving (see previous comment) we headed down towards Yorkshire, the weather once again fine and sunny and about 21 degrees. We took the A68 so we could cross into England over the Carter Bar and see the border piper. Got some great photos and had a nice chat with him, then back in the car and over the border to England.
As we didn’t have to be in Hawes until 4pm we left the main road and took the Hadrian’s Wall Drive, we also stopped at one of the Roman Fort sites and walked through the ruins. Once again got some good photos. A great drive, but it did mean we had to take some 3rd class roads across the open Dales to get back on to the main road to Hawes. Dad you will know what they are like, but at least now they are sealed!!! One good part was we came past the ruins of Pendragon Castle which dates from the 12th century, the castle is on private land, but all they ask is that you shut the gate to keep the sheep in, and don’t climb on the stones.
When we reached Hawes it was market day, there was no parking and people everywhere, the streets are so narrow that 2 cars couldn’t pass, so Warren went into the pub where we were staying while I drove around, and around and around. We finally got into the hotel car park – space for 5 cars after driving down an alley between the buildings, so narrow our side mirrors had to be turned in so they didn’t hit the walls on either side, glad Wazzy is driving out tomorrow!!
Today is another sunny day and we have spent it walking around Hawes, which is a typical Dales market town, its at the top of Wensleydale and is home to the Wensleydale cheese centre. For those of you who remember James Herriots all creatures great and small there is a gallery in the town called Herriots and about 4 miles away is the town that doubled for Darrowby in
Tomorrow we head off to Gloucestershire to spend a couple of days with Mick and Sue so I will blog again once I have more news.
Well the last blog was from Skye before we headed to Edinburgh, I didn’t get a chance to blog from Edinburgh as there was no wifi connection in our hotel room, had to sit in the bar and you all know that’s something neither Wazzy or I could do!!
So, the trip from Skye to Edinburgh was about 5 hours with a side trip to the Dalwhinnie distillery for a tour and taste. Apparently the distillery is geographically the highest in Scotland, it sits in the Cairngorm National Park just off General Wade’s military road. The distillery is not owned by Dalwhinnie’s now but part of the Diageo spirits conglomerate. Tour was interesting, but they don’t even malt their own grain anymore, its bought in pre-malted. The whisky was okay, but nothing I would rush out and buy, I’m still a Glenfiddich girl!!
Anyway we left Dalwhinnie and drove on to Edinburgh, or I should say I drove, Warren, in his infinite wisdom decided he would rather yell at me for going the wrong way once we hit the city, than have me yell at him..... well we made it to the Britannia Hotel without bloodshed thanks to superior driving on my part and competent navigation on Warrens part. The hotel was definitely not the best we have stayed in but seeing as both the tattòo and the fringe festival were on we were lucky to get any accommodation. Edinburgh was packed, the population has more than doubled and there are so many languages being spoken its hard to make conversation with each other.
As the weather had improved and the sun was out we decided we would walk into the city and do a hop on hop off bus tour, we were about a 30 minute walk from Waverley Bridge where the tour busses are located and the walk gave us a chance to see the beautiful architecture up close.
The tour took us to all the usual places, Hollyrood palace, the castle, the kirk of the Canongate, Greyfriars etc. We walked some of the Royal Mile and had a late lunch in the Worlds End Pub which sits on part of the old wall which was built around Edinburgh after the battle of Flodden Fields. We then hopped back onto the bus and headed to Greyfriars kirkyard, checked out the statue and grave of Greyfriars Bobbie as well as the grave of Tom Riddle – for those non Harry Potter fans Tom Riddle is the arch enemy Voldermort. We decided not to tour Hollyrood palace or the castle as there were 2 hour long queues to get in. Edinburgh is a feast of architecture, from the early buildings of the 1600’s to the buildings of New Town built from the 1800’s everywhere you look there is a carved sandstone facade.
On Tuesday morning – again with me driving (see previous comment) we headed down towards Yorkshire, the weather once again fine and sunny and about 21 degrees. We took the A68 so we could cross into England over the Carter Bar and see the border piper. Got some great photos and had a nice chat with him, then back in the car and over the border to England.
As we didn’t have to be in Hawes until 4pm we left the main road and took the Hadrian’s Wall Drive, we also stopped at one of the Roman Fort sites and walked through the ruins. Once again got some good photos. A great drive, but it did mean we had to take some 3rd class roads across the open Dales to get back on to the main road to Hawes. Dad you will know what they are like, but at least now they are sealed!!! One good part was we came past the ruins of Pendragon Castle which dates from the 12th century, the castle is on private land, but all they ask is that you shut the gate to keep the sheep in, and don’t climb on the stones.
When we reached Hawes it was market day, there was no parking and people everywhere, the streets are so narrow that 2 cars couldn’t pass, so Warren went into the pub where we were staying while I drove around, and around and around. We finally got into the hotel car park – space for 5 cars after driving down an alley between the buildings, so narrow our side mirrors had to be turned in so they didn’t hit the walls on either side, glad Wazzy is driving out tomorrow!!
Today is another sunny day and we have spent it walking around Hawes, which is a typical Dales market town, its at the top of Wensleydale and is home to the Wensleydale cheese centre. For those of you who remember James Herriots all creatures great and small there is a gallery in the town called Herriots and about 4 miles away is the town that doubled for Darrowby in
Tomorrow we head off to Gloucestershire to spend a couple of days with Mick and Sue so I will blog again once I have more news.
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