North York Moors

Christmas Train 2019

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Christmas Train 2019

Our annual outing to see Santa started early on a damp weekend morning. The year before we had taken a later train and had struggled to find somewhere nice to eat afterwards. This year we were on the 11am train, much to Lorna’s disgust as both her and Paul had been out the night before, and we arrived bright and early with plenty off time to get a hot chocolate and mince pie before. Pretty certain that certain members of our party were just topping up from the night before with the Bailey’s in the chocolate but less said about that the better.

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Castle in the Sun

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Another beautiful Sunday saw us all at a loose end, yes, all of us.   Lyns had a rare Sunday off so we were able to go out as a family.   Lyns had suggested Beningbrough Hall, however, I managed to persuade her to venture a bit further.   I thought it might be nice to head to Helmsley.   A lovely little market town with a castle as well.   We headed out in brilliant sunshine and it was not long before we were pulling up outside Helmsley Castle.   It is an English Heritage property so, being members it was free to get into.   Incidentally, this is where I was hoping to take James later in the year to see the Clash of Knights which, personally, I am really excited about.

This is where we are going today James

We arrived and James was given a lanyard to collect badges on from different properties.   We might have accidentally taken two badges but no one seemed to mind.   We did not realise when we arrived that there is a quick route into the castle.   However, we turned left rather than right and walked the long way round.   Not that it mattered as it was a lovely walk through, what was, the moat and we entered the castle through the original gate house.

I'll show you the way mummy.

When we got into the castle we found a boules set.   James did not quite get the hang of it, but Lyns and I spent a good hour or so playing whilst James ran around helping collect the balls and chasing after them.   As much as it pains me to say it, Lyns won most of the games.   Not that she gloated much!

Not gloating in the slightest.

Next it was onto a game of quoits.   Lyns did not want to play this, so James and I played.   Only problem was, I threw them over the wooden poles, James threw them directly at me!   Not sure he is getting these games.   He had loads of fun though.   One day I will get him playing properly.

Like this James

After spending a good few minutes dodging out the way of James' wild throws I put the quoits down.   More to save my head than anything else.   Then of course, with three balls to hand, there is only one thing I could do!

Higher daddy!

Once I had shown off my juggling prowess, and admitted I could not do four balls, it was on to wandering around the inside of the castle.   Here we found some amazing dressing up clothes for James.   There was a knight and a princess outfit.   James was over the moon, Lyns not so much as she ended up on the receiving end of some charges that King Arthur himself would have been proud of.

Look at me

I'm gonna get you Mummy, not sure Jazz hands are going to save you though!

There were also a few books knocking around, so once James had finished slaying the enemies, a new word for him, it was time for a quiet story.

What is here Mummy

After we had finished inside, we had a lovely walk in the sunshine around the other half of the castle.   It was only when we got back all the way round that we found the short cut.   Nevermind, we will know for next time.

We headed into Helmsley for a spot of lunch.   We found a lovely little cafe call the Cocoa House, which did all sorts of sandwiches and snack lunches, all of which looked very good.   The owner was very welcoming and was very chatting.   The lunch for the three of us, with drinks, came to less that £20 so cannot complain.   Only word of warning is that they do not take cards.   Other than that, very hard to fault them at all.

Love the cup!   Where can you get them from??

After we had finished lunch we had a walk round Helmsley itself.  There were loads of quaint little shops and we did not have time to look in them all.   With the weather being as nice as it was we have to end our day out with an ice cream in the town square.   We found someone selling locally(ish) made Brymor Ice-cream.   Very tasty indeed.   

We had gone to a barbecue the night before and were served some tasty smoked sausages.   With the weather being what it was we picked up some sausages from the butchers in Helmsley and headed home to fire up the smoker and, for a first attempt, it was not too bad at all!   In the immortal words of Cpl Jones, "Very Tasty, Very Sweet!"

Not bad for a first attempt!

A Day in the Sun

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Wow, what a day today was!   The weather was perfect, warm and sunny with a nice gentle breeze.   My day started at 5:30, up and out for a 14 mile run up and along Sutton Bank from Boltby.   I am wanting to do the Yorkshire Three Peaks later this year so up and down the bank I went three times.   Beautiful weather and stunning views.

When I got back to Nana and Grandads, they had been looking after James as Lyns was working nights, it was into the garden to sit down for a few minutes before heading to wash the grime of my run off.   However, in those few minutes, we all decided that a BBQ was the order of the day.   One trip to Easingwold later with Nana, we return with all the ingredients for home made burgers, mmm mmm mmm.

I cam back to find James and Grandad hard at play in the garden.   The paddling pool was out and James was loving playing in it in the sun.

Tea is on me Grandad

And of course, no day playing in the sun with the paddling pool out could go by without at least one water fight.

Who to shoot...

Now James being James loves to shoot everyone else however he tired very quickly of getting shot himself.   This resulted in lots of choruses of 'stop it,' that was until he worked out that if he waited until the person he was shooting ran out of water he could run in, launch a lightening strike and be gone again, that was until he ran out of water himself!

Arrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!

Not another soaking!!

I retired at this point to make the burgers, but sounds of shrieking from everyone floated into the kitchen.   Sounded like they were all having a wonderful time.

Meanwhile, Grandad had fired up the BBQ and in no time at all we had a platter of sausages, burgers and steak!   A lovely treat.

Come on Grandad, we are all starving.

By the time we ate, 5:30 so not too late, James was looking like the walking dead.   At one point Lyns and I were prodding him to keep him awake.   It was not until Nana told him he had Jelly for dessert that he perked up and got his second wind.

After dinner, James was let loose with the hose to water the garden and apart from one unfortunate incident, Nana got drenched, he was very well behaved and did a wonderful job of watering the garden.

Watch out Nana... oops, too late.

Having failed to keep Nana dry, Lyns took a more hands on controlling role.

A long but lovely day.   Not sure how it could have been any better.   Oh wait, James was a good boy at bed time, a shower, story and minimal fuss over teeth cleaning.   Just as well really, as the way my legs are feeling, he could have run rings round me and I would have been powerless to do anything to stop him!   Luckily he did not work it out so shush.... lets not tell him!