Monday 6 August 2012

out and about in north yorkshire

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I spent a happy week in North Yorkshire with my family, with the usual enormous to-do list: must do this walk, visit that village, and of course, eat a cream tea, have a "99" ice-cream with a Cadbury flake, eat Yorkshire pudding, and so on. The weather was surprisingly good for most of the week so I was able to keep up my itinerary of summer dresses (looking a bit scandalous with my trenchcoat in the last picture) and of course, that shirt I always wear. ;)

Some highlights: early morning walks (at 6:30 or 7 am, due to the excess of summer light) followed by either a fisherman strength cup of tea or, on a particularly decadent morning, freshly-made doughnuts.

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Hikes in the countryside: the heather wasn't in bloom yet, but the moors are always desolate, impressive and windily addictive. Since the weather was nice this time the usual icy blast was more of a warm blast... much more pleasant. And as long ambling hikes deserve big lunches, we went to a Sunday carvery and had roast pork, turkey and beef with enormous Yorkshire puddings, potatoes, vegetables, and an "Eton Mess" for dessert, which was smashed up bits of meringue in whipped cream with fresh strawberries. On a slight tangent, I think the UK has a really undeserved bad reputation for food. Well, there is lots of bad food to be had, but there's also succulent fish, fresh meats, mouth-watering farm-made cheeses, authentic cider, mountainous cakes.... I'll stop there.

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Picturesque seaside villages: We went one day to Robin Hood's Bay, built on what feels like a near-vertical cliff when you're trying to go up the road at the end. The village has a dramatic past of smuggling and wrecking (luring ships onto the rocks so they would be wrecked and the contents looted). At low-tide the rocks on the beach are algae-coated and treacherous, but also riddled with tide-pools for of crabs, and on fine days, children building castles, eating ice-creams, splashing in the pools, and riding donkeys. And old man perched on nearby rocks with his map and his thermos of tea, planning an afternoon of cliff-side paths.

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Cider in the evenings at the pub, overlooking the inlet and Whitby's lights twinkling in the water:

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One of my favourite moments came as we were barreling over the moors one last time to take me to my train in York. My mom, in the backseat was reading out information about one of the country fairs happening in August. "There's a best Marigold competition," she said and then snorted with laughter. "First prize is £1.50!" (That's about $2). :D

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Sorry for the photobombing!

21 comments:

Despina T. said...

so many beautiful photos!lovely place.you look great in that trench.


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C.G. Koens said...

Oh wow - not as if I didn't want to visit this beautiful country before, but this makes me want to go all the more! Stunning - thanks for sharing for those of us who won't make it there any time soon! :-(

dr.antony said...

Beautiful pictures and very stylish narration.You are giving me a virtual tour.Love and thanks.

Unknown said...

ahhh i want your striped dress and trench. you look so worldly :)

it's been a while! i've actually moved my blog. could you check it out and let me know what you think? thanks!
http://sometimesalmostalways.squarespace.com

The Semi Sweet said...

Love the photos!!! Makes me hungry for Yorkshire pudding too. Best thing ever for dinner. :)

Closet Fashionista said...

Yayyy, looks like such an amazing week! You did so many fun things! I really need to make more use out of my time and do more...
http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

Amber said...

I wish there was a way for me to be transplanted into your photos. Your travel pics always make me wanna book a flight to some far away location. Sadly my bank account is holding me back. Stupid bank account.

Emily Peebles said...

I completely agree that UK food is underrated. I stayed with a family in Tring, England a couple of years ago for about a week and had all sorts of delicious things, among which my favorite was Yorkshire pudding. Also, your trench coat is just perfect!

Ashley said...

That food looks soooooo good. I want that pudding!

Annebeth said...

your blog really is one of my favorites, just so you know. I love your small thoughts and pictures and globetrotting. And yeah, english cuisine has both good and bad, like all cuisines!

Monique said...

The photos are great, it's good to know one can get decent food in the UK. I was of the same misconception, that the food is just horrible.

Laura said...

Beautiful photos! The eton mess looks delicious!

Laura
www.whitewintersblog.com

Franca said...

I'm not sure the UK does have a bad food reputation any more, does it? certainly people here are way more foodie than they are in Germany. Or maybe it just feels that way because I live such an urban middle class life? Many people do eat some right shit day to day!

anyway, great pictures!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Franca: Well, from the point of view of living in Barcelona, everyone there thinks that British food is horrible, and I'm always trying to explain, to great skepticism, that there's lots of great food. Some of the foodie culture is an urban middle class thing, but then that's not really the case in the pubs in Yorkshire, which is why I like to use them as an example. Was also eating myself sick with delicious things in Dorset this past weekend. :)

Sian Thomas said...

I love looking at your posts about North Yorkshire because it's my home =) You probably actually drive right past my house going from Whitby to York!! And you make it look extra pretty in your photos =)
http://xrebelangelx.blogspot.co.uk/

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Sian: Ah, awesome! I didn't realize you were from there. I'm glad a local thinks I'm doing a good job of capturing the place! :)

Nina said...

Ah Yorkshire! I miss it so much it's such a gorgeous place and Whitby is very close to my heart because it's a place I shared with my dad when he came to visit me at boarding school. I really agree with the bad food reputation, there's such a variety here and you can beat the organic food as well :)
xxx

Kezzie said...

AS soon as I saw that first photo, I KNEW it was Whitby! It's so lovely! I'm hoping to go there in a week or so to stay with my friends who live in Goathland! It's so lovely there, the moors are so beautiful, you are so lucky to come from there! I love the Mallion falls and the railway and the bay in Whitby is gorgeous! Thank you, even if I don't manage to make it to Whitby, I can have lived vicariously through you!
Love the sailor dress in the last post, is it the Jaeger one? I loved that!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Nina: I love going to the supermarket in the UK. They have the best fresh British berries and cheeses. I know Tesco is evil, but I went yesterday and everything I bought was UK-grown.

@Kezzie: That's awesome (as I wrote on your blog). And yep, it's the Jaeger sailor dress--half price in the sales! Although then I had to alter it because it turned out to be massive, but still a decent deal. :)

Emily, Resplendent Tranquility said...

No need to apologize for photobombing, especially when Yorkshire is involved! I believe I might just end up using your travel recommendations some day since you have quite the inside scoop :)

Yorkshire pudding is favorite in my family. We've also been known to just whip up some popovers if we're not having a roast (I know, not quite the same, but still pretty darn good).

Beautiful photos, as always. Gosh, I'd love to amble through the moors right about now...

Kezzie said...

I just noticed the comment about the marigold competition- Jane entered her quiche in the Goathland village fair today (and won first prize!) and the prize is something like 30p!!!!