The Kell Blog

After Bolton Castle, we stopped at the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham for lunch. It was a bit crowded, but Kit did an excellent job parallel parking the car. We played “I spy” while waiting for our food, and then Link refused a bowl of spaghetti and ate a few fries (we commented on the fact that they were called chips on one part of the menu, but fries on another). After lunch we visited the gift shop. Alex got a hat, and Link didn’t break anything (I almost had a heart attack when he started playing with the coffee mugs).

Then we headed to Middleham castle. It was still a bit drizzly, but it wasn’t too bad. We climbed around the ruins and saw what there was to see. Joan noted that the houses near the castle were made from stones carted off from the ruins.

Despite the chilly day and rainy weather we stopped at Brymor in Wensleydale on the way back. Unsurprisingly Link had no trouble eating a cone of chocolate ice cream. We picked up a couple of veal pies for dinner and some more ice cream for later. Then we went and said hello to the cows. Back in Bedale, we stopped at the co-op and got a mini pizza for Link (which shockingly he didn’t eat) and some other things to try to tempt him with on subsequent nights.

After dinner, Link got his bath/shower* and went to bed, and we spent a quiet evening in front of the telly.

Day 3

Thursday morning we went to the Old Lead Mine. It’s near (possibly in) an army proving ground. As we were driving there we saw signs that they were doing some shooting that day, and we saw some soldiers carrying shooting targets. We parked by the side of the road and walked over the hill to the lead mine buildings. Link and I wore our wellies for the only time the whole trip. There were lots of sheep. They bleated a lot, but otherwise were unconcerned by our presence. In one of the buildings we saw an owl, but he flew away before I could take his picture. It was kind of chilly, so we didn’t stay long but Link had fun splashing in the puddles on the way back to the car.

After that we headed to Richmond Castle. The weather had improved quite a bit. It was windy and a little chilly, but not raining anymore. As a consequence there were a lot more people around. I think this was Link’s favorite castle. When you ask him about the trip he says, “I climbed all the way to the top of the castle, then I climbed a little bit more.” And that’s what we did. On the very top, there is a small lookout post that holds about 2-3 people. It’s very windy up there. Granny’s knee was bothering her, so she had a sit down, and the boys and I explored the rest of the ruins. There was a lovely garden in the back that we explored too.

After we’d seen the castle, we went looking for a painter in Richmond that Joan and Kit know, but it seems he had retired. We were planning on purchasing a painting from him for the dining room. We left word for him, and headed off in search of lunch.

We ended up in a nice tea shop. Alex got a pork and apple pie, and Link and I both got toasted cheese sandwiches. I ordered an extra scone just in case. Link wouldn’t eat his sandwich, but after I told him the scone was a muffin he ate that right up. Granny and Alex shared the extra cheese sandwich.

We stopped at a Tesco after we left Richmond. It was basically a super Walmart type place, and we got some diet coke and cereal bars and other snacks. I always love going to grocery stores.

On the way back to Bedale, we stopped to tour a chocolate factory in Leyburn. It wasn’t much of a tour, but it was a nice diversion. There was a 10 minute movie about how chocolate is made, and then we walked past the windows on the room where they mold the chocolate. Of course we bought some, and Link even scored a free piece. Next door was a cute teapot factory, which we visited. We left there empty handed, as I couldn’t figure out how to get one home (also, I really don’t need another teapot.)

After a rest at home for a while, we headed to Joan and Kit’s home pub in Well. That’s where they go to quiz night on Thursdays. Link was starving, and there was pizza on the menu. I had steak and ale pie and it was fantastic. Link, however, was not happy with his pizza. Luckily I had brought him a cereal bar, and he was happy enough with that. It was quiz night, so Alex and Joan stayed behind and Kit drove Link and me back to the flat. Kit returned later to participate in quiz.

On the way out of the pub, I commented to Link that it was late and that he needed to get to bed so he didn’t turn into a pumpkin, like what happened in Cinderella. A couple was walking out of the pub at the same time, and the woman commented that Link had a plenty of time left before he’d turn into a pumpkin**. On the way home, I told Link about my fondness for pumpkin pie.

When we got home it was both sunny and raining and we saw a beautiful rainbow. Then we went inside and Link went right to sleep. I stayed up and did laundry until the gang came home. They came in last at quiz, and Alex hadn’t answered a single question. Then we went right to bed, we had to get an early start on Friday to catch our train to London.

*The bathtubs in England don’t have mixer taps, so we couldn’t follow the usual bath routine. I used the shower head to rinse him off, and Link was a pretty good sport about it. Sometimes he asks me to do that at home now.
**Third party corroboration is the key to any successful con.