A Yorkshire Tale

We left Wales on an overcast day that had periods of rain, head to our hotel, which was in the middle of nowhere between Leeds and York with a stop in Manchester: 1) to visit a friend, 2) for Calum and Cameron to go to yet another war museum (and see Manchester Untied Stadium, albeit from the viewing platform above the War Museum) , and 3) for Danielle and me to partake of a spot of retail therapy at an outlet centre – something along the lines of DFO, only BIGGER!!! Doesn’t mean that there was anything worth buying there, though… 

 

 

 

When all that was achieved, we were on to the hotel for a swim in their indoor heated pool. Lovely! WE had decided to get two rooms at our hotel, so the kids could have a room to themselves. This was in the vain hope that Cameron would get to sleep a little earlier if he didn’t have lights and computer keys tapping to contend with. Note I said “vain hope”. Even after being put to bed at the reasonable hour of 8:30, he was still awake when Danielle went to bed at 9:30. Oh, well…

First day in York we went to the Jorvik Viking Centre (no photos taken there – it was underground and way to dark) and the Jorvik 'Valhalla' exhibition (where only a few photos were taken)…

 

York Minster (where we were allowed to take photos)…

 

and then to Clifford’s Tower.

 

 

 

 

We were all set to take the kids to the York Dungeon, but when we got there the children inform us that they don’t want to go! Wish we’d known that before we had paid for extra parking. Grrr…..  So the parking fee wasn’t totally wasted, we went to an Army Museum instead. It was only a small museum, dedicated mostly to the Yorkshire Regiment and a couple of regiments from the Royal Dragoon Guards, but still really interesting. I didn’t realise that Lord Bayden-Powell (of Scouting fame) was a Royal Dragoon Guard! The silverware on display was stunning.

While Calum and Cameron went to the York Air Museum...

 

 

... Danielle and I had a wander through the streets of York, including a trip through The Shambles, which have apparently been featured in many movies, some even starring Johnny Depp (don’t ask which ones, I don’t know)!

 

 

 

We met up a couple of hours later at the National Rail Museum, where Cameron was in his element. They even had the real Flying Scotsman in the Works being restored, and the Wizard Express to Hogwart's Castle was on display.

Japanese Bullet Train

 

Model railway....

 

The Wizard Express

The Flying Scotsman in the Work

 

 

A Double Ender Tender

The last event in our Yorkshire calendar was a trip to the Falconry UK Bird of Prey Centre. What an AWESOME experience! Heaps of cute (and not so cute) birds to look at and listen too - even a couple of Aussies (a Kookaburra, some barn owls, and a Boobook Owl). There was only the four of us for the flying display, so we got the opportunity to ‘fly’ a couple of the birds in the display. Calum, Danielle and I jumped at the chance; Cameron could not be persuaded, even with the little Kestrel who was so light that you couldn’t feel her on your arm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 On to Cumbria!

Jo. xxx