Ruins and Rose Cottage

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Geo: 54.3568, -3.03676

So, last night was, I think, the oldest room that I have ever stayed in (although Steven queries this claim), but was very comfortable and warm. The kids had the adjoining room - Steven and I woke with a hell of a fright when there was a loud thump. When we couldn't see anything wrong, we rolled back over - then I realised that the door to the kids room was closed. Matt must have rolled over and hit the door shut with his arm. When Steven opened the door (and we are fairly sure that it was only a couple of minutes after we were woken by the thump), there was Matthew, sitting on the floor and talking to himself in the pitch dark!

After an ENORMOUS hot cooked breakfast at the Inn, we had a quick walk around Wetherby, which is a nice little town, and drove off towards Ripon (which we drove through) and then to Fountains Abbey.

Fountains Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1132 when the monks decided life at York Abbey was far too comfortable. They then built up the Abbey for 400 years, making it the largest and richest (and least uncomfortable!) abbeys in the country. Following the dissolution of the Monasteries (or, as we have described it to the kids, King Henry VIII's big temper tantrum against the Church in Rome!), the Abbey was left in ruins for 400 years, before being used as an authentic ruin in the gardens of Studley Royal, at the time when fake ruins in the country garden were all the rage.

Tom described it as a "church cross park cross history centre". We started on a tour with a guide, but it was a bit heavy going for the kids, and the sun had come out, so we decided to make hay (or at least, take photos and wander around!) whilst the sun shone. It was wonderful - the kids really liked the refectory and the interactive displays at the mill (where they were allowed to ring the bells and grind some flour). We didn't walk the Studley Royal Gardens - Steven and I did it 15 years ago, and whilst it was a lovely walk, it was a long way and I don't think the kids would get it - nor is the season quite right - spring needs to be a bit further progressed (leaves on the trees would look good!) And I have to give a plug - the National Trust cafes do amazingly good food, though I cannot imagine that the Beetroot & Ox Tongue sandwiches sell out daily!

As the rain started, we headed off through the Yorkshire Dales. The sun came out intermittently, and Georgia, Steven and I had a wonderful scenic drive, whilst Matt snored and Tom half dozed. I would have stopped a dozen times for photos, but the sleeping kids and the freezing cold meant that we have to just remember it.

Into the Lake District,admiring the snow on the mountains, and we drove up to Rose Cottage. Georgia and I thought it would be more rural - it is quite close to the village of Ambleside and has neighbours, but the hills are directly behind the cottage. It is a nice little cottage - and the heating works! - but some things are funny/different from holiday rentals in Australia. For example, the cottage is fully furnished, right down to videos and board games in the cupboard, but you have to bring your own tea towel and bath towels (bed linen supplied, but you have to strip the beds yourself at the end of the week) and there is a free washing machine but to use the dryer costs a quid each load! But the milkman comes daily - he delivers milk (obviously!), juice, cream, firewood, potting mix, but cannot do bread or butter! Enough of my rant about the English - but it does remind me why we came home in 1998!

So we headed out to dinner - we went to a very flash pub with a gorgeous view, but it was a bit to "gastronomic" for us (and was fully booked), so we headed down the road towards Hawkshead to a much more family friendly pub for dinner. On our way home, as I was driving cautiously down the narrow lanes, a whopping big deer leapt in front of the car and jumped a 4 foot high wall - I certainly drove home cautiously after that!

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