Monday 29 August: Robin Hood's Bay & York

Up early for some pictures of Robin Hood's Bay, then a delicious breakfast at the Manning Tree.

After breakfast we headed off to York. This was the last day of the long weekend ("bank holiday") and the roads were crowded. However York itself was relatively free of the crowds. Our route took us high over the Yorkshire moors, a wild and beautiful locaton. It was easy to imagine the moors as the setting of so many romances and horror stories.

York is an ancient town, dating back to Roman times. Within the walls, the streets are narrow and winding, and an old world atmosphere has been well preserved.

The centre-point of York is the cathedral, or Minster. This is one of the largest churches in Britain - an 18 story building could fit inside the central tower. The foundations are built on top of a Roman garrison, and it is possible to see some of the Roman stonework, the later Saxon and Norman foundations, and the medieval structure of the current Minster. One of the most fascinating aspects is the enormous post-tensioned concrete collars placed around the footings of the tower in the 1970s, which prevented the whole structure from collapsing. The audio-guided tour of the crypt and foundations is really well done.

Back to Robin Hood's Bay in the evening, and a huge meal at one of the local pubs.

Our B&B at Robin Hood's Bay was the Manning Tree. This was first class in all respects, and our hosts Margaret and John could not have been friendlier or more welcoming. We'd have to recommend the Manning Tree as the best accommodation we have had so far on this trip.