Ruswarp (near Whitby)

You may have realised that there was no post last night. We started looking for accommodation from about 4:30 pm and once we’d carried our cases up the stairs of the pub (another experience, the pub that is) and opened a wine it was 7:45. Too tired.
Wednesday:
We started yesterday morning by finding our way up the Durham Cathedral. There were road works in a couple of critical places that made it difficult to find our way. Tablet to the rescue again. We parked the car, only to be told that we weren’t allowed to park there because it is a world heritage site. There wasn’t actually anything to indicate we couldn’t. So we drove down hill and found a multi storey car park. We planned on a 4 hour stay, but needed a little longer. Had a good coffee beside the big grass “square” beside the cathedral. The Durham cathedral is spectacular. It is huge and the interior is beautiful. There is a very high tower. It was there to be climbed. The view from the top was pretty good. We found the window of Bernard Gilpin, one of Gill’s ancestors, this was pretty exciting.
  
After spending much more time in the cathedral than we expected, we walked over to the castle. We did go on a guided tour, but it didn’t cover as much as we’d have liked because the castle is used as student accommodation (& B&B during the holidays) and for functions, so most of it was out of bounds.

We found out, at the cathedral, that Bernard Gilpin set up a school nearby, at Houghton le Spring, so we went there to have a look. It seems likely that the original school was demolished and a new school was built.
We drove out a little from Houghton le Spring and started looking for accommodation. After much too long, we stopped at a pub, Gary went inside and asked about accommodation. They didn’t have anything, but one of the patrons, who may have been in the pub for quite a while, made a number of ‘phone calls and eventually rang “a mate” who had a couple of rooms. The next thing Rick knew was that this helpful gentleman was in the passenger’s seat and showing the way to his mate’s pub. It did take his brain a little while to process the fact that the car was LHD and that he had to sit where the driver usually sits. He stopped us at a funeral parlour and said that it would be quiet and that there was a coffin for each of us. The pub was on the opposite corner. The pub did have rooms, so we took 2 doubles sight unseen, we were desperate at this stage. We couldn’t get a straight answer from our “guide” as to whether he wanted us to drive him back to the pub where we found him. Others, obviously friends, in the pub suggested that we just leave him, he did have a bus pass. It seemed that he was going to keep drinking here, so we left him. It was a funny but nice experience the way people wanted to help us. The rooms turned out to be twin rooms, shared bathroom, no tea/coffee making facilities, no meals, including no breakfast. Fortunately we had food left over from the previous night, so that was our evening meal and breakfast. We were told that there were many cafes nearby for breakfast, but we couldn’t find any. Not sure how this pub makes any profit. It was closed by 9pm and no sign of life when we left this morning. No wonder we were asked to pay the previous night.
Thursday:
Parking was free overnight and free for the first hour today, so at 8am Rick went down to the car and got a ticket out of the machine for the hour, ‘til 9am. We were away well before that and ready for a coffee. The next stop was at Middlesbrough. Rick’s time again, this was to look at the wonderful Transporter Bridge. This one was working. We were able to cross the river and back on the gondala, then Gary & Rick climbed the stairs to the top of the bridge while Gill & Jan went up in the lift and we all walked across the top to the other side. We had a couple of very knowledgeable, funny guides who also showed us the engine house. They were both very enthusiastic and seemed pleased that they had some Australian visitors who were very keen on the bridge. It really is an amazing structure. we spent a couple of hours there.
 
We then drove through Saltburn-by-the –Sea, not looking at the cliff railway (there is another a bit further south) and on to Staithes, a little fishing village with very steep access.

On to Whitby. The view from the road bridge looking over the harbour to the sea was fantastic. We had to turn off the main road and find somewhere to park so we could go back and walk over the bridge for an unhurried view.

We followed the signs to Whitby Abbey ruins and were amazed with some of the remaining sections, including the rose window framing.

Tonight we thought we’d get smart and start looking for accommodation around 4pm. By the time we stopped being distracted and started looking, it was about 5pm. We drove a little out of Whitby, to Ruswarp, and came across Ruswarp Hall Country Guest House and were lucky that they had 2 double rooms. It is a very comfortable place, with R&G’s 2nd floor room looking out over the road to attractive houses and bush and G&J’s 2nd floor room looking over the big back garden. Both rooms are family rooms and large, at least 6 times bigger than last night’s. As you’d expect, breakfast is provided.

We’ve just got back from dinner at the local pub, about 2 minutes walk away.