Postcard from Yorkshire 2. Terrain Spotting

So - here’s the plan; we drive to the visitor centre at the North Yorks Moors National Park with the intention of leaving the car and walking along the Cleveland Way. As we park, the drizzle is starting to turn into rain. Never mind - there’s no such thing as bad weather - just the wrong clothes. Anniemay has the wrong clothes.

There was an item left off yesterday’s checklist; Anniemay’s waterproof jacket. Best guess is that it’s still hanging up in the porch back home.

We talk to the staff in the visitor centre who are incredibly helpful; Anniemay tries an emergency poncho (a bargain at £2.99) but it would have to be a real emergency - the direst of straits in fact - the sort where you’d rather die than be embarrassed. They suggest the nearest large town, Northallerton as our best bet of finding an outdoor clothing shop. As it turns out we’d planned to go to Northallerton on tuesday, to visit the Joe Cornish Gallery, en route to Newcastle. Change of plan then - we go today.

It’s market day in Northallerton and the town is busy. It reminds me how insulated we are from real life in MK, where all shopping is done by car, rather than on foot - and in vast cathedrals of commerce rather than market stalls. Cauliflowers for 70p! And they looked beautiful.

My lovely wife, who up to this point had been a little down, thinking she’d ruined the holiday by this diversion, brightens up when she spots a waterproof jacket in a charity shop; £11.99.

After a coffee we find the Joe Cornish Gallery. I’m tempted to buy one of his framed prints - it seems a bargain for such a large piece of work - then I notice that the price is actually a monthly instalment - it would take 11 more before it could hang on our wall.

A few hours later than planned, we head back to the start of our walk. Up on the moors the weather has not improved but we are determined folk, as my blip will testify.

The top photo shows a sign leading to the view we’d come to see. Note the rain drops on said sign.

The middle photo shows the view.

We walk along a ridge hoping to spot the terrain that features in all the guide books and ‘things to do in Yorkshire’ websites,but to no avail. Anniemay’s jacket is clearly a bargain as the rain fails to dampen her spirits and her inner clothing.

The bottom photo shows the leaves of a blackberry plant growing near the view point. Looking down made for a much better view than looking out, today.