Postcard from Yorkshire, 4. Rievaulx Abbey

We’re staying in Helmsley, a small market town on the edge of the North Yorks Moors National Park. The Cleveland Way starts its 110 mile journey to the sea at Filey from this town. We see a signpost with the legend 'Rievaulx Abbey, 2.5miles' and decide this will make a nice leisurely walk. We know it will be leisurely because the local guide books say so.

It’s a beautiful day - tee-shirt weather - and with our knapsacks on our backs, we two happy wanderers whistle a happy tune as we set off.

Two hours later, we crawl into the visitors centre at the Abbey. The man behind the desk takes one look at us and says “have you come from Helmsley? - it’s not two and a half miles - it’s nearer four.” We wheeze our agreement that it must be further than the signpost suggests. While we are in this vulnerable state he mentions that English Heritage have an offer of 15 months membership for the price of 12 - if we sign up today; “and I’ll shout you a coffee.” The offer of a free coffee is too great to ignore and I sign on the spot and then collapse in a chair in the tea room.

Yorkshire folk must be tough because this cannot be described as ‘a nice leisurely walk’ by any stretch of the imagination; and especially for someone with a dicky ticker and a dodgy lung. The way back takes a slightly different route to begin with - and involves a 1:6 climb to get from the Abbey back to the Cleveland Way. While Anniemay waits patiently at the top, she whiles away the time trying to devise various means (all involving ropes and pulleys) of transporting me to the summit. Bless.

By the time we get back to Helmsley we’ve walked 9 miles and not all of them in a horizontal plane. I know this because Anniemay has an app on her phone that tells us so. And the number of calories consumed (2973). Which is license to scoff chocolate brownies with warm chocolate sauce and ice-cream.

I’m not really satisfied with any of the pictures I take at Rievaulx Abbey; then I remember something I read once in a photography book. It went something like this;

if you’re trying to photograph a famous/iconic tourist attraction and it’s crawling with people all trying to do the same thing, then forget it - buy a postcard instead. Pros get the best lighting and the best access. Photograph the people trying to photograph the thing instead.

I spot Anniemay hard at work and grab a quick blip before she notices.