Discover North Yorkshire
I’m James and my wife is Patricia, a retired couple with a deep passion for history, geography, art and the timeless charm of North Yorkshire. Together with our spirited Jack Russell, Bertie, we’ve embarked on a journey to uncover the stories and secrets of the landscapes and landmarks that surround us.
This blog is our way of sharing that adventure with you.
About UsRecent posts
Spring on the Moors: First Signs of Life in North Yorkshire
Spring sneaks in when you’re not looking. One minute it’s all hard ground, bare trees, damp mornings. Then you look again, and something’s changed. Just a little. Something green pushing through. The smell of the air different somehow, softer. Like the land’s stretching itself awake after months of hibernation. We needed a walk. Proper walk. … Read more
A Proper Yorkshire Catch-Up: Pubs, Friends, and Familiar Faces
First proper Yorkshire pint. That’s the moment you know you’re truly back. Not the drive. Not the Moors. Not even walking through the door of the house. It’s that first sip in a dimly lit pub, where the air smells like old wood, slow-pulled ale, and conversations that have been going on for decades. We … Read more
Helmsley Castle: A Fortress Through the Ages
Some places wear their history lightly. Helmsley Castle does not. It looms. Perched on a limestone ridge above the Rye Valley, it stands half-ruined, half-stubborn, as if still waiting for its next battle. It’s been everything—a Norman fortress, a grand Tudor home, a Civil War stronghold. And today? A perfect excuse for a walk, a … Read more
Back to Pickering: A Spring Return to the North York Moors
You just know when it’s time. The light shifts. The days hold onto themselves just a little longer. The air stops feeling so damp, so heavy. And suddenly, you’re standing in the kitchen, staring out at the Galician hills, thinking about the Moors. Pickering starts creeping into conversation. “Maybe we should head back for a … Read more
A Seafood Extravaganza and the Day James Got Lost
Hola from Galicia, where today’s plan was simple: a nice drive to A Coruña, eat some seafood, maybe a bit of sightseeing. What actually happened? I got lost. Again. It started fine. Coffee, almond cake, Wordle. Patricia got it in three (of course she did). I overthought mine and ended up staring at the screen like an idiot … Read more
Vino, Bureaucracy, and a Little Homesickness
Hola from Spain, where today was supposed to be a simple, relaxing excursion into the Ribeira Sacra. You know—wine, scenery, a little light philosophising about life. Instead, it turned into a bureaucratic standoff with a woman who held all the power and knew it. It started like any other morning. Coffee, pastries, a quick round of … Read more
Wordle, Castles, and Daydreaming in Spain
Recently, we’ve found a new way to while away our mornings. It started as a joke over coffee—“I wonder what castles cost in Spain?”—and has since turned into a full-blown obsession with scrolling through listings for medieval fortresses we have no business even looking at. Mornings: Coffee, Wordle, and Questionable Life Choices We’ve settled into a routine … Read more
Coastal Adventures in Galicia
Hello, dear readers! Patricia, Bertie, and I have been thoroughly enjoying our time in our home in Galicia, Spain. We’ve been walking the coastlines, wandering through charming towns and (of course) dining out on the cuisine. Beats the cold snap currently on in North Yorks, I’ll tell you that. We’ve heard from friends it’s 11 … Read more
Coincidente! And a Jolly to Hostal dos Reis Católicos
Living out in the countryside near Santiago de Compostela has its perks. It’s quiet, the views are unreal, and best of all—it’s a short drive into one of Spain’s most fascinating cities. So yesterday, we decided to make the most of it. The Hotel That’s Older Than Most Countries We started the day wandering around … Read more
A Winter Retreat in Santiago
So yeah, we bailed. Yorkshire got too cold, we packed our bags, threw Bertie in the back, and headed for the hills—literally. Not forever, obviously. Just long enough to let our bones defrost. I love Yorkshire. I do. But winter on the moors? Come on. At a certain age, you start thinking, Maybe I don’t need my face sandblasted by freezing wind every … Read more
Majestic Malham Cove
Malham Cove. It’s one of those places. The kind that turns up in guidebooks with words like breathtaking and majestic, but actually lives up to the hype when you get there. Which is a good thing, because getting there is not quick. We took the Imp, which protested the entire way. Yorkshire Dales roads aren’t … Read more
Coastal Charms of Robin Hood’s Bay
Back to Robin Hood’s Bay. Again. Because apparently, I can’t stay away. If you’ve been, you get it. If you haven’t—picture a tiny village clinging to the cliffs, twisting alleyways leading nowhere in particular, and the sea looking like it’s got a grudge against the land. Proper Yorkshire. It was blowing an absolute gale. The … Read more
Rediscovering Rievaulx Abbey
So, yeah. Rievaulx Abbey again. We’ve been before. Loads of times. I couldn’t tell you how many, but does it matter? It’s the sort of place you just keep going back to because every time, you see it differently. Different season, different weather, different mood. Or, in today’s case, same ruins, but a different set … Read more
Serenity at Fountains Abbey
Right, so we went to Fountains Abbey today. One of those places that everyone in Yorkshire tells you to visit at least once. Been before, but it’s the kind of place that changes every time—depends on the weather, depends on your mood, depends on whether your dog decides to behave (he didn’t). Weather was classic … Read more
The Mystique of Whitby Abbey
We went to Whitby Abbey today. You know, the big ruined monastery up on the cliff, looking all dramatic and windswept like something out of a gothic novel. (Which, let’s be honest, it kind of is—thanks, Bram Stoker.) The weather was doing that classic North Yorkshire thing where it can’t decide between freezing you or … Read more
Exploring Pickering Castle
In my first ever post on my retirement blog, Patricia, Bertie, and I set out to explore one of North Yorkshire’s gems: Pickering Castle. The castle has interesting Norman origins and is less than a mile from our house so it makes perfect sense to start here.. It was originally built as a motte-and-bailey fortress. … Read more