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James’s Workshop Reopens: Yorkshire DIY vs. Spanish Siesta (ft. Solar Madness and Kev)
The shed door groaned like it remembered me—and wasn’t pleased. Fair enough. I hadn’t opened it in months. A winter of wine and sunshine in Spain, and now here I was, back in Pickering, wrestling with a rusted padlock and a grudge. I finally kicked the thing open and was met with that particular Yorkshire ... Read more
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