Rieuvaulx

Tuesday 29th May:

Packed up and left Barbon at around 9.30am. We drove to Rievaulx Terraces and Abbey. The traffic was busy - a combination of Half-term traffic and then through Gargrave where there was a combination of Travellers - very slow moving with their horses and caravans. Coupled with that, there were temporary traffic lights in the other direction! Anyhow we got to the Abbey at Rievaulx at about 12.30 but no parking spaces so we then went and parked at The Terraces and paid to enter. By now, the sun was shining and we enjoyed our picnic lunch sitting on a bench overlooking the Abbey ruins below. The Ionic Temple had a veryinteresting exhibition in the basement (which used to be the kitchen) describing life in the building from the 18th century onwards
when it was owned and built by the Duncom family who still live on the Duncombe Estanear Helmsley. A member of the National Trust staff opened the upstairs room and we were able to view the magnificent fresco ceiling and the dining table was set out with china as it might have been in the 18th and 19th centuries when the building was used for entertaining the gentry.

The views of the Abbey from the Terraces are fantastic with gaps in the trees at all the right places. Isabel and Sarah - you will remember when we went to Rievaulx around the time of my 60th birthday.

We then drove back to Helmsley and to our campsite which was basically a big open field with a few electric hook-ups. Only two other caravanners here! Very friendly owner and good facilities so no complaints. We struck camp quickly as we have now got it down to a fine art. We enjoyed some fine wine and dinner which we had brought from home and heated in the microwave. Then we enjoyed a game of scrabble where M slaughtered P.Read more