Start of Whitby folk week

It's that time of year again, Whitby Folk Week! As usual, set off a couple of days early, just to make sure we get there on time. This year we stayed in Thornton Le Dale, a beautiful little village just outside Pickering. But, on the way, we stopped off at Shepherds Purse Cheeses, just north of Thirsk. A family run business making great artisan cheeses, one of the family is a former colleague who offered to show us round. Fascinating stuff, never seen cheese being made before. We had to get kitted up in the latest fashion first



And then we saw the various different stages of the process




Until the final product is ready for wrapping and storing





Really interesting, and it is very good cheese. You can buy it on-line from the website, or from all good delis and supermarkets.

Then we went to one of my favourite towns, Helmsley for lunch. Very pretty, and everywhere adorned by amazing hanging baskets and flowers.




From there is was a quick drive to Thornton Le Dale which is also very pretty, with streams, ducks, a lake and chocolate box cottages.








The local hotel also does very good Pimms!
Dinner in the pub we were staying at, and the next morning we set off to walk to Pickering. Not a long walk, mainly across fields, and we were lucky that the sun was shining. We had a look round Pickering Castle


And also the church, which had some great murals on the walls which had been covered up for hundreds of years by white paint, but have now been restored.

Lunch in a pub, washed down by a pint of Yorkshire Lager, brewed by the Great Yorkshire Brewery, which was excellent. Then we walked back, and tried to talk a short cut down a track, but a rather officious farmer on a tractor told us we couldn't do it!

Next morning we paid a last visit to this rather wonderful shop


And set off for Whitby. It was a bit dull and misty, but I do love the view you get when you come over the moors and see the sea and Abbey in the distance. This was taken through the windscreen on my phone so not brilliant


Then we followed our usual routine, coffee, pick up festival tickets, look round craft fair, and lunch in the Duke of York. I know the week has started when I have my crab sandwich!



In the afternoon we watched the procession of dance teams, and luckily the drizzle had stopped. The following are Earlsden Morris, Rose and Castle, Rivington and Persephone.









Then back for a fish and chip tea, of course.
In the evening we went to the Spa for the ceilidh, but me and Stu went into the theatre to see the Pitmen Poets first. It was packed, and I only stayed to the interval, then went into the ceilidh. We were lucky to see our local Sheffield team, Pecsaeton dance



And also Rivington



Did a lot of dances, mainly with our young granddaughters and their friends who hadn't danced before, but took to it really well. Was exhausted, they have more energy then me!


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