We are not using the van as much as we used to, so we were well ready for some time away together. Dot had booked us in at the old Caravan Club site in Harrogate, now just, Harrogate Caravan Park, on the show ground.
Day One, Saturday June 13th
Its not far to Harrogate, about fifty miles from home but it could be anywhere, it is fairly big but very rural, like being in the middle of the countryside.
Another thing that reflects on the fact that I had my stroke, is that I did not take a photo of the site. I had five days to do it, even thought about it but never did it.
Harrogate Caravan Park
Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8NZ
We got what looked like one of the last pitches but it wasn't too bad a place to be, fairly near the toilet and washing block. We thought about walking in to the centre, about two miles, but as it was getting late, we walked up to the main road to get the bus.
The road up here at the bus stop was very slow, it had been when we came in and we could see the bus long before it got to us. We actually got the wrong bus in, we were asked if we wanted a return and it went exactly the same way but this bus company stopped running very early, so by the time we wanted to go back these buses had finished. So it actually cost us more than it should have for the bus rides.
In the centre we had a good walk around the shops, but eventually I was very tired and we had to have a sit by the war memorial for about half an hour for a rest.
We then did more shopping until it was time to hit the bars, and as we were closest to the Spoons, that is were we went. It was good to have a nice sit down and a rest, although it looked like every one else had the same idea and it was heaving in there.
Another thing with my memory, is that I can not remember what I had to drink first but I do remember my second beer. I had two because Dot went back out to get a dress she had seen in the shops earlier and I ran out of beer.
We then moved on, out the back door and along the back lane, until we came to The Slug and Lettuce and opposite there, The Montpellier, we went into The Montpellier. We could have sat outside but it was cooling down slightly, I had a pint of Old Peculiar and Dot had half a lager.
From there we moved on to the Banyan Bar, I actually thought we were in the Pitcher & Piano but I was wrong, they look almost identical and they are next door to each other. Again I did not have a new beer just what was on draft but it was a nice beer. We had our tea already made back at the van so after these beers, we made our way back to the bus station. We got the other bus back, and even popped into Sainsburys as we were passing on the way to the van but we didn't need much.
Day Two, Sunday June 14th
The weather was atrocious, June is not as good as its supposed to be, we would normally be in France now but that's a different story isn't it. We spent the day in the van watching TV. Also we had no beers in the van, so that night we had an orange liqueur with coke, while I watched the football.
England were playing Slovenian and managed to win 3 - 2.
I woke in the middle of the night and my heart started to go into defib, it stayed that way until we got up, then it just went back to normal.
Day Three, Monday June 15th
Dot would not have known about my heart at all, if it had corrected itself just ten mins earlier but I had just told her when it went back to normal.
It was a much better day so we got reddy and headed into Harrogate, after a good look around the shops we went for lunch in the Slug and Lettuce, it was Monday after all. After a nice lunch at half price and a couple of beers (one each that is) we moved on, crossed over the road and went for a walk into the park.
It was quiet in there and very relaxing, we spent about an hour just walking around before moving on, back into town.
With being awake for quite a long time during the night I was getting a bit tired, so we made our way back to the bus station and then the campsite. Only we had to stop off at Sainsbury's after we got off the bus, I did get some new beers in there though.
After a short rest we made our way across the field to the pub we could see from the campsite, The Travellers Rest, it was only a short walk. I did however forget my camera, although I did have the my phone with me. I had a beer I had not had before and Dot got a Bulmers Cider, Crushed Red Berry and Lime, different.
The pub was very nice and we though about eating there but we had a large meal in the Slug and Lettuce at lunch time, so we decided we could come back tomorrow night for food. We did have a couple more beers before we left and as for the heart problem, I have decided to just get on with life.
Day Four, Tuesday June 16th
Our last day in Harrogate and we decided we would have a nice rest day, with maybe a walk in the sun, not too far from the van. It was about eleven when we eventually set off and we walked clockwise around the outside of the show ground.
Just at the bottom end of the show ground are a couple of railways, one and old abandoned line, the other the line from Leeds.
After a while walking, we made our way back to the van for a light lunch as we were going out for tea, we also had a test, I am not in as good a way as I would like to be. About three o'clock a lady came down to near the site entrance to feed the big birds, Red Kites, they are very nice but I am sure you are not supposed to feed them, apparently she dose this every day.
It was still fairly early when we made our way over to the The Travellers Rest for our tea. We ordered from the early two for a certain price menu, starter and main or main and afters. We chose to have main and afters. I had the fish and chips and I can not remember what Dot had but I do know it wasn't the same as me, it could have been the steak pie. For afters I had a very lovely cheese cake and Dot had the rather large thing with strawberries in it.
We also had a few more beers nothing new but not bad at all, we sat and watched the Red Kites hunting from the window in the pub.
Day Five, Wednesday June 13th
Well it was home today but we were going to drop into Knaresborough first, the drive there was only just three miles to the car park by the river.
As we walked up into town it started to rain, so we popped into the Spoons there and ordered two breakfasts, it was about quarter to twelve, so we only just made it. The breakfasts are only served up until twelve, so we were lucky to get it. The Crown Inn is really nice and it was packed, we did well to get a seat. Wetherspoons are hated by some people but I think that the vast majority of people love them, or at least the prices. We had fizzy water to drink (without alcohol), not great but I was driving and it was free.
About an hour or so later we set of shopping again Dot was looking at clothes and me at beers, although I tolled the booz shop owner that I would be back latter as the weight was too much to carry around shopping. It was market day so there was plenty of shopping to do, if you wanted.
Eventually we finished shopping, I went back for my beers and we walked down to the river by the ruins of the castle. Then along the river under the viaduct, back towards the car, the weather was much better now.
We got back to the Van with about half and hour still on our parking ticket but we just drove home, so until next time towards the end of June, that's all for now.
