Friday 27 July 2018

Durham, March 2018

March 12th to March 15th

After our trip to York for my birthday and having Dot's birthday back at home, we set off for a few days on the CL at Durham City rowing club. It's only a few miles to Durham from our house but it is so different there, that it never botters us to just stay there for a couple of days.

Monday the 12th March

We arrived and booked in, the ground was very muddy but we managed to get on a pitch. It was like York, the river was running very high and fast. The pitches had changed since our last visit and one or two trees had come down but it was still very muddy, we did however get a key to get in to use the toilets, as long as the club was open.

As we were in Durham I didn't take many photos at all and we didn't do anything much different to any other time we have been there.

So we just wandered into town and had a drink, and even had food in the Head of Steam. To drink in there, I had Camerons, Brown Dog, a nice local beer and a Leeds, Midnight Bell, one I had had before.

Later back at the site, I did however rig up a new aerial for the TV that we had bought back at home and it worked fine.

Tuesday the 13th March

It was still damp today but the river level had dropped slightly. On the afternoon we again wandered into the center, spent some time looking around the shops but eventually ended up back in a pub.

The pub was the CoHo, more of a wine bar really but it was new to us, so we had to have a look in. It was down by the river next to the watermill from the old Ice Rink, the mill or electrical generator, has been rebuilt but still works. On the opposite side of the river was totally different, many of the buildings had been knocked down and removed and new was being built. Anyway in there I had an ordinary beer (it was a wine bar).

Back at the Head of Steam, we had our tea again and more new beers, a Bone Machine, Skeleton Party and a Wild Beer, Millionaire, both very drinkable.

On the way back to the van we popped into The Half Moon Inn, and had a Durham, White Gold, not a favorite but it was refreshing.

Wednesday the 14th March

Another trip into the center but this time it was a proper walk and today the weather was much better. We set off and went over Kingsgate Bridge up to the Cathedral, over Prebends Bridge and along the river to the next footbridge near the Radisson. Then it was up into the Spoons, The Bishops' Mill, we had not been in before, we had always use the other Spoons.

We had food in there and luckily it was an offer we got, I also got a couple of new beers. I had a J W Lees, Game On and then a Salopian, Bertza, both nice beers.

On the way back we popped into the Smiths pub on the river the Swan & Three Cygnets, and had a very good pint of Old Brewery Bitter, same as usual.

Thursday the 15th March

It was difficult getting off the site but we made it without too much mud flying about. We then drove home for a rest.

Thursday 26 July 2018

York March 2018

Sunday the 4th March to Friday the 9th March

For my 65th birthday we had booked to go to York (as usual), we were going for five days and we were going on a train ride to Leeds as part of the holiday. The week before it started to snow and it snowed right up until we set of, Dot was worried we would not get there but we set off anyway.

Sunday 4th March

My 65th birthday

It was snowing as we left, we called into a pub car park near Ingleby Barwick on the way, to meet up with Nicole and the Girls for my birthday pressies.

Once on the way the snow eventually stopped and the closer we got to York the less snow there was, by the time wee arrived in York the snow was gone.

Got set up then watched the TV for a bit but it suddenly went off, no signal at all, I asked the warden what was wrong. He messed about for a while but he could not get it to work, so we moved on to a new pitch and all was ok there. Dot wanted it setup to watch the second to last Dancing on Ice when we got back tonight.

Went out into town and did a quick shop, Dot got some clothes but eventually we went to The Botanist for tea, both of us got Sunday lunch. We both ordered Lamb but they had none left so we settled for the beef, it was ok but not as good as the lamb would have been.

Then we moved on to PivnĂ­ York, got a new beer in there a Hawkshead Red. From there we moved on on to Pavement Vaults for another new beer, although it was by the same brewer as the last pint, a Hawkshead Bitter.

Me on my 65th birthday

Then back to watch TV but on the plus one hour for the rest of the night, so it was late when we got to bed.

Monday 5th Marck

After our lunch, a lasagne I had mad and frozen before we set off, it was time to set off into town. We walked into town via the train station, we had to pick up tickets for our trip into Leeds tomorrow. We did this to check the timing even though we had done it for the last three years.

Once in the centre we had a sit near the cathedral before moving on to the shops, although nether of us was in the mood for shopping and so we went to the pub. The Duke of York is a nice modern but very old pub, in there I had a nice stout, a Black Forest Gateaux, very nice and Dot had a good wheat beer.

After that we moved on to a new pub, The Hop and got another new beer, a Adnam's Old Ale and eventually got a nice pizza in there, from the big oven at the back of the bar. I got another new beer in there a Rat Brewery, White Rat, not as good as the first one though.

After that, the road back to the site from there passed the Spoons pub so we had to pop in, the thing I did not get was that Dot got two bottles of cider (its cheaper that way). So that meant that I had to have two beers, that is more than usual for me (well it is since my stroke) but I was ok in the end. I had a new Rudgate, Brew No1 and an older one, a Doombar.

Tuseday 6th March

Up early, showered and set off for the station, all went well and we were soon on our way to Leeds. It was not long after eleven when we got there and we just wandered of into town. As it was before twelve we decided that we would have a breakfast in Spoons, not the one in the train station or the next one along the road Beckett's Bank but the third one in the centre The Cuthbert Brodrick.

York Station

We got the breakfast with about quarter of an hour to spear, the cost for two traditional breakfasts was £6.70 and the coffee Dot got was £1.05 with unlimited free refills, bargain.

From there we wandered around the shops for what seemed like ages but we did buy several birthday things for both of us. We eventually had a sit near Harvey Nichols and used the free phone charging points on the seats we rested in.

Gold Boxes

From there we had a look around the Market and then on to another indoor shopping precinct but realised that we were too worn out to do any more. So we wandered away from the shops and into Beckett's Bank for a beer or two. I had Even Evans, Grand Cru, and has Dot had got two ciders, I had to have another a Ossett, Treacle Stout.

Shopping in Leeds

After that we walked backup to The Cuthbert Brodrick for our tea, Dot had the steak pie and mash, I had the Tandoori Wraps and chips. Again Dot had two ciders in there and me, I had a beer that was over 7% (didn't realise until I bought it though), an Oakham, Attila, at 7.5%, and then an ordinary Abbots.

Time passed very quick and soon it was time to head back to the station and York. Today we did our longest walk of the year, so far.

Wednesday 7th March

Spent most of the day relaxing until late in the afternoon when we went for a walk around the Park. The river was much higher than we thought it was going to be, it was nearly at the top of the banks. From there we went to the the local shops and then into The Swan and had a beer. The beer, Abbeydale, Daily Dread, was not bad at all but we moved on as it was still early.

So we set of back towards the campsite but had to pass, The Angel On The Green and had to look in, it was fairly new and quite nice. Had a Brass Castle, Emergency Bitter, not too bad, then a Turning Point, Lucid Dream, also nice and I also had to have another, an Ainsty Ales, Angel On The Green, again not bad. It started to hale as we sat in there, so I was glad I got another pint.

By now it was getting late for us, and we wandered back via the chip shop and got chips to go with the beef I had slow cooked for our tea/supper.

Thursday 8th March

Snow on the ground when we got up this morning, but it didn't last long and by the afternoon it was quite sunny.

The river was back down to the level it was when we arrived by the time we went out for the day today. We walked along the river to Lendle Bridge and then had a look into The Maltings, a pub we have passed many times but never been in. Well it was pretty basic in there but it had plenty of good beers.

I had a Sonnet 43, This Time to Me, wich was very nice and then I had a Brew York, Ragnar's Revenge, wich was also very nice.

I was then off to find something for tea.

Friday 9th March

It was up early and straight home.