Got tickets through Travelocity to get to England for ride and with extra days to see London and another place. Tickets $540 round trip with transfer in Canada. Direct flight from Boston $800. Not sure savings worth aggravation. Also, Travelocity changed my flights and at last minute I noticed connecting plane in Halifax leaving a day before 1st flight and was on the phone fixing this when I should have been resting for trip. Hadn't realized how far Dales was from Heathrow. Next time I might book flight trough AAA because this is such an important part of your vacation plans and good to have someone advise.
Spent hours planning. Journey Planner on UK visitor information website helped me figure out how I would get to Dales from London. Got Oyster card for subway and 4 day flex card, $270, for train travel because didn't want to drive. Got bus ticket to get to and from airport. Arranged accomodations for every night.
PACKING
Purchased suitcase without wheels from Rick Steves website which was within guidelines for fitting in carry on. Packed light. Had to bring my riding helmet. YDTC did not provide them.
On return trip added several small souvenires. Suitcase would have held more but needed careful packing to fit in carry on. The airline weighed it and it was 2 pounds under limit. Had to stuff under seat because it didn't fit in the overhead on small jet and when the big plane was crowded and I was one of the last to get on.
JOURNEY
Took 11:30 bus to Boston for 4:30 plane and got $1000 worth of english money which I put in money belt. While waiting had a coffee and a man joined me. He asked me a question about politics which I couldn't answer (to establish my level of intelligence?) He then told me he was a pianist and invited me for a cognac in the lounge. I didn't feel like drinking. I also learned about his wife and girlfriend. Well, he was entertaining.
Plane went to Montreal in plenty of time for 7:30PM international flight. Tickets didn't mention meals so had nice dinner. Finally on plane and in air. Air Canada serves complimentary drinks including wine. There was dinner which didn't look that good but would have eaten it if I hadn't already eaten. Man next to me moved to empty seats in the front so had 2 seats to self. There were constant movies but tried to sleep and must have done so during some of flight. They served breakfast and soon we were in London on a bright sunny morning.
London to Malham
There was a line getting through customs but it moved fast. Found Heathrow Express to Paddington Station and used my rail card. Used Oyster card to get from Paddington Station to Kings Cross on tube. Had about a 20 minute wait until Leeds Express. Tried a Cornish Pasty.
Had seat all the way. Feeling tired so ordered coffee. People constantly talking on their mobils. A young man sat beside me and pulled out a large bag of chips that looked like stryofoam peanuts. Wanted to take a picture but thought it might bother him. Felt like I had been dropped into a dvd of Hetty Wainthrop Investigates. My accent seemed harsh and out of place.
Short wait at Leeds for Skipton train. Arrived Skipton in plenty of time to get the bus at station about half mile from rail. My bag too heavy to do much sight seeing. Jumped into English culinary experience with a pork pie and some sort of jelly pastry.
DALES
The bus was a little mail van with one other passanger, a women who had been to Skipton to shop. Bought round trip ticket for $6. We went on winding narrow roads through little villages with stone buildings and no shopping centers.
Arrived at Malham, a village that has not changed since the film, "Another Man's Poison" was made there in 1951 and maybe not have changed since long before except for the cars and the way people dress.
Everything in walking distance. The hostel wasn't open for check in so went to YDTC to tell them I made it. Met Zana and she gave me a coffee because I don't drink tea. Tired from long trip and jet lag. We established the time for the next day and I left. She was busy with the farrier and Monday was their day off from clients.
Checked in at hostel and purchased dinner there, fish and chips. Fish great but not impressed with those English chips which look like bad frozen fries. Sat with 2 men who were in the Dales reseaching fied trips for school children. Most of other people in the dining room were school children, noisy but entertaining.
Only one other in room, Robin. There could have been 8. Told Robin I snored and she said, "That's the least of my worries." Robin and her husband, Adrian, were from London and were hiking the Pennine trail. They had hiked 20 miles that day and were going 25 the next. They had been on the trail a few weeks. The hostel didn't have a room where they could stay together. They were close to my age and very fit.
Malham receives an enourmous amount of tourists but the season hadn't started. A lot of the people go for the hiking in Yorkshire Dales National Park. Some are serious like Robin and Adrian and some come to just do a walk with their families and pets. There are natural sights and wildlife. Met a man who had come to photograph perigrine falcons that were nesting there. Mornings, when I looked out of the hostel window, I saw lots of big brown rabbits hopping about. One had a baby. Saw a pheasant sitting on a stone wall.
Breakfast at the hostel was the full english buffet style. Sat with Robin and Adrian.
Arrived at stable and Anna was there fully attired for riding. I noticed she even had half chaps because I had brought mine but decided not to wear them. Zana helped us with our horses. I got Blossom, a roan mare owned by Zana's mother. She was a sturdy horse under 15 hands with feathers. I'm a nervous rider but right away felt safe on her. We used a mounting block. I had a wonderful expensive padded english saddle. Anna got Grace. We went in the riding arena to get used to our horses then started off on our ride. Zana was our guide.
We began on the paved road which is so narrow that oncoming cars have to yeild. Eventually we went through a gate onto the fields. The fields sometimes contained cows and horses but mostly they had sheep. The weather was great and we could see a lot of the Dales: green rolling hills lined by stone walls. No malls, occasionally an old barn and farmhouse. Everything stuck in some distant time of the past. We mostly walked but did do a little trotting and cantering when we had some gradual uphills. We came to a place Anna called the yellow brick road. The trails were often formed by monks travelling from one abbey to another. We went around a lake and returned to the stable. The return involved a lot of downhill some of it on paved road. The ride was about 4 hours. I loved it but regretted that I had not excercised and was so unfit. I was shaky and tired.
We had a few hours before we were to take a riding lesson so Anna suggested we go for tea. We went to the Old Barn Cafe and had some wonderful scones, Anna tea and me coffee. I never tried the tea in England. Instead had coffee and capucchinos, always good. We had a little walk and then I went and rested a bit.
Then the lesson. I got Mr B the favorite pony of the stable and a classic Dales. He didn't seem to listen to me and later I chose Blossom not him for the ride the following day. I wanted to work on transitions to the canter and Anna decided to do this also. Zana was a great teacher. She has British riding instructor cerification and I noticed a big difference over the instructors I am accustomed to. She explained that she usually allowed a few minutes at beginning of lesson to wander around the arena so horse and rider could get used to each other. I didn't give Mr. B this wander time which accounts for why I thought he was not listening to me. She showed me how to be more flexible at the trot so as to get a better transition to canter. Unfortunately, I was so tired I gave up on the lesson when it was half over. Anna seemed tired also. She fell off her horse when it bucked after an accidental touch from the crop. It was a rubber covered arena. she claimed she was not hurt and got back on for a bit.
Anna invited me to share dinner at The Lister Arms where she was staying. I am thankful to Zana for pairing me with Anna. We had lamb which I found greasy and not very tasty, surprizing with all those fresh lambs everywhere. (I know this looks bad, I should become a vegitarian.) Had a great half pint of local ale.
Back at the hostel I told my new roomate and daughter I snored. I wore nasal strips to try to not snore and had to stop useing them because they made a sore on my nose that lasted for the rest of the trip. She said, "Oh, no, I just hiked 20 miles and I need to sleep." She got her room changed so I inadvertently got myself a private room.
Breakfast at the hostel, a little walk and then to the stable for the 6 hour ride which did have a lunch break after 3 hours. I was still sore and not that revived from the good nights sleep. Maybe jet lag played a part. We were joined by Jennifer.
We did a lot of up and down riding at the walk and a bit of trotting before we arrived at The Angel Inn for lunch. We took off the horse's tack and let them loose in a field. We saw some nice gardens in the little yards. Anna was enjoying walking into the posh restaurant with our horsey smelling clothes. We had a leisurely lunch.
Back on the horses for the ride back. We encountered a sheep stuck in the mud. Zana, with help from Jennifer and Anna got it out. It was tired and hungry. Zana said it would have died. I didn't want to canter so Anna and Jennifer would hold back while Zana and I went on and then they would canter up to us. About halfway back it was a steep downhill on the road and no more places to canter. I got off and walked the rest of the way. Zana also did this because she was to go on another ride that evening. They were very nice about accomodating me in this way.
Put horses away and Zana took us to a field to see the colts. Then good byes.
Checked out of hostel and into the River House Hotel. Got lovely first floor room with private bath and books to read. Anna on her way back home to Liverpool to see her husband so ate alone back at the Lister Arms to try the toffee sticky pudding she recommended. The pudding was good but couldn't eat it all after having Leek soup that turned out to be greasy. The rustic bread was good. Enjoyed seeing the dogs allowed in the pub.
Next day, the people at the hotel served me early because I wanted to catch the 8 o'clock bus. It was the traditional full english but the best quality of any I had. Took a wonderful little apple to eat on the road.
Malham to York
It was a normal bus filled with school children who were talking about the meaning of atheism and agnosticism. I found my round trip ticket wasn't good on this bus but driver let me ride for free because he didn't want to change my 20 pound note. If I lived there, I probably would have had a senior pass.
Arrived Skipton where the walk back to train seemed longer than I remembered. Short wait for train which took me to Leeds for transfer to York. Short wait again and nice scenery on way. Saw gas 1 pound 17.
YORK
A beautiful little college city. Got to guest house too early to check in. They let me leave my bag and suggested a free walking tour. Later they carried the bag up to my 4th floor room that had a private bath. 2 people helped me find my way around and had lunch at Cafe Cinema as suggested. Walked a bit in shopping area then did the 3 hr exhuasting but informative walking tour. Some of it on the wall and saw ruined church, gardens, Shambles. Loved the Shambles. Met Greg and Anna from Tazmania who were staying at same B & B. Got a little pasty for dinner in room. Settled in to watch TV: Big Kidz, Hider in the House, The Bill.
Next day breakfast in dining room. Greg and Anna there and people from Canada. Took boat ride on the Ouse and met Bob and Allison from N or S Carolina. Everyone went to top deck except us. He had been ill. Sat at a table in shade. Got off boat at different spot and saw Clifford's Tower. Avoided long walk up and admission by having vicarious tour from English couple coming down.
Went to Betty's Tea House and had Yorkshire Fat Rascal, an excellent giant scone. Prices of all meals in UK double what we pay. Saw Newgate market.
B & B to change for theater. Went to free York Art museum to see George Stubbs exhibet and paid to learn about history in York Museum. Went to Minster but closed because of filming for Robison Carusoe but service open and free. Listened to children's choir and saw some of inside. Saw Greg and Anna. Had dinner alone at theater cafe (others alone) and saw "Scarlet Pimpernal."
Breakfast and early train.
York to London
Train from York to London crowded with football people and only had a seat for the beginning. They were always walking back and forth getting food and useing the toilets. They were nice, just a lot of them. At least I was called, Luv, not Mum. 2 hour ride took 3.
Needed much help to find way to Holland Park. Brazilian women helped me find the hostel in middle of the Holland park.
LONDON
It rained and I met the only 5 nasty people in the UK. Had lunch of mushroom risotto in Pasta Cafe on Kensington High St. and set off to find stable. Double decker bus to Hyde park. No stable on park map so asked 5 people who didn't know. Saw 5 women riding on the beautiful bridle paths that go around the park. They must know, I thought. Well, they were nasty and wouldn't help.
Back to hostel after dinner of crisps and milk in Holland Park Cafe. Decided not to mention snoring. Every bed filled but no one complained. Young women in room gave me a fashion show of their purchases from Oxford St. mostly at Primark.
Next day breakfast at hostel and walked to stable outside park useing directions provided by hostel. Told them of the women and they said there was a private stable in the park. Rode in pouring rain and didn't mind having my own "instructor" and being on a lead line. Back to hostel to dry. Afternoon and lunch at Victoria and Albert.
Last day took Big Bus tour and stopped at Tower of London. It was big and much outside in rain. Had boat ride on Thames.
Home
Hostel people helped me to get right bus to Paddington Station for Heathrow Express. Had anxious moments because more stops than expected. Got home OK but long journey that included wait for another plane when mine cancelled due to thunder storms.
Now reading book to learn about the history I saw.
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