Amazingly in 54 years of living in Yorkshire (IE all except at University) I’ve not been to Fountains Abbey before. Hubby thinks he might have but it could have been a different one! So we’re both basically AbbeyVirgins today, and what a wonderful surprise is in store for us.
Much earlier, it’s breakfast on the terrace again, the view over Rutland Water superb today. We take a last turn around the estate then head off Up North almost entirely on the Great North Road, aka the A1.
Traffic is horrendous but there’s nothing we can do about that only get on with it, and with the roof off and all windows down it’s just like being on the Côte d’Azur really, bring on Les Corniches!!
Soon enough we’re in Ripon, having traversed quite a lot of God’s own County, and we’re heading in the direction of Grantly Hall, just like a few weeks ago, but today it’s not our destination as we’re stopping at National Trust’s Fountains Abbey and Studey Royal Water Gardens.
New to us, we are delighted with the experience and enjoy several hours exploring this incredible abbey, the gardens and around the nearby area. This C12 Cistercian monastery is huge - an astonishing story of splitting up and expulsion from another chapter brought about its inception, the result is extraordinary!
The gardens are all that is left of Studley Royal, other site of two ill-fated manor houses, both lost to fire but at least the water-garden couldn’t go that way. It’s a perfect place for lunch.
Then it’s back on the A1 and A66 crossing the upper Pennines towards Penrith and finally Ullswater. We even have to detour to miss some roadworks via Barnard Castle, but as we’ve not made an optician’s appointment we don’t think it is appropriate to make a stop. It’s taken five hours of driving yet we’ve only covered 224 miles so not the best rate.
After taking in the delightful view from our balcony, we quickly unpack and head off around the grounds, wandering down the garden to what finally becomes the water’s edge. Across the lake we can see Sharrow Bay, where we’d probably be staying if things had turned out better for this iconic hotel, fortunately we have many happy memories going back decades.
We change for dinner, deciding not to dress too far, thankfully this is the right decision and we don’t feel over dressed amongst te other guests enjoying the incredible view over Ullswater with an aperitif, and some even dining “al fresco.”
Service is not good and we’re minded that this is NOT Hambleton, so we relax and just enjoy the incredible view. Eventually things take a turn for the better and we are finally very happy when the M’d finds a delightful pudding wine to make amends.
I discover that I’ve lost my SD adapter, so until a new one arrives it will be phone photos only. Given how crappy the internet it, even that will be a challenge!
Comments
Post a Comment