North Yorkshire and County Durham

Our entry into County Durham was from Whitby and the little north Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes.

Whitby is probably best known as being where Captain James Cook was apprenticed. There is a replica Endeavour in the harbour visible from the attic window where Cook would have slept. Having read more than one Cook biography it was interesting to see some of his personal effects, letters and voyage equipment. There are also some of the original botany drawings from his voyages.

Staithes is a picturesque, sleepy, little fishing and holiday destination; set deep in a ravine. The road in and out is one car wide and with a gradient of 25% it is best to park at the top and walk down. The stone buildings are a few stories high and closely set together across narrow cobbled roads.

County Durham is northern England in its iconic best: green, productive rolling hills, interspersed with thick hedges of hawthorn.

Durham is a vibrant university town with some great op-shops. It is also a city that has extensive parking around the city centre and almost no vehicles in the town. This adds to the vibrancy. It is best known for its cathedral and castle, both of which give Durham its World Heritage Listing.

The cathedral is different to other cathedrals: it has no frescos or painted ceilings, what it does have is highly ornate and patterned stonework.

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