Behind The Scenes: Northern England

We gave you a glimpse into a couple of big days during our time in Yorkshire. In ‘Towton, The Yorkshire Dales and Malham Cove’ you saw some of the history and natural beauty that surrounds both visitor and residents alike. And with ‘York and the Minster’ we delved into the city and just a wee bit of its offerings. There are also videos to accompany those stories here on our YouTube channel for you to check out!

But what of daily life in these locales?

Tadcaster and Towton

Like most of the towns and villages around this country there are beautiful old buildings still in use by the locals. We enjoyed a few pints in the local pubs and had a delightful dinner out at Sapori di Napoli. Pasquale, the fine proprietor did it up in true Italian style singing to and laughing with his customers and staff alike.

Some laughs with cousins Michael and Toni and dinner at Sapori. The photo is a ‘Tad’ bit blurry due to the bottles of wine consumed. Time for that Taxi! This restaurant is a very good stop in Tadcaster should you find yourself there for a visit. We enjoyed the lobster ravioli and a true Neapolitan pizza. Bellissimo!

In Tadcaster there is a great ongoing tradition wherein the local brewers deliver kegs of ale to the pubs by horse drawn wagons! How cool is that!

Walking trails in Britain: a general observation

We have found that walking trails all around Britain are easily found and enjoyed. If you check into the ordinance survey maps here you will find a fantastic resource with detailed accounts of all the public footpaths and bridleways available for use; they are everywhere! Don’t be put off by the fact that a lot of the time you are walking in, near or through farms and hedgerows that look like someones home. Our experiences have been that people are very friendly and happy to see others using the pathways.

Whether in a torrential downpour or a dry day we loved the trails around Towton. Be sure to check them out and walk when you are in the area.

Remove and replace the Cush drive

While we were at Michael and Toni’s place, I had some work to do on the bike. Thankfully they had a nice flat pad beside their garage where I could get the bike up on the centre stand. It was a lot of work and a bit of thinking to adapt and overcome this job without a properly fitted workshop but I did it and so far (knock on wood) its all good. Check out the video link below for more of the story if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

Squires Café Bar

One evening during our trip in Yorkshire we went to a popular spot for local motorcyclists. Squires Café Bar is located just outside Sherburn in Elmet, North Yorkshire. On a warm Wednesday night you will find motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the UK and even the world in the parking lot jawing over a cup of coffee or tea. Sam and I chatted with riders from all over! It is always a great experience to hear stories of how the motorcycle has been an integral part of peoples lives then and now. Check out our brief clip for a sense of this interesting place!

Westward to Somerford Park Farm

Cousins Michael and Toni were a busy pair throughout our visit. They were preparing for a horse camp at the Somerford Park Farm as well as working and taking care of business around the house. Given that Sam and I were on our way west as well, we decided to tag along and set up shop near Somerford. We found a simple but unique accommodation at the nearby Malkins Bank Golf Course for our next home away from home. These little hip roofed sheds were purpose built to facilitate a bed, closet area, a coffee-tea bar and bathroom with shower. A perfect fit for us.

These tiny homes were just right and very peaceful under the starlit skies. The clubhouse put on a fantastic breakfast and the town of Wheelock Wharf was but a short couple of kilometres walk up the adjacent canal. There we found a little Italian restaurant for dinner, called Barchetta, right beside the water.

And off to the Somerford Park Farm

We spent an entire day with Michael, Toni and Joe at the farm. This place has incredible equestrian facilities. There are paddocks for everything and a long farm ride trail that folks could use at their leisure as well.

Check out the following video link to get a feel for our day at Somerford:

Well that’s it folks. Our time in Yorkshire has come to a close and we are on the track west to Wales!

Thank you for following along with our adventures. We are far from done with this ride so stay tuned as we make our mid-life gap year a reality! You know, you could do this too. How, you say? Subscribe to our website for tips and the nitty gritty of how we are doing it. Don’t forget to also like and follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages. You can find the links below. Much more to come, don’t miss out!

Take care and keep on travelling,

Dan&Sam

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