Day 6

We are at Hardington, first YHA in England. The morning is overcast. In fact EVERY morning has been overcast. Do they ever have blue sky in Britain? The only blue sky we saw was at the top of Snowdon. None since.
The school kids are quiet, even though it should be breakfast time.
At checkout is a new lady, wincing in pain. She has a bad back. We discuss her treatment. She is on Valium and Nurofen. As we talk she does the bill. Luckily for me she forgets the towels and the cheese platter for last night, so it’s cheaper than I thought. Maybe she was being generous for the medical advice.
My plan is to head for the Yorkshire Dales, however I am afraid Billy will route me back through Stockport again, so I connive to make him take us another way by going through Chesterfield further to the east. I et a shock when he asks if I want to avoid Toll Roads, Until I realise I have asked him to take us to Cheswell, about 300 km away. Correct the typo and move on. There are road works on Billy’s route and he doesn’t like it at all. We have t turn him off finally until he stops complaining. We swing south through the Peak District, finally turning north through a place called Ashbourne. We finally make Chesterfield. We drove straight through not before admiring the cities church with twisted spire-we did not take a picture a point of some discussion.
Driving in UK is quite interesting. There is a village every 4 km or so with house peering over the main street narrow main road and cars parked on one side, facing either way. A sign says oncoming vehicle in centre of road, and they are. But everyone is very polite and they stop, flash their lights to indicate you on and it all works very well.
We then set course for Harrogate, at the base of the Dales. What a lovely city that is. Large parks open air, wide streets BUT no blue skies.
Then onto Skipton, a market town, and the market is in full swing. Parking I might add in these places is a nightmare. You drive round and round until you give up or suddenly a spot appears. It’s all Park and Pay, even on road side lay-bys in Snowdonia, there’s the parking meter.
Skipton provides us lunch. A beef sandwich and VERY ordinary coffee. But it’s Fair Trade coffee so that makes me feel better.
The plan is to traverse the Dales exiting at Kirkby Stephen, and that’s just what we do. Narrow roads, twits and turns and great great views of the dales. Walkers everywhere, usually couples with the man carrying the sole pack.
Kirkby Stephen, is not a market town. It is however rather pleasant. The YHA is booked out! The next choice the Black Bull Hotel is booked out! So we knock on the door of Fletchers B and B and for 66 pound we have accommodation.
Large spacious room with en-suite. Check out the town. It mostly shuts at 5.00PM except for the three fish and chip shops and the Indian.
We book for an Indian meal. Frankly it was very ordinary. The Tandoori I had was OK, rather dry. Sue’s was rather bland and their choice of Shiraz, well the less said about that the better. We have had better cask wine.
The room is on the main street and rather noisy as it’s Friday night. Things go quiet and we sleep.
Tomorrow the Lake District and parts north.