4 June 2009

With Graham's arrival, we could now go for our day out on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Somehow we all managed to get ready in time to leave at 9.30 for the short drive over hill and down dale to Grosmont station. We were in good time, so had plenty of opportunity to watch the engines come and go, and admittedly it was quite exciting. Our train was puffing away quietly as we climbed aboard the old-fashioned carriage. We were lucky to get several seats together as it was the first departure of the day and therefore busy.

The hour-long journey to Pickering was nothing short of spectacular. It was all that's best in English scenery: wild moorland, deep, wooded valleys, babbling brooks, cute lambs and calves, pheasants, and accompanied by billows of white steam hanging among the delicate new leaves of trackside birch trees.

At Pickering we watched the locomotive change ends for the return trip, like obsessed schoolboys. Emily was brave when it whistled, and mustered a wave for the departing passengers.

It seemed expedient to eat at the station cafe as we only had less than an hour before our return train. Unfortunately they struggled to cope with a flood of orders, and Nick and I only got 10 minutes to wolf down our food before departure time. Emily battled sleep until halfway back before settling uncomfortably on Nick's lap. Graham imparted various tidbits of info to add flavour to the ride back to Grosmont, where we then spent some time looking round the sheds and admiring various engines.

Later Pam, Nick, Emily and I went to Larpool again to see Nick's Gran. Emily was very taken with her collection of necklace, and her extensive range of toys.

Before dinner Graham, Nick and I went for a run. We had to begin with a fairly stiff climb before half a mile on the level on a moorland road. From there we had a brief glimpse of coast before beginning a lengthy downhill section, ending up at a beck. We followed the undulating Coast to Coast footpath that tracked the small river down to Midge Hall, passing through lovely mature woodland of oak, beech, sweet chestnut and maple. Finally we emerged down the road from the farm. I had never properly recovered from the climb at the start, and had to walk the final 100 metres or so to our cottage, but it was a very rewarding run, nonetheless.