A Yorkshire journey

A journey in pictures

Dorking u3a May 2025

1 A Grade 1 listed Stately Home

2 Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham

3 Informative talk in the Chapel

4 George Stubbs was a resident

5 Wentworth Woodhouse

6 York Minster

7 England's highest Gothic Nave

8 Under the Central Tower

9 Central Tower

10 The Great East Window

11 Earlier foundations in the Undercroft

12 York Minster's Grand Organ

13 St William's College, York

14 Medieval Street leading to Market

15 In The Shambles

16 Merchants Hall, York

17 River Foss

18 Clifford's Tower, York

19 Left hand down a bit

20 A cruise on the Ouse

21 A snooze by the Ouse

22 Whitby, North Yorkshire

23 Whitby Abbey

24 Church of St Mary the Virgin, Whitby

25 St Mary, Whitby

26 Psalm 34.18

27 Whitby from top of 199 steps

28 Whitby, astride River Esk

29 Black Pearl Pirate River Trip

30 Doing The Sailor's Hornpipe

31 Shop window T-shirt

32 Dracula's presence everywhere

33 At Whitby Station

34 North Yorkshire Moors Railway

35 Nostalgic

36 Pronounced 'Growmont'

37 Harrogate, a spa town

38 Royal Pump Room Museum

39 A place to feel good

40 Harrogate, so much to see

41 Sculpture of Cupid and Psyche

42 To The Montpellier Quarter

43 A Yorkshire institution

44 A World Heritage Site

45 Fountains Hall

46 Elisabeth's new wheels

47 John and Jean

48 Fountains Abbey exhibition

49 Our group at Fountains Abbey

50 The Cistercian Abbey

51 Towards the Chapel

52 A UNESCO World Heritage Site

53 Abbey was founded in 1132

54 Destroyed under Henry VIII

55 Cellarium

56 Fountains Abbey ruins

57 View from De Grey's Walk

58 Studley Royal Water Garden

59 In Studley Royal Water Garden

60 Construction started in 1072

61 Once the tallest building in the world

62 Lincoln Cathedral

63 Lincoln Cathedral event

64 The City of Lincoln

65 King John, 1215

66 Tour around Lincoln

 

photos by Paul Smith

A journey in verse

May Day saw 21 intrepid u3a travellers set off for the Spring holiday
Going to North Yorkshire and near Garforth where we would stay
The day was fine, the coach on time, all picked up and on our way
M25 and then the M1, we headed north without too much delay
Comfort stops and then to Wentworth Woodhouse for our lunch
A well-stocked café supplied our thirsty, hungry bunch
After lunch we had a guided tour of this historic stately home
Marble Salon, Whistlejacket and the Painted Drawing Room
The welcome from the Thorpe Park Hotel was really fine
Unpacked and changed we all went down to dine

The next day a Blue Badge Guide accompanied our group to York
Touring the city walls, historic sites, and the Shambles was a good walk
Finally, to York Minster, this beautiful building of great age and history
Great windows of medieval glass reflecting the glory and mystery
After lunch a relaxing cruise on the River Ouse gave a different sight
Of the city buildings and its historic trading might
Gliding under bridges we saw The Minster and Clifford Tower
Passing the Museum Gardens which were all in flower

Off to Whitby, a resort on the coast featured in Heartbeat
Our coach took us through Adensfield which was a treat
13th century Abbey and Church on the cliffs above the town
Walking from there meant traversing 99 steps to get down
Picturesque houses, cobbled streets we ambled around
Fish and Chips for lunch and ice creams abound
A steam train journey to Pickering across the Moor
To where our coach was waiting ending this interesting tour

A walking tour of Harrogate was our next port of call
Through Montpelier Gardens and up to the Royal Hall
A lovely city, much to see and so well laid out
We made the most of it without a doubt
Fountains Abbey and the Water Garden was our final afternoon
We hired two mobility buggies which proved such a boon
Back to the Hotel for last drinks and our last dinner
Everyone voted this holiday a winner

Next morning we farewelled the staff and got on our way
A home journey via Lincoln was the order of the day
A visit to the awesome Cathedral of over 800 years old
This rounded off our trip and gave us memories to hold

by Ianthe Cox, group leader