Trip to Helmsley - Day 1

Lee and I were lucky enough to get away again for a weekend in the middle of November. I know it's a privilege to be able to go away in the current climate, and I know we're lucky we've been able to avoid catching Covid. We went away in November 2019 to Grassington and had an absolutely brilliant time, so we had decided to go to Helmsley as it's also one of my favourite places in North Yorkshire. 

We booked the cottage, which slept 5 and had three bedrooms, absolutely ages ago, and we had asked my mum and stepdad to come with us. We said they could come for one, two, or all three nights. They decided to come for all three, which was great. Lee booked off Friday and Monday. On Friday morning he and I got ready, took the kittens to the cattery, and then set off about midday. We had decided to stop in Thirsk on the way, which is also a really nice market town and which we last visited in May on our way to Saltburn. 

It was lunchtime when we arrived and I really wanted chips, so we headed into The Golden Fleece which is right on the square. It is an old coaching inn and has rooms and a really big restaurant at the back, so we headed into there. I got a rarebit ciabatta and chips, and Lee got a tuna sandwich and chips I think. 

After lunch we walked round the square and went into a few shops, including all the charity shops. We bought a couple of things, but not much. Lee left me in a bus stop while he went into a record shop, by which time it was 3pm and I was cold, so I said we should have a drink before heading to Helmsley. We each had a hot chocolate in Yorks of Thirsk (confusing!) which was a nice cafe, I'll have to go back some time. 

We set off for Helmsley, going down Sutton Bank to do so. My mum was texting me so I thought they hadn't set off yet, but when we got to the cottage they were already there! They had stopped for a coffee hence her texting me (she usually drives). We got all our stuff sorted, unpacked all the food and got the wine chilling. The cottage was lovely - cosy living room, well equipped kitchen with table, downstairs loo (good for my disabled stepdad). Upstairs were three cosy bedrooms and a shower room. Outside it had two lovely seating spaces too, but it being November we didn't sit outside!

My mum had brought tea for us - of 'bits', which we all like and which included cheese, sausage rolls (meat and veggie), potato salad, hummus, and some bits cooked in the oven. It was really nice! We put music on on the TV (apparently the local TV mast had a fire and isn't mended, but there were streaming services and Spotify available!) and chilled out in the evening, drinking wine and chatting. It was a nice day!

Lee in the pub at lunchtime - the clock was wrong which really annoyed me!

Me in the pub

Lovely rarebit and chips with truffle oil and vegan mozarella 

While I was sitting in the bus stop - the pub is the white building there on the left

Overflowing hot chocolate!

Lee on the sofa

Lee took this of all of us

The garden by night

Bits!