Away in April 2011 – Day 7 Travel to Slingsby Yorkshire

Slingsby, Peterborough

Thursday, 7 April 2011

Long day’s drive to Slingsby via Peterborough, ably directed by Navwoman, apart from a few glitches when not enough warning to come off large roundabouts. Motorways have constant traffic – lots of trucks with no company dominating and all seemingly different – contrast with Australia where we tend to see same companies represented.

Countryside very green, fields already ploughed and planted, hedgerows and trees sprouting green fuzz of new leaves and white haze of blossoms. Many daffodils still blazing but many now spent. What a difference a week makes!

Another beautiful day – maximum temperature about 18.

Great to catch up with Michael and Jenny in Peterborough. Jenny put on a lovely spread of sandwiches and bottomless mugs of tea. Michael still not 100% – he was on his way to Australia and ended up in hospital in Singapore with chest pains. Quite a worry for everyone.

Entrance to village of Slingsby through a series of gates that we realised later must belong to Castle Howard, a stately home belonging to important Elizabethan family, and more recently location for original Brideshead revisited series.

Our accommodation for three nights is Kate’s cottage – a beautifully restored one bedroom cottage – very comfortable and lots of extra touches such as vase of daffodils in the kitchen window, welcome basket of museli, pressed coffee, tea and loaf of bread. In the fridge orange juice, Irish butter, eggs and bottle of wine.

Upstairs bedroom with ensuite bathroom with 6 foot bath.

No dinner at the inn – local pub The Grapes not serving meals until next week – apparently didn’t meet hygiene standards. Not sure whether new owners of a month are up to the task – can’t see young woman behind the bar cooking a mixed grill, although shouldn’t judge by facial piercings!

Village very small – one pub, a village shop, mechanic, church in need of significant repair, little primary school – but locals walking their dogs greeted us and friendly cats crossed roads to entreaties of “puss, puss!” Literature in the cottage shows lots of community activity with locals banding together to develop Slingsby website and publish quarterly newsletter.

	Anthony and his brother Michael [Map]		Kitchen of Kate’s cottage in Slingsby [Map]
	Lounge room of Kate’s cottage Slingsby [Map]		Railway Street Slingsby [Map]