Lincoln September 2016

   I have visited Lincoln before but have only seen outside the station. My impression from this view was that Lincoln was a fairly ordinary urban town. However I was quite wrong as it is a lovely shopping centre and also offers a lovely castle.

   The road to the castle is very very steep but it reminds me of York with very characterful shops and tea rooms.The tea rooms invite you take a break from the long climb and next time I would like to take them up on the offer.

Steep Hill leading to Lincoln Castle

The climb leads to a small square which sits between the castle and the cathedral. Again there are tearooms and also a gift shop.

   I decided to look round the castle which offers lots to do. I enjoyed visiting the prison where some of the cells have video stories of former inmates.The history of the prison is fascinating and its interesting to see the life conditions of inmates.
   The castle has an excellent cafe where I enjoyed lunch before taking a walk around the walls and enjoyed the fantastic views.

Lincoln Cathedral from the Castle Walls

Cleethorpes September 2016

Cleethorpes is very easy to visit on the train as the station is right on the beach. Visiting out of season means the beach is almost deserted and it's a great place to spend a few quiet hours.

Cleethorpes when the Tide is out

The tide goes very far out and there is a feeling of isolation when it happens. However when the tide comes in the atmosphere changes and it's really pleasant to walk along the shoreline.

The Shoreline Cleethorpes

The resort itself seems smaller than places such as Scarborough or Whitby and there are less attractions such boat rides. However it's simple and undemanding and plenty of kiosks to get an ice cream or a coffee. When the sun came out I overheard one lady remarking that it could have been the Caribbean. I felt she was right--it could have been.

Day Trip to Whitby October 2016

  It's a long journey for me to get to Whitby and back in a day but it is always worth it.
 I love the drive through Pickering and the North York Moors and then finally seeing the sea in the distance.

 The scenery in the moors is spectacular and its like entering a different world. The road dips up and down with very steep inclines.
 I always wonder how the people who live nearby cope with driving in the winter.
 The moors are dark brown at this time of year and I can never wait for the first glimpse of the Abby and the church of St Mary high on the cliff.

  Whitby harbour is like something out of a history book. I always feel if I went back in time for a few hundreds of years the harbour would look just the same.

The Church of St Mary overlooking Whitby Harbour

I always love to go on a boat trip and feel it is the best way to get a full view of the harbour and the cliffs on either side.

On the Boat leaving Whitby Harbour

The highlights of this visit,which is one of many, are the sight of a seal in the harbour and a visit to Botham's tearooms for a french fancy.