10th of October, 2025 - Goathand to Malton

I didn't have too far to go to swap accommodation today, so I took my time leaving my beloved Goathland







and eventually floated down to Ripon where I visited the Cathedral, purely because of the rare and secret Anne Boleyn portrait that they have in a locked room that I'd been told about. It was recommended that I beg and play the "I came all the way from Australia" card to see this portrait, but when I got there I was told they'd gladly show me - except that it's not there. They've loaned it to Hever Castle for an Exhibition there in January. Well damn, I was at Hever too. Oh well. So I had a look around the Cathedral (they're all starting to look alike to me) and then wandered around Ripon for a while. The colour of the stone that they use in the buildings here is gorgeous. It's funny how every area is so distinctive. This is honey coloured stone, just like in the Cotswolds and yet it's completely different.


Yorkshire seems to be a complete mix of either big towns or tiny, weeny little villages. The towns are lovely, but nothing beats the wee villages.

After Ripon I took myself to Thirsk, which is also bigger than I expected. I spent the afternoon in the "World of James Herriot" museum. This isn't where either the series from the 80s or the current one were filmed (that's Asrigg and Grassington, but I'm not going to get there, so Thirsk it is), but it IS where the real James Herriot, aka Alf Wight lived and worked and the museum is in the house where Alf and Donald Sinclair (Siegfried in the books and shows) actually lived and worked. Amazing to see some of the old surgical instruments and see the house where they lived. Actually the TV shows are both pretty close to how the house is actually set up. I thought it might all be a bit naff, but I actually really enjoyed it.





I'm staying in Malton tonight and tomorrow night, but travelling the 20 minutes into York for a day trip tomorrow. Prepare for more churches. York Minster is sure to feature!

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