Over a sunny Easter in 2015, I spent a long weekend in and around Harrogate. It was one of the best travel experiences that I have had in the past several years, so I really wanted to relive it and post a few photographs of an unblogged visit to Betty's Tea Rooms over a couple of afternoons. I'd gone to the tea rooms by myself to write some postcards and enjoy the sunshine as the bloke went back to the hotel. We'd had afternoon tea for a late lunch after we'd arrived in Harrogta (Betty's Tea Rooms), and the weather was a bit dreary on that day. Although the afternoon tea was enjoyable, I preferred the atmosphere of the cafe rooms on the first floor on my subsequent visits. It did help that when I visited, the sun was shining. I had a pink lemonade and macaroons on one visit and a hot chocolate and macaroons on another visit.
I really enjoyed the macaroons, and I had them twice. The lemonade and hot chocolate were also good, but the hot chocolate was not as chocolatey but was frothy.
Opposite Betty's in Harrogate is an attractive little park with a row of buildings and a church. I really enjoyed the city.
So, what else did I get up to on my visit to Harrogate? On the first day, I explored the city of Harrogate and some of the museums and visited the shops and gardens, and more can be read in my post here: Harrogate.
On the next day, which ended up being a full day, I had a visit to Mother Shipton's Petrifying Well, which is an attraction located in Knaresborough. The water is rich in minerals and leaves deposits on the rockface and coats any items left in the water's stream in these minerals, slowly transforming them to stone. There is also a museum here, and the cave here is noted for Mother Shipton, a local legend and soothsayer.
After the visit to the caves, I walked into Knaresborough and visited Knaresborough Castle on the hill across the river. The views are absolutely gorgeous here, and although there isn't much of the castle to see, there is a tower to climb and a tunnel under the hill, which was used as an escape route.
After leaving Knaresborough, I visited Brimham Rocks, an area filled with all sorts of crazy rocks and stones and views. The place was busy when I visited as this was on the Saturday before Easter, and many people had their families participating in an Easter Egg Hunt. I would have absolutely loved this place if I was a child. There's so many rocks to climb on and into.
On the Easter Sunday, an early start was made. If my memory is correct, I am sure that the first stop of the day was to Ripley Castle (Yorkshire, England), which is a beautiful castle located on a lake. Tours to the castle can be arranged daily, and we were on the first tour and also explored the grounds before. The village is also known for a local brand of ice cream, Ripley's, and the ice cream can be bought across the street from the castle.
After the visit to the castle, the bloke and I had Easter Sunday lunch before making our way to the fantastic Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden.
Before driving back home, we stopped off at Ripon and Ripon Cathedral, Yorkshire to have a quick look around the town, which is famous for its cathedral.
I enjoyed my visit to Harrogate and Yorkshire, and the nice weather combined with several attractions in the area made me really enjoy this long weekend.
Above is one of the photographs that I never posted, but this was Easter morning on a drive through the Dales. The mist was rising and beautiful; this must look like "Wuthering Heights"! A beautiful rainbow was in view as well. I hope that I can enjoy a visit to this area again as there are a few things that I would love to do and did not get to do.
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