FOUNTAINS ABBEY - CASTLE HOWARD - RIEVAULX ABBEY

Wow!  What a day! First, we had the perfect breakfast at Newton House in Knaresborough where we stayed two nights.  Everything our host, Denise, served was homemade.  Bread, granola, jams, all so good.  The mushroom and farmhouse cheddar cheese omelette was also delicious. I would return just for her yummy cooking--I actually wrote about this in my travel journal which is why I can write about it now 1 1/2 years later!


After breakfast we went straight to Fountains Abbey--a well-preserved 12th century Benedictine Monk Abbey.  Really spectacular.  We walked and walked staying three hours.

Church of St. Mary the Virgin on the grounds at Fountains Abbey

Next stop planned was Rievaulx Abbey.  On our way to Rievaulx we saw a sign for Castle Howard and made the decision to veer off our schedule and squeeze in a trip to that famous house. This is what I love about a flexible schedule and having a car.  We arrived at 3:30 and the last entrance into the house is 4:00.  We roamed around--no guide.  So fun!

You remember Castle Howard--Brideshead Revisited (both adaptations) and other films.  It is an 18th century grand house--Earl of Sandwich lived here at one point.

There were times we felt we had the whole place to ourselves.  It pays to stop by just before closing.

Hydrangeas tucked in the window of the stairwell

Afterwards we headed out to the back lawn and over to the Atlas fountain and then on to the rose garden and vegetable gardens.

Raced over to Rievaulx Abbey in the nick of time--last entrance was 5:30 and it was 5:25.  Rievaulx is a 14th century ruins of an abbey and it is another well-maintained beauty.

Dark clouds started rolling in and before we knew it the rain hit.  But that didn't stop us from scampering across the slick stones.

It was a beautiful and fun day--love changing the schedule to take advantage of what pops up.

Ended the day having dinner at Honey Bee's in Knaresborough--comfort food in a tiny little house where nothing matches.  Everything made from scratch and when we needed to take some dinner to my sister who wasn't up for dinner out, the owner sent along her dishes (no takeaway containers) and said, "Don't worry about it.  I'll stop by Denise's tomorrow and pick up the dishes."  Aren't small towns the best?