Rievaulx

After a lazy start to the day (apart from TT who went out for a 9 mile run), we eventually got going and headed to the peaceful and romantic ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.  It is in such a lovely setting you can see why the monks settled there.

After exploring the museum and the ruins we had a really nice lunch at the abbey café. If we had been a bit more organised we might have walked from Helmsley to the Abbey – but maybe BB would have protested too much, especially as he would have had to walk back too.  We then headed back up the hill to Rievaulx Terrace – a landscape garden with twelve views of the abbey ruins, with  a temple at either end of the terrace. 

There was also an art trail which BB had great fun with – looking for the most expensive piece of art (a heron at over £9000).  He then discovered jenga in the woods – and we had a nail biting game, before BB and TT moved onto chess – which became speed chess!

We headed home and then out for a birthday tea – for me!

Here is a view of the ruined abbey.  BB provides some idea of the scale! The extra is one of the twelve views from The Terrace.