ENGLISH ODDS AND ENDS

                                    A Little Trivia

 A word about James Herriot country. I loved the Herriot books as much as my children did and always wanted to meet the friendly vet---who actually was a fictional character. The village of Thirsk is where the real Alf Wight practiced as a veterinarian  for many years and is the setting of his fictional town of Darrowby. In reality Dr. Wight also had an outreach office in Leyburn. The Herriot movie was actually filmed in the village of Askrigg, as Thirst has no village center---that was a figment of Wight’s imagination.  His office is now The World of James Herriot Visitor Center. Riding through the countryside of Dr Herriot was almost like I’ve been here before.

     The population of the North York Moors  National Park is 18,000. The National Trust only owns 1.5% of this park. The medieval cross is the North York Moors symbol. These crosses are named and were used as guide posts across the moors. One dates to 600AD. The tradition was to leave coins on top of the cross if one was able; if one was in need he could take what he needed.

     The North York Moors National Park is the most easterly of all the parks in England and has only 12 million visitors a year. The Peak District National Park has 26 million visitors a year and is second only to Mt. Fuji for annual visitors.  The park, established in 1952, is England’s fifth National Park and its 553 square miles makes it the country’s 4^th largest. It is also the only upland park in the east of England and is in a relatively remote area. 

      Farms are located part way up the dales to hook into water supplies from streams and springs.  20% of the park is forested.

      Our Scarborough hotel, originally built as a 19^th century four bedroom home, was converted to a hotel late in the century. During WW II the hotel was used for billeting the military. Located on the ocean cliffs, we had a spectacular view of the city, beach, and North Sea. It was peaceful and quiet.

     Scarborough is a typical coastal tourist town and part of the city has all the entertainment that plagues the peace and quiet.  Located just outside the National Park, it is not on American tourist agendas, but the British do holiday here. The park has the most extensive track of heather in all of England and Wales. A sea of purple covers 160 square miles when in season. The red grouse, indigenous to the area, has a big relationship with the heather; 20% of the park is in coniferous plantation, about 45% is enclosed farming, leaving 33% open moorland.

     A large spa was built below the cliffs in 1640 and for years people flocked to the baths. Sometime ago pollution shut down the spa and now it is used as a convention center.