We spent all of Wednesday (22 July) in Ripon, starting after a leisurely breakfast of fresh fruit and muesli with a visit to the cathedral. Again, no matter how often we‘ve already been in there, we never tire of wandering around, looking at architectural and other details and generally just soaking up the relaxing, peaceful, calm, warm and welcoming atmosphere of this ancient building.
If you want to know dates and historical and current facts, the wikipedia entry about the cathedral is very useful.
We had lunch at Realitea, a small Indian restaurant we discovered only last year (or was it in 2024?); the owner is a young Indian woman who cooks based on traditional and family recipes, and she usually comes out to the tables and asks people how they liked their food. Service is always friendly, and the food has an authentic home-cooked feel about it; very nice and highly recommended, should you ever find yourself in Ripon and looking for a place to have lunch, or a selection of premium teas and lovely cakes.
We went through a few shops, had a brief rest at home and then set off for a walk around the neighbourhood for about an hour.  |
| Nature reserve down Springfield Banks, Ripon |
At 7:00 pm, we were at our former landlady‘s who has become a friend over the years. She offered champagne for starters, and that was before I told her that I was married - of course then we clinked glasses again. It was a most pleasurable evening with delicious food and drink, catching up and conversation freely flowing.
It wasn‘t yet fully dark by the time we walked back to the cottage; that‘s the advantage of British summertime and being further North than where we live.
Wednesday in Ripon ! I like the title. Short story or a movie ?
ReplyDeleteLike a Hugh Grant comedy ; he's stuck there with a sulky spoilt granddaughter.
12 miles from Harrogate, 22 miles from York. With a homey Indian restaurant.
What's not to love as the kids say ? I hear the curlew over Springfield Banks.
Yorkshire's one of the breeding spots for the Eurasian curlew.
Ripon Cathedral's on my Must See List. Lichfield, Ely & Peterborough too.
So you're further north than Ludwigsburg ? Long, lightsome evenings.
My late brother would come from Los Angeles and marvel at our summer evenings.
He'd quote Degas the painter : * Let us praise the light ; it is a consolation. *
Pretty picture of our Librarian, wholly absorbed in a text on her device.
The age of reading isn't over, though a cover story in The Atlantic said it was.
Curlew Action works to protect the curlew's habitat.
It's so nice that you and your sister do this traditional trip each year. So much beauty to explore and such nice memories you can celebrate and create. Do you think you will ever bring O.K. on this journey? I'm glad you are having such a great time.
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