Aysgarth Falls & the biggest cream scone ever

As the name suggests Aysgarth Falls can be found at the village of Aysgarth on the A684 between Leyburn and Hawes. The falls are well signposted from the main road as is car parking at the National Visitor centre which is where we parked.

The staff at the centre were very helpful and showed us a walk that would take in the falls from both sides of the river before heading away towards West Burton and back to the Visitor centre. 

From the car park a short walk across the road onto a well marked path that takes you down towards firstly the middle falls then the lower falls where you can get access right to the waters edge for a good photo opportunity before returning to the car park where you exit at the opposite end and follow the path to reach the higher falls and picnic area.

The walk then heads back towards the car park but you cross the river at the road bridge and head up some steps into the church yard and pick up the path that  runs alongside the opposite bank of the river. Walking along on this side gives a totally different view of the lower falls before the path takes you away from the river and towards the main road. After crossing the road you are quickly into another field, this time walking alongside a beck that is big enough for fish spotting, we saw numerous brown trout as we walked along. The path continues along the beck until you reach another road bridge, here we decided that rather than continue towards the village of West Burton we would head back towards Aysgarth, but not before we stopped for our picnic taking in the view and watching several bats feeding around us.

The walk then took us over the hills back to the church yard and back to the Visitor Centre. It was noted earlier in the day that the centre had a tea room by our youngest son who seems to have developed a love of tea rooms, so we sat at a table outside and placed our order,

A view downstream of the falls

Our picnic location for the day

The look of sheer astonishment on our daughters face when the waitress placed the cream scone on the table was one not to be missed, needless to say it was easily the biggest cream scone any of us had ever seen and needless to say it didn't get finished!!! 

About to attempt to eat the big cream scone

Hawes..... Eventually

We have just returned from a great week staying at the caravan club site in Hawes. http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/caravanclubapps/applications/uk-caravan-sites-and-parks/SiteDetails.aspx?csid=21840

Although the week started on somewhat of a low ( entirely my fault ) it ended on a high.

We set off from home on Saturday morning and made good time heading up the A1 to Leeming Bar before heading off on the A684 through Bedale and Leyburn before reaching Hawes around lunch. We joked on our way into reception that we were 15 minutes before the earliest check in time and wondered if we would be made to wait, after being greeted by a very pleasant warden the joke turned on us as she muttered the words" sorry but we have no record of your booking".

After a few seconds of panic on our behalf and a bit of further investigation it turned out I had booked Sunday to Sunday.... For the first time ever we had arrived a whole day early. I couldn't even begin to gloat as it was me that had booked the stay.

After abit more panic and after a lot of help from the warden we were booked into another site for the night, 20 miles back down the road at Leyburn not ideal but better than having to drive back home.

So off we set slightly embarrassed but relieved we had got somewhere, what we hadn't realised was that it was the Wensleydale show at Leyburn and hence lots of traffic. To add to the drama the car decided to show it's displeasure at all the queueing on the steepest hill by slipping the clutch. 

We did however make it to the site shortly after and in between a barrage of texts off family members poking fun at my little mishap made camp for one night.

We were to be joined later in the week by Emma's parents one of which, Gordon, took every opportunity to belittle my holiday planning skills, they were staying at Skeldale house B&B in Askrigg for the second half of the week .http://www.skeldalehouse.co.uk/

So after a good week we get to Friday and the planned BBQ is a washout therefore we decide to go for a meal at the Kings Arms in Askrigg,(http://kingsarms-askrigg.co.uk/) perfect for the in laws as it was literally across the road from their B&B so they could park the car up and have a drink.

After a very nice meal and lots of spitting spider red wine ( not me as I was driving ) we parted company for our drive back to Hawes and their short stroll back to their B&B.

Can you imagine the warm glow of satisfaction I felt when on the following morning Gordon tells us how when he got back to the B&B the landlords were waiting for him with his bags packed because believe it or not .... He wasn't booked in for the Friday night!!!!

Unable to drive anywhere a night sleeping in the car looked like it was coming, but luckily for them the landlady phoned around and found them a room in the same village.

Personally I think the moral of the story is, let the wife book the holidays then it can't be your fault.

But all turned out well mainly thanks to the lovely friendly people of the area who are more than happy to help, and after a shaky start we had a fab week in the Yorkshire Dales and we will be going back..... But I'm not booking it