There and Back

York is a historic walled city in North Yorkshire, The city was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD. It became the capital of the Roman province of Britannia Inferior, and later of the kingdoms of Northumbria and Jórvík. In the Middle Ages. York grew as a major wool trading centre and became the capital of the northern ecclesiastical province of the Church of England, a role it has retained. In the 19th century, York became a hub of the railway network and a confectionery manufacturing centre. The economy of York is now dominated by services. York's cathedral church is one of the finest medieval buildings in Europe. The Minster is also known as St Peter's, its full name being the 'Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York'. In the past the church sat within its own walled precinct, known as the Liberty of St Peter. The remains of the Basilica, the ceremonial centre of the Roman fortress, have been found beneath the Minster building. T...

Bressingham Gardens and Steam Experience is a unique combination arising out of the passions of founder Alan Bloom, whose profession of nurseryman and gardener and hobby of a steam powered collection of trains and traction engines led to the leisure destination of Bressingham Gardens and Steam Museum.  It's a great family place and we were sure Adam would enjoy this (as well as ourselves!) This was the engine that adam and dad went on, although I am unsure which of the four routes they travelled. They enjoyed themselves anyway. ....... as you can see by Adams face! and then a little celebration dance afterwards. And now it is lunch time Nana. The three-abreast Gallopers are Bressingham centre piece. It is one of the finest to be seen anywhere. Built by Savages of Kings Lynn in 1897 and owned and operated by the Thurston family of Norfolk until 1934, the Gallopers later operated at Whitley Bay and ended up in Scotland b...

Sunday 21st October We're off to Jenolan Caves today with Gra and Jane They are one of the finest and largest cave systems in the world. Because there are so many caves we had to choose which to go in. We went in the Orient caves and then we went in a self guided one through the Devils Coach House. Outside the cave, the Devil's Coach House is a cavernous natural archway in the mountainside, named after the ghostly vision reported by a camper, Luke White, who claimed he had seen the devil himself charge through aboard a horse-drawn coach. The roof of the arch is 57m at its highest point. Some of the amazing Stalactites and stalagmites we have ever seen. Although the first two caves were very different they were both amazing in their own right. It is incredible to imagine how explorers managed to find their way through the caves with only a candle for light, a rope and hobnail boots. It was very early on that the importance of these caves was recognized and sanc...

Wednesday 17th October Off today heading for Richmond, passing over the River Lidell near Muswellbrook. This provides a source of power for the surrounding area. There is vast mining of coal and sand in the area. Where on earth is Muswellbrook?: Well, it is a town in the Upper Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about 243 km north of Sydney and 127 km north-west of Newcastle. Geologically, Muswellbrook is situated in the northern parts of the Sydney basin, bordering the New England region. Ever onward and over the very old Bulga bridge and eventually a stop at the halfway house. I'd forgotten about the road houses as this is the first one we have been to on this visit. They are much more a thing on the western side where there are such great distances between places.  We are then dropped down in to the lower Hunter valley and some of the serious wine regions of the area. There is also a lot of fruit and veggies grown around here.  The scenery on the w...