After yesterday afternoon I thought we were in for some sunshine with warmer weather but Richard looked at the forecast and there is rain as usual for the next week. Wherever we go there is rain and once we leave it is sunny just like when we left Newcastle upon Tyne, Edna phoned to say the rain stopped shortly after we had gone the sun was out and there is blue sky. Are we unlucky or does God want us not to enjoy travelling round the UK.

The sky is grey and it is drizzling as Richard fills our water tank from the Marina tap before we leave Whitby. The carpark is filling up and the crowd is increasing to spend the day out in Whitby, as we join the traffic jam to leave. Richard is practising his hill starts up the winding roads out of town to Sainsbury’s to top-up with diesel £1.129, as Edna and Arthur said Whitby was the last stop for cheap diesel. Had a laugh watching this silly old bugger in front who didn’t know what he was doing or which pump to go to, as some were covered due to the tanker refilling the underground tanks. Well he pulls in front of this new car and reverses into it while the owner is yelling at him to stop, the old boy didn’t see the cover on the pump everyone just shook their heads in amazement and then he parks right up behind us for petrol.

Well it hasn’t stopped raining as we enter the hedged A171 road to drive once again through the hilly countryside of the North York Moors with the same views as yesterday fields of grain, sheep and cattle grazing, farmhouses with large barns, woodlands then through a pine forest at the road to Harwood Dale. Passed through the quaint sandstone and granite towns of Cloughton and Burniston where roadworks held up the traffic.

The rain has not ceased making it a very miserable day to sightsee as we were winding our way down to Scarborough Britain’s first resort, Queen of the Yorkshire Coast and the most popular seaside destination in Britain with a huge variety of activities and attractions. This we know when we arrived at the Scalby Sealife Centre where we were going to wild camp for the night, the centre was packed even though it was pouring with rain.

Took a drive round Royal Albert Drive on the shoreline of North Sands Beach a long stretch of sandy beach for a look and contemplate what we were going to do, as it was still early in the day and the constant rain was putting us off doing any sightseeing. Met up with a young couple we befriended at the Marina in Whitby and locals who said apart from the Scarborough Castle, the harbour and pier or the gardens there is not much to see.

Looked up to Castle Hill where the ruins of Scarborough Castle are, it’s raining gave it all a miss continued round the foreshore of Castle Hill till we came to the main centre of Scarborough and the harbour. Well it was just like being back in Whitby overcrowded with people and the traffic was unbelievable. Another larger tourist town with Amusement Parks, rides of all sorts, stalls, shops, cafes all the entertainment for a day out but sheerer bedlam for us driving in the pouring rain. Might be a lovely town with beautiful beaches and buildings but the noise and crowds are too much for us so we make a quick exit.

What a relief climbing up the hillside out of view of Scarborough poor Richard was going nuts with the rain and traffic. Now back to the North York Moors and the countryside views of before passed through many quaint old picturesque sandstone granite towns, fields or grain and sheep and cows grazing along the A170 till we started climbing through the Hambleton Hills and the fog set in making driving difficult for Richard. The steep descend through Sutton Bank with all the hairpin turns was a bit hair raising in the rain, just glad when we reached Thirsk to change direction to the A61 then A6065 to B6285 which took us to Bedale where we were going to hopefully wild camp for the night.

Bedale is a traditional market town and the gateway to Wensleydale and beautiful scenery if you like going walking on trails to see the natural beauties. A visit to the Tourist Information for brochures and a chat with the local parking inspection who advised us to park for the night in the main street then use a two hour parking disc for the morning. Quick look around the town before enjoying the sights tomorrow, then we became the amusement of the locals as we settled in for the night. Need to get used to the church bells, the traffic and people going out for an evening meal and shopping at Tesco Express Supermarket across the street.