A Black Swan lunch table, Helmsley

À table ! A very generous "light" lunch with French visitors. 

Black Swan Helmsley

Unless you've just done a long hike on the Cleveland Way, share your portions here; they are very generous. The Black Swan is so Breeteesh; the scones are as good as home-made and the unique blend of tea is deliciously refreshing - a must for foreign visitors.

Woollons and Harwood

On the same road as Monday's scarecrows, this kitchenware shop is a delight for locals and tourists alike. Woollons, founded in York in 1901,  have a second outlet in Thirsk, another attractive North Yorkshire market town.

http://www.woollons.co.uk/about/Family.aspx

More house

In response to the interest in this Helmsley house, here is a fuller shot with the mini-spires of the church tower peeping over the top. Thank you for your comments.

Scared?

Still Helmsley, an irresistible couple of characters watching the world go by. They must never get bored, as these gardens are on the path to the castle. 

For all the saints …

The elegant Victorian church of All Saints, Helmsley, seen from the top of the market square near the Black Swan hotel. The unidentified house sets off the church rather nicely. 

There has been a church on this site since before the Norman conquest, and the current one apparently replaced a 12th century construction, which would be unthinkable today.

Beckoning

Borough Beck, running from the moors to the river Rye just below the town, adds to Helmsley's charm. Children find it irresistible, so young families should allow an extra half hour for their visit. 

Helmsley Castle

A distant view of Helmsley and the castle from the Cleveland Way, returning from Rievaulx. 

Rievaulx Abbey

An hour from York, on the edge of the North York Moors, is the lovely market town of Helmsley. The 6-mile return walk along part of the Cleveland Way to Rievaulx is well worth the time and effort, with lovely views in both directions and the reward of the abbey itself in its lush, wooded valley.