Scarborough; Sunday, 23 October, 2011

Up early again to get a bus out onto the Moors and over to the town of Helmsley. The journey was very pretty through the rolling countryside, if slightly scary bouncing around on the top deck of a double decker rattling down tiny country lanes at 60 miles an hour.

I had a quick look around the town centre and then headed over to the main attraction of the town, it’s stunning castle.

I had a long look around the ruins before heading back into town to grab a bite to eat.

My next stop would normally have been a three mile walk along country lanes, but, thankfully, the Moorsbus service was still running for the season so I was able to catch the only bus of the afternoon out to Rievaulx Abbey.

I was worried that the 2 and a half hours that I had until the return bus might be too long, but in the end it was just about right to have a good look around the site, and grab a late cup of tea in the tea shop before heading back to Helmsley.

My bus back to Scarborough bounced through the edge of the Moors in the fading light and by the time I got back to Scarborough it was dark.

I had another wander through the town and down by the sea front before heading back to the hotel to pack.