For breakfast, my taste buds were looking forward to pancakes and fruit compote, but sadly pancakes weren’t on offer this morning leading me to plan B choices. After a bowl of fresh fruit, I selected some of the more visually appealing items that were on offer from the cooked breakfast area. The eggs looked unappetising and the bacon was a little dried out and hard.

After breakfast we visited Skipton Castle, which is a lot smaller than I remembered it. Perhaps it feels smaller because now there is a one-way system in place to make sure you see everything. The one-way system means that in some places you can’t explore the castle optimally. I still love the twisted yew tree in the central courtyard.

Whilst exploring the castle I had a humorous moment. Mr C had climbed a spiral staircase and said he would call down and let me know if it was worth the effort for me to climb them. He was gone for some time and he still hadn’t called down. Then, just as a man whose family we had been we had been following round the castle popped his head through the doorway to the stairs, a disembodied voice called down ‘you won’t be missing much’. I had to explain the voice was talking to me, much to the amusement of both of us and he said to me that he was also wondering if it was worth the climb.

We had lunch in the café before exiting the castle grounds to visit the nearby church. The church is small but lovely with interesting historical features. I wasn’t able to purchase the guide book to find out more in-depth information; the shop, although supposed to be open, was closed.

Then we returned to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill which we had visited briefly earlier when we explored the main street before visiting the castle. I purchased a couple of pairs of corduroy trousers to replace some of mine that have worn a little thin. I need them for the cold winter months when I am volunteering at Attingham Park. I also purchased the fun Christmas top that Mr C pointed out to me earlier in the day. I had noticed the top but not the tag line but, once he had pointed it out, I just had to buy. That will have to remain a secret until nearer Christmas when all will be revealed.

On our way back to Harrogate we thought we might visit Bolton Abbey, but the parking charge was  £15 based on people visiting for the day. This did not appeal to us when we would only be there for an hour… We gave it a miss, opting instead for tea and cake in Bettys, Harrogate where we were lucky to have a window seat. We then got a bit carried away with purchases in the shop; we had only gone in for teabags and a small Christmas cake…

Back in the hotel, browsing the internet I noticed that a dress I had missed out on a few days before (whilst I was checking out what size I should order) had been restocked with limited availability. I had been really disappointed to have missed out on what would be a fun dress for the Christmas season so I got Mr C to order it on his phone; I am useless at that sort of thing.

Later we dined in Sukhothai Thai. The restaurant is beautiful with impeccable service, delicious food and vibrant atmosphere. They make a lot of noise, involving xylophones and cymbals when delivering “happy birthday” cake to customers.

We had a nightcap in The Alexandra pub which Mr C had noticed earlier in the day. At last, he was able to enjoy a ‘proper’ beer, we tucked ourselves away in a cosy corner to avoid the televisions screening the football match. After the match the pub emptied and, although the pub was still very much open, we were the last people to leave.

The chapel has been in existence since the 12th century when Alice de Romille, Lady of Skipton Castle, granted the chaplain an allowance for gowns and food which was payable at Christmas.  The chapel is dedicated to St John the Evangelist and was reserved for the use of the lord and lady of the castle, and the farmer at Home Farm, 3.2km (2 miles) away.  the last two recorded uses of the chapel were in 1635, when Elizabeth Clifford, daughter of the fifth Earl of Cumberland, married Lord Dungarvan, and in 1637, when her daughter Katherine was baptised.

The Clifford family were granted the castle by Edward II in 1310 when Robert Clifford was appointed first Lord Clifford of Skipton and Guardian of Craven, which is the large tract of countryside to the north and west of Skipton.  This remained the Cliffords’ principal seat until 1676.  The Clifford banner still flies over the castle with the approval of the present Lord Clifford of Chudleigh.