However much we would all love to go on an adventure every weekend, it isn’t always possible. Sometimes you have to adult and do house stuff, which is what we are doing now. However, you can do them both with a little bit of planning. Like making the most of an afternoon in Knaresborough while we picked up a shower curtain rail we bought on eBay.
Bet you weren’t expecting that, were you? …or the yoga pose with a squirrel sculpture! Well, let me take you to a place with plenty of the unexpected.
Getting stuff done
If you follow me on Twitter you will know that every Friday has been renamed “Finish Stuff Friday”. It is the day where you can pick up the things that linger on your list or meaner through the months never getting done. It is a way to free up some time and head space for enjoying the weekend. Anyway, one of the things that has come from #FinishStuffFriday is that we need to finally get around to doing the bathroom.
Being canny, I like to buy as much as I can on eBay to either get a preloved item, return bargain or general cheap deal. As such, I have been collecting bits and pieces for the bathroom over a period of time. To make the most of having to do the housey stuff, I have decided that we can travel further for items in order to have a mini adventure when we are there. Hence an afternoon in Knaresborough.
Over to Knaresbrough
After bidding and winning my lovely new Victorian style oval shower curtain rail, we arranged to collect it during the weekend. We planned a picnic, and our route. It is only about one hour, fifty minutes to Knaresborough, so very easily done in a day with time to explore. The two hours bit is kind of the limit I have set to how far we will travel for things. It is far enough, but not too far to take away fun times.
We were both quite excited about visiting Knaresborough as neither of us had been before. A brief google suggested that there was water but we didn’t delve any deeper than that so that we could discover things for ourselves during the visit.
While we were picking up the rail, while I was nuzzling with the dogs, we asked about what to see during our visit. We were recommended a walk along the water, so that is what we decided to do.
The River Nidd
Heading in to the centre of Knaresborough, we found a car park just to the side of the River Nidd. Post picnic we were ready to explore and headed over the road to the side of the river which lead to the Knaresborough Viaduct. You know how I am a sucker for a viaduct! And this one didn’t disappoint.
Along the river, I got the feeling of similarity between Shrewsbury and Chester. I suppose having such a large river running through and the old winding streets brought on some of that. It also felt a bit like we were on holiday too, a totally new place to explore, sun shining and wandering next to water.
The same but different
Having wandered around the winding streets around the river, the similarity became all of a sudden very different. We were beneath a very large cliff edge. Cars parked in hollowed out spaces and trees towering high on the other side of us. It was definitely not the kind of change of scene I was expecting, that’s for sure!
In the distance behind the trees we could still see slight glimpses of the river so we continues to follow the winding path to see where it took us.
Hidden along the way were some beautiful houses, nestled between the cliff, some woods and the trees. They seemed so story-tale like in their location, but I couldn’t help but think of how busy it would be around there on the single track lane during the summer months and tourist season. However nice they were, I would prefer not to be somewhere with the potential for such high footfall.
Onward and upward
As the time drew on, we started to plan our route back to the car. Rather than retracing our steps, we decided to head up a narrow pathway leading up the side of the cliff. Dappled with sunshine from the sunshine through the trees and covered with green ivy, we meandered our way up.
Just below was a tiny chapel in a cave. I would have loved to have had the time to pop in, but I do love an excuse to make a return trip to somewhere! And that, I reckon, is as good as any.
Knaresborough seemed to be full of surprises! At the top of the winding path, we found an alley running behind some houses, where to the other side, we had views of afar – without even being able to see the large river beneath us. If there was ever a place which sparked my curiosity, Knaresborough was certainly becoming one of them.
Unfortunately, our afternoon was quickly drawing towards evening, so we had to hold that curiosity for another time. We made our way back towards the town centre for a swift wander before we had to leave. This time, the twist in the tale had us feeling as though we had stepped into Wales or Cumbria. A cute town with small streets, bunting and ghost signs. It was far from how I had imagined the town would be after seeing the houses down below.
Then a castle!
Believing that we had discovered the essence of the town, we stumbled upon the remains of a castle. It really was like Shrewsbury and Chester, we had been right with one feeling of the place. There in front of us were the ruins of a castle and the city walls.
By this point in our adventure, we had firmly decided that we would be returning. From what began as an unknown destination turned into a place of intrigue and discovery. Somewhere which caught the imagination and drew you down the winding paths to views, houses and castles!
The walk back took us to a fantastic spot to admire the viaduct. We stood for a while to admire the view and the sunshine glistening on the water. It was still quite busy and people were enjoying the last of the sunshine too.
Our afternoon adventure
As we made our way back to the car, legs wearier than we had imagined for an afternoon wander, we reflected on our afternoon holiday. What could have been simply a drive to pick up a shower curtain rail turned into and adventure to discovering cliff side chapels, castles and sculptures. It was a seed being planted for another day trip out.
I reckon that all kinds of housey things need to be made into a greater adventure. It is something we all have to do from time to time and the best we can do is to make the most of it. Of course fitting the bathroom might not include so much walking. But I am sure we’ll get a doorstep adventure in there somewhere!
Have you ever visited Knaresborough? Can you recommend any other places we could visit around there?
Do you make adventures out of work?
Let me know in the comments.