… is how we both feel today.  We have had a fabulous holiday travelling around the Western Isles, mainland Scotland and Northern England for the last 65 days.

We are now making our way back home to Kent and really looking forward to seeing our family and friends again.

We left our North York Moors campsite at Goathland today and stopped in that Railway Children sort of way at the bridge nearby to wave goodbye to ‘Chiru’ as she puffed her way over on her way down to Pickering.

Under the bridge some of the locals were hanging out…

DSC_0002

DSC_0020… or on top of it.

DSC_0022Not wanting to say a final goodbye to ‘Chiru’ just yet, when we got to Pickering we managed to park by the level crossing and photographed her as she steamed over the crossing and into the station.

DSC06976DSC06978Here she was detached from her coaches and re-attached the other way round!

DSC06987DSC06988She was re-filled with water ready for her return journey back up the line.

DSC_0034DSC_0049We decided to drive over to the Dales before we finally left Yorkshire.  Good to see the old Ritz cinema in Thirsk is still going strong.

DSC_0055Lovely rolling hills:

DSC_0058We went as far west as Pateley Bridge before we turned south.  It was still en fete from the Tour de France.  Yellow bicycles everywhere…

DSC_0073DSC_0069… and boasting the oldest sweet shop in England!

DSC_0066Now it was time to seriously take to the road in a southerly direction on the A1(M).  Awful traffic congestion and temperatures topping 27 degrees!  What a change from yesterday’s 13!  We had decided to stop overnight at one of our previous campsites – Bramley Farm in Cambridgeshire.  We had a nice welcome from Joan and proved to be the sole occupant of her excellent little certificated site.

DSC06989This is the final post of this marathon blog as tomorrow will see the final stage of our return journey to Kent and a stopover with Sally, Sean and the boys.  I’m sure we’ll see the rest of our family very soon too.  We’ve missed you all.

This has been a great trip and we’ve enjoyed sharing it with you all.  Thanks for reading and, of course, for your comments!

Until the next Adventures with Bessie, goodbye!