The start of my birthday celebrations was when Laura-Beth, Jim and Charlie came for a visit. We did 'holiday' kind of things and enjoyed a few outings together - we are calling this their 'Museums Visit' as that's what we did while they were in Yorkshire!
Our first trip out was to Xscape in Castleford - although its a leisure park not a museum - Charlie loves ten pin bowling.... "I think this would be good for one you Andy" he said. "Not too heavy"
Then we had a day in York, the National Railway Museum is great (and free!)
Also in York is the famed Jorvik Viking Centre. TIP - if you go, do try to book online first - our youngest daughter has lived in York for nearly five years and every time we've visited her and browsed around lovely York (how can you NOT?) there is ALWAYS a long queue outside this place!
And we went to Caphouse Mining Museum ... Andy was a miner for many years, in fact one of the youngest Mine Managers in the UK before he had to finish on health grounds.
Charlie liked this place the best (he told us later) I wonder if its because Andy was able to tell many stories of his time down the mine - plus Laura-Beth told him how her Dad occasionally came home looking like those men in the photo above (VERY dirty!) because the pit showers were broken! (I used to groan at having to clean the bath on those occasions but the girls LOVED to see him like that and used to squeal with delight when he walked in the door! I have no idea why!)
There are interactive things for children to do as you look around the museum as well as comprehensive displays and lots of memories of the mining life. Laura-Beth took Charlie through a 'tunnel' to show him how dark it would be when we actually went underground. You need to book your trip 'down the mine' which I heartily recommend, although be warned, you have to carry a battery pack to light your miners lamp (a few pounds becomes quite heavy after a while!) and you go down in a 'pit cage' just as real miners have to. Squished in with about fifteen other folk!
They also visited The Royal Armouries museum in Leeds on the morning before they left (Andy and I were unable to go with them) So if you do come to Yorkshire, our museums have a lot to offer and they are definitely not boring!
Wow, you packed a lot in. It is our eldst daughters 30th in September and we have a weekend booked for her at 'the Blue Bicycle' as a surprise. This has made me tink we have chosen the right place for her and her hubby to go. They can fit in a bit of Christmas shopping too..... x
ReplyDeleteGreat set of photos, looks as if you have had a great time.
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