Leeds to Monk Fryston. Day 5.

Hello. I didn't quite make the distance I wanted to do today, it took a while to get through the centre of Leeds. I was aiming for Selby, but I only made it as far as Monk Fryston, so I have got to work harder over the next two days to make it up. Thinking about it, perhaps Selby was a bit too optimistic, I finished on 17 miles, and Selby is seven miles away. It would have been doable if I had got through and out of Leeds a bit quicker. 

I was trying to follow the National Cycle network signs, but lost them at one point as they don't put them on every junction. Then I followed the road signs for Selby, and picked up the cycle route again. Part of the route was missing as it went close to a massive construction site, so I was back on the road signs again. 

The hotel I left this morning. Brilliant sunshine again. 

 A few pics of walking through Leeds. Everyone was busy, going to work, going to meetings, dragging wheelie bags and cases, walking about with their phones pressed to their ears and juggling a cup of coffee.

This building was gorgeous so I stuck my nose inside. The Corn Exchange houses a lot of small specialist shops and coffee chops, and eateries.

It's very ornate, a lovely atmosphere. Very quiet at ten o clock on a Monday morning, the shops opening up for the days trading.

The building next door has an interesting mural on the side.

As with a lot of these period buildings the best part is the upper floors, lots of interesting architecture.

Aha, that's where I am heading, Garforth. I roamed around the back streets for a while trying to get my bearings. The mobile library man was helpful with some suggestions.

Time for lunch at Garforth. I found a bench in a pretty memorial garden. I needed to change my socks, for the second time. I thought two pairs of fresh socks would be more comfortable, wrong, the first pair were better so I changed back again.

I went under railway lines and over them, under motorways and over them, trying to keep off the major routes with no footpaths. From Garforth I went to Micklefield, then Newthorne, This is Steeton Hall gatehouse, zoomed in from the road.

I stopped in South Milford to ask some people sitting on a bench if there was anywhere I could get a bed. The only suggestion they made was Monk Fryston Hall, but it would be expensive. I decided to carry on anyway because there was a pub marked on the map, maybe they had beds. No, they didn't do rooms, but the bar lady told me to ask at the Post Office because they did B & B. I looked at the long driveway opposite, to the Hall, and thought that would be a last resort if I couldn't get anywhere else. Bingo, it was my lucky day, they had a room in the barn next to the Post Office, and it's blooming lovely.

The people were ever so nice, large assortment of drinks and biscuits, and they made me a pot of tea  with a cake, on a tray. I don't very often drink tea, but I was thirsty.

Look at the fabulous bed, it's massive. The room is newly decorated, the bathroom is gorgeous. Lucky me. It's costs a bit more than the Holiday Inn, but hey, I'm worth it, ha ha.

The Barn at Monk Fryston.

Now it's time to study maps, to find a bed somewhere at the halfway stage of the rest of the trip. I had a couple of places in mind, but that might not work now because of the extra miles I have to do. Running total is 95 miles, about another 35 left to do.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip