Friday 3 September

An overcast day, but dry at least. After breakfast we head off on our bikes avoiding main roads, a little undulating, to reach Harlow Carr RHS garden. It takes us a bit over an hour and we can reward ourselves with a lovely cup of coffee from the famous Betty’s Tearooms which has a kiosk in the garden. Founded by a Swiss Chocolatier we gather, not sure who Betty was! The gardens are still beautiful with an array of colours even in late summer. The kitchen garden perhaps not as impressive as Rosemoor and its warmer climes. We then cycle into Harrogate town centre which is very chic and has every shop I could dream of! I manage a sneak in to Brora and Sweaty Betty before a delicious Turkish Meze lunch: very evocative of our time in Northern Cyprus. Keeping up the theme we then go to the Victorian Turkish Baths: very authentic and beautifully restored to its former glory. We move from a steam room to a warm, medium and hot room (heated to 70 degrees) interspersed with hot showers and a plunge pool. Feeling well cleansed and warmed to the core we have to cycle the 11 miles back to base! Tea and then M&S chicken korma.