This started off as an organiser’s nightmare. Getting to the stadium to pick up the coach proved to be difficult as snow came down quite heavily. The committee were ringing each other up, saying where they were, and trying to avoid traffic jams, but eventually we all made it.
We set off, slightly late, and after Pickering we hit heavier snow and icy conditions. The manager at the Station Tavern said that the valley was OK, but getting a 49 seater coach down into Grosmont was a non-starter. We finally went the long way round through Egton Bridge but just before entering the village, we had to cross a hump-backed bridge, and our driver was not prepared to chance the long wheel-base of the coach, over it, so the last few minutes of the journey was on foot.
We arrived at the Station Tavern, to a welcome array of tea, coffee and cakes, and we hoped that the Tornado would be delayed, as we were running out of time. It was on time, but now the snow had turned into rain, and we were so glad that we had the shelter of the pub to go back into afterwards, until the driver found another way round to pick us up.
We then went on to Trenchers in Whitby for a late fish lunch, and fortunately the journey home was uneventful.
Thanks go to Chris, our Acklams’ driver for keeping us safe that day.
