“I love puffins. They are small, round gothic birds, and their babies are called pufflings.”

Caitlin Moran, British journalist

York, England

I’ve now just completed the “trifecta crossing” of the English Channel: under (Channel Tunnel or Chunnel) over it (flying) and now on it, via ferry. We booked passage on a night crossing on a P&O Ferry from Rotterdam to Hull, the closest port to York, England, to begin our United Kingdom visit.

Channel crossings can sometimes be rocky, but luckily for us, ours had Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the seas, watching over us; for it was smooth as glass. I was looking forward to a little rocking motion to help put me to sleep, but it wasn’t necessary.

As we approached the ferry, I mentioned to David that it looked bigger than the Viking Sea, the ship I’d been on earlier this year, cruising the Caribbean. A quick google search proved me almost right – the ferry was just 38 feet shorter, but 11 feet wider. It also had three more decks than the Viking Sea. I’ve been on ferries before, but this was a behemoth of the seas.

P&O Ferries has a long history, dating back to the early 19^th century. It operates a fleet of modern ferries equipped with many passenger amenities, including restaurants, bars, lounges, casinos, and shopping; similar to those of a cruise ship. However, the cabins were small, simple and functional. Tucked inside its belly, while you took a turn at the one-arm bandits, are cars, caravans, or trailer trucks.

Our port of call, Hull, is an hour’s drive from York, which I wrote extensively about in our last Castles Tour of Great Britain in May 2022:

“Travel far and wide and you should possess the secrets of man.”

Since that time, David’s former West Hollywood roommate, Jeff and his husband, Damien, had moved to York from the London area; and to their first home purchase. We’d pay an overnight visit with them in their new, charming village, Wigginton, on the outskirts of York.

Betty’s Café Tea Room

Our first stop in York, after big welcoming greetings, was a quick beeline for the world famous Betty’s Café Tea Room; for on our last visit, the queue encircled the town, putting a kibosh on dining there. This time it was the quieter morning, enabling us to walk in without delay, dragging along our luggage. And now, please indulge me as I wax poetic on Betty’s.

Betty’s is an institution; a well-known establishment known for its classic Afternoon Tea experience, a British mainstay. Originally founded in 1919 in Harrogate, Betty’s in York opened in 1936; one of five locations in Yorkshire; all of which are celebrated for their elegant ambiance, excellent service, and delicious offerings.

It’s centrally located on St. Helen’s Square in York’s historic district. It features art deco interiors, beautiful furnishings, and a sophisticated, yet welcoming atmosphere. The setting is designed to offer a luxurious and memorable dining experience. Park yourself down and spend a little tea time here, and with much civility, chow down on some really fine food.

Luckily for me, Afternoon Tea is served all day long here; it being my favorite meal whenever visiting the British Isles. It includes a selection of finely-cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and preserves, and an assortment of cakes and pastries. It’s often accompanied by a pot of Bettys’ own blend of tea.

David and Jeff ordered traditional English Breakfasts and added a batch of pikelets: classic flat, pan-cooked crumpets that are delicious enjoyed with butter and preserves. Everything was delicious and oh so perfect.

One of Betty’s famous specialties is their Yorkshire Fat Rascal Scone, a plump and rich, fruity scone that has become iconic. It’s filled with a generous mix of dried fruits, such as: currants, raisins, and candied citrus peel. They’re spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, giving them a warm and aromatic flavor.

One doesn’t dare leave the premises without some of these treats to take home and enjoy later. Happily, a few Fat Rascals did leave Betty’s with us.

A quick walk-through town followed; with a must-stop to the local branch of the Christmas emporium, Käthe Wohlfahrt. Based in Germany, there are now Käthe locations in France, Belgium, Spain and England. There’s even a U.S. branch in Stillwater, MN!

Now laden with some new, special Christmas items to add to our collection, we dropped our bags off at the house. Here we met Síofra, an adorable, huggable Maltipoo. Síofra is an Irish name, meaning fairy or elf, and in Irish folklore, refers to the goddess of love and stealer of hearts. That she is!

Síofra has her very own car seat and we loaded her and it into Jeff’s car, and off we went on an adventure drive out into the British countryside. After an hour or so, and some 50 miles, we came upon the spectacular Yorkshire coast.  For it was there that the stunning Bempton Cliffs appeared, a National Geographic moment to say the least.

Bempton Cliffs is home to one of the UK’s top wildlife spectacles. It’s here that around half a million seabirds gather between March and August to raise a family on the towering chalk cliffs overlooking the North Sea. By sheer coincidence, the timing of our visit was right at the height of the season, in which the cliffs are transformed into England’s largest seabird city.

The huge white cliffs at Bempton are impressive at any time of year. Here you’ll see: Puffins, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots, all living life-on-the-edge. There are more Gannets acrobatically diving into the deep right here than anywhere else on mainland England.

But it’s not all about the cliffs. In spring and summer, Corn Buntings, Skylarks and Linnets breed in the grassland and scrub where land meets the sea, while Kestrel and Barn Owls hunt under wide-open skies, often joined in winter by Short-eared Owls.

All in all, it’s a veritable birdwatcher’s paradise … David was like a kid in a candy store. Jeff and Síofra managed a little more restraint and mused over the seascape amidst the plentiful wildflowers.

Have you watched “All Creatures Great and Small” on PBS? Well, Jeff drove us through the picturesque Yorkshire Dales, a beautiful and rugged area as shown on the program. It’s characterized by rolling hills, expansive moorland, dramatic valleys and stunning landscapes, dotted with traditional dry, stone walls and picturesque, fairy-tale villages; its rich, cultural heritage dating back thousands of years. And to boot, there’s thousands of sheep dotting the landscape.

Jeff’s dinner recommendation was a classic gastropub, Dog and Gun, in the small village of Knayton, North Yorkshire. He and Damien enjoy going there as they’re super dog friendly ~ all pooches are welcome.

On the menu…..

We returned back to Wigginton after a wonderful and wholly satisfying day out in nature, that rewarded all five senses. It was time to relax with a gin and tonic in their lovely English garden. We talked into the night, but apparently not long enough to witness the spectacular Northern Lights, for we retired just a few minutes too early to watch the show. Who knew?!

For in the morning, a neighbor sent along spectacular shots of the Northern Lights taken from their nearby yard just shortly before we’d called it a day and night. C’est la vie.

We hugged and said our goodbyes, but not before Jeff and Damien checked my luggage to see if I was not trying to walk away with my new LOVE, named Síofra. 

It was back to the historic York train station to continue our journey north to Edinburgh, and begin our 12-day exploration of the Scottish Highlands.

As seen about …