A few more decorations in Folkestone's TK Maxx

It's not even August and the local TKMaxx is putting out a few more decorations for Halloween, albeit the display isn't a large one yet. The Martha Stewart pumpkins look nice, although it is a shame they are not orange. The cushions, again nice, but there's a limit to how much space I have for storage out of season. The dishes I thought were the nicest of items for sale but made of a very fragile glass. Lovely retro design though.

Sunday 24th July 2022

Mother Shipton's Cave

The last of this year's holiday pics. And only a short distance from Harrogate is the beautiful town of Knaresborough, famed for having the oldest tourist attraction in England which has been charging visitors since 1630. According to legend Old Mother Shipton was born in the cave and was a prophetess and soothsayer. However the cave itself is less interesting than the petrifying well, whereby items left suspended from the waterfall are encrusted over time with all the minerals from the water. A few  famous people (and many more minor celebrities) have left items which are in the museum (the most notable on display are: Agatha Christie's handbag, Queen Mary's shoe, Paul Daniel's cuddly rabbit, & John Wayne's hat)

It takes between 3-6 months for a small teddy bear to become encrusted and there are some for sale in the museum /gift shop. But probably the best looking encrusted or petrified item hanging from the museum ceiling is the doll pictured below.

Saturday 23rd July 2022

When in York...

A couple more holiday snaps... Firstly the devil boss on the entrance to the snicklewayfrom Stone Gate  to The Barley Hall.

And then in The Shambles we stumbled across a most peculiar shop with a very large queue. The York Ghost Merchants have a huge following on TikTok and produce small ghost ornaments in a variety of colours and apparently the latest trend is to buy one, have it photograhed in their shop's diorama and then post it online.

And what visit to York isn't complete without a visit to the grave of the highwayman Dick Turpin!

Thursday 21st July 2022

A Visit to Whitby

I finally got round to visiting Whitby this year. Famous for manly things (probably most famous for its Captain Cook conncetions), but for fans of horror films its the connection to Dracula, with Bram Stoker staying in Whitby and being inspired enough to include certain locations and people's names in the novel. 

Anyhow, I won't bother to bore the casual reader with too many personal annecdotes, ony suffice to say the place is well worth visiting and staying in for a number of days. If you do choose to visit then you may wish to check out the following (amongst the many others):

Climb the 199 steps to visit St Mary's Churchyard and Whitby Abbey. Also pick up a copy of Michel Faber's novella - The One Hundred And Ninety Nine Steps - part mystery with a hint of the supernatural and well worth a read.

Find the bench where Bram Stoker sat and was inspired to write the Whitby based scenes in Dracula, and the house on Royal Crescent where he stayed.

The Dracula Experience now may seem a bit tired compared such larger experiences as The London Dungeon, but it's still worth a visit, and they do only have a small premises but make the most of what they have. Wander past dioramas and 'ghost-train' style props (some moving) as the story is narrated. They do have one of Christopher Lee's capes and there is a short film at the end too.

Make sure you visit Whitby Museum in Pannett Park, not just to buy your Hand of Glory candles but to see an actual Hand Of Glory on display amongst the thousands of exhibits in this crammed museum. Oh, and by the door is Clarence the Crocodile who is dressed up according to the time of year. July is cricket season obviously.

And finally, go on a ghost walk... I certainly would recommend Dr Crank's ghost walk which starts at the Whalebone Arch.

Sunday 17th July 2022

Dracula branded wine

In a local shop in Whiby, I noticed these... a bit pricey for what they were but the designs are nice.

Tuesday 12th July 2022

How early should Halloween decorations be in the shops?

Normally there is an informal competition between 3 friends to see who can spot the earliest Halloween decoration for sale. The winner used to win for spotting something in late August, then it became mid August, then late July / early August. But this year, Halloween design tea towels etc were spotted in TK Maxx's Folkestone store in late June!

And in Harrogate's TK Maxx last week I spotted some halloween design plates, coasters and napkin rings. Far too soon!!!

Monday 11th July 2022