Catching up with a few more ideas

I am back with a quick update before we head off again to North Norfolk for a bit of beach life. But before I go here's a quick roundup of what's on in the next week:

The North York Moors Chamber Music Festival has already started and continues until August 28th. I am really sorry to be missing this as there are some wonderful performances at various churches in the North York Moors area. The Finale concert at St Hilda's Church, Westcliffe, Whitby, includes Widor's Toccata and Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals.

The Dutch House in Crayke is running a Summer Day Camp until September 2nd where kids can get involved in a range of creative activities. You need to book ahead on 01347 889431. We went along here just after it opened so a few things weren't yet established such as the wildlife garden. The cafe is nice, light, airy and child-friendly. My only small gripe was that I thought it was a little on the pricey side for drinks and cakes. If you are in that area though it is worth checking out and I would like to go back to see how it is developing.

Scarborough Art Gallery is continuing with its Mog-themed events with Mog's Birthday Party on Monday, August 30th from 11am-4pm. There will be plenty of activities and the promise of a slice of cake. Have a look at their website for lots of other events over the holidays.

There are fossil hunts and dinosaur discovery days in and around Whitby from Monday, August 23rd-Friday, Aug 27th. Have a look at the Scarborough Museum Trust website for details. There are also family fun days at the Rotunda Museum in Scarborough. The next one is August 25th, then September 1st.

There's a Little Boots Safari on August 21st and 22nd where accompanied kids can go on a guided trail. Meet at Rievaulx Abbey car park. Book on 01439 772738. There are lots of other events including archaeology activities, forest exploration, walks, family mountain bike rides.

Scarborough Castle has a medieval knight and princess academy until August 20th and Whitby Abbey has a pirate academy until August 27th.

Over Bank Holiday weekend there is a Fighting Knights activity at Scarborough Castle and a pirate weekend at Whitby Abbey.

Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, is being performed at Mount Grace Priory on August 22nd.

If you haven't ever been to the York Maze then it's worth a visit. My husband, David,  took the boys last year and they had a great day there. Entry in isn't terribly cheap at £8.95 for adults and £7.95 for kids with under 3s going free but if you allow a full day there, it's value for money as there is so much more than the maze to see including play areas, huge sandpit, a giant inflatable trampoline, a pyramid of bales to climb, a quad bike circuit, crazy golf and animals to feed. On August 28th they are staying open until 10pm so you can see the maze by torchlight for a different experience.

There's a medieval re-enactment at the Ryedale Folk Museum on August 29th and 30th and this coming week they are holding a cottage cooking week where you can sample cooking from medieval to Victorian times.

The Yorkshire Museum in York opened at the beginning of this month. Until the end of August they have an event called Summer Fun in the Labs running. Next week they have a making fossil cast event on.

A knights' tournament, children's opera and a taste of the Edinburgh Fringe

Midsummer Night already! - and at least the sun is shining again. As we move towards summer and the beginning of the holidays there are lots of things happening in the coming weekends.

Here's a few suggestions for this week:

Summer Art Exhibition & Yorkshire Wolds Wildlife Festival at The Robert Fuller Gallery, Fotherdale Farm, Thixendale, from this Saturday, June 26th - Sunday, July 11th. Open every day 11am-4.30pm. Also includes live falconry displays and night forays to find owls.

Sheriff Hutton Castle Medieval Picnic on Saturday, June 26th at 2pm. Maypole dancing, tug of war, dog competition, craft stalls, guided talks, wacky races. Take a picnic along to this local event that is well worth supporting as it is in aid of Supporting Impact Young Heroes, helping youngsters whose lives have been affected by cancer.

Napoleonic weekend at The Ryedale Folk Museum on Saturday and Sunday, June 26th & 27th. With re-enactors, local historians, military demonstrations and traditional crafts.


Ali Cook and The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre at Helmsley Arts Centre on Friday, June 25th at 7.30pm. Two of the hottest tipped acts of this year's Edinburgh Festival bring their shows to Helmsley before heading north.

Wind in the Willows at The Kirk Theatre, Pickering on Thursday, June 24th at 7pm. New adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic novel by Yorkshire-based Ratatat Theatre Company.

Ryedale Live! Comes to Helmsley at Helmsley Arts Centre on Saturday, June 26th at 7.30pm. Local musicians get a the chance to perform alongside more established artists.

Keene at Dalby Forest and Simply Red at Dalby Forest on June 25th & 26th.

Knights Tournament of Foote at Scarborough Castle on Saturday & Sunday, June 26th & 27th. Four brave knights of England come to preserve their honour at this suberbly located castle overlooking Scarborough's bays.

Sandi Thom Exhibition at Nunnington Hall from Thursday, June 24th - Saturday, July 31st. Scottish musician Sandi Thom shows her photographic talent in a new exhibition. A concert performance on Thursday evening in the Oak Hall launches the exhibition.

Cinema
Malton Cinema is showing Letters to Juliet and Wild Target from Friday. The film club is showing A Single Man from Friday, Sex and the City 2 and Robin Hood until Thursday, Kite Runner until Thursday. For the kids Tooth Fairy, Furry Vengeance and How to Train your Dragon is on over the weekend.


Preview 
Brundibar Children's Opera and Ampleforth and Ryedale Concert Choir

Brundibar Children's Opera, which is being performed at St Martin's, Gilling Castle, this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, was born out of a dark history. It was written just before World War Two by Czech composer Hans Krasa and was first sung by children in the Terezin Concentration Camp in Czechoslovakia. Despite its sad beginnings, the story is an uplifting tale based on a folk story about two children who outwit a cruel street musician, Brundibar, to raise money for their ill mother. They are helped along the way by a cat, a dog, a bird and other animals.

This fully-staged performance will see 100 local children performing each night in a singing partnership between Ampleforth College and The North Yorkshire Music Service. The music is folksy in line with its roots and melodious and is well suited to children's voices.

On Saturday evening, there will be a performance at Ampleforth Abbey Church by The Ampleforth and Ryedale Concert Choir in a performance of Handel's jubilent The Dettingen de Te Deum. The choir will also perform the moving Adagio for Organs and Strings by Albinioni.

I am taking my oldest son to the children's opera. It is 45 minutes long and I think it will be a wonderful introduction for him, especially as it is being performed by children just a bit older than he is. A friend and I have tickets for the Saturday evening which I am also looking forward to hearing. So lots to look forward to this week.

Brundibar Children's Opera is on Weds, Thurs & Fri, June 23rd-25th at 7pm at St Martin's, Gilling, and The Ampleforth and Ryedale Concert Choir will perform at Ampleforth Abbey Church on Saturday, June 26th at 7.30pm. Tickets for this performance are £10.

Review 
Helmsley Walled Garden

I was lucky enough to be invited on a guided tour of Helmsley Walled Garden earlier this week. Like many old walled gardens attached to grand houses, it has had its heyday growing exotic fruits, supplying cut flowers and vegetables for Duncombe Park to which it was once a part, subsequently fell into disuse and was revived back in the mid 1990s.

As walled gardens go, it boasts a fantastic backdrop with Helmsley Castle in its shadow and it is also surrounded by the parkland of the Duncombe Park Estate.

Within its five acres there are gardens within a garden. Various gardeners and horticulturalists have been invited in to work on different areas so you get a different feel wherever you are in it. The hot border will be looking stunning very soon with its array of colourful herbaceous plants. The garden is home to more than two hundred different varieties of clematis which were just beginning to unfold. There are quiet areas too with benches on which to sit and enjoy the space.

The physic garden has an interesting mix of medicinal plants and it's interesting to learn how these were once relied upon as cures for various ailments. There is an emphasis in the garden on horticultural therapy and an aim to benefit those who are disadvantaged in any way within the community. This all stems from the ideas of the lady who founded the garden, Alison Ticehurst, who died suddenly in the garden she loved so much and had obviously but her heart and soul into.

I didn't have children with me on this occasion but it is a child friendly place with lots of interesting things for children to enjoy - an elephant fountain, a swing and a den and plenty of places to hide and discover.

The old greenhouses have also been restored and now house the award-winning Vinehouse Cafe, a vegetarian eatery. I can only speak for the cakes which were delicious and if they are anything to go I imagine the food is excellent too.

The shop here sells garden wares (all made in the UK, many in North Yorkshire and much within the Helmsley postcode) and plants and some lovely vintage garden artifacts that are hard to resist. This is definitely a place to return to and enjoy as the seasons change and the garden evolves.


If there are other events happening or venues you would like to share, please leave a comment for me and I will happily include them in these pages.