June weekend in Scarborough

[Doc Alan]

There are several Scarboroughs in the world, including Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
I’m arranging a weekend - open to all - at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England - on the east coast about 40 miles from York . It will be 22-24 June, and won’t be cancelled, however few can make it. I realise it’s a good distance for many of you. Sorry I can’t provide accommodation or guarantee good weather ( the harbour photo * was taken last month ! ). Sea temperature will be about 12 degrees .
There’s plenty to do, with good beaches, eating places ( English breakfasts / fish and chips available ! ), a Sea Life Centre, and great scenery nearby. Getting here is easy by train from York ; the A64 from Leeds can be very busy ( 2 hours ) but at least this is before the school holidays.
Here are a few links :-
http://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/scarborough.aspx
http://www.crownspahotel.com/ ( the best ! )
http://www.highlanderhotelscarborough.co.uk/
http://www.ambassadorspahotel.co.uk/
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/?gclid=C...odXhEkDw?pst=1 ( search Scarborough, N. Yorks. Centrally placed )
http://www.premierinn.com/en/ ( search Scarborough, North Yorkshire. Centrally placed )
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/to...orough&county= ( camping and caravan sites )

*

[Arthur Little]

C'mon folks ...

... LET'S ALL GO FOR IT!

[RickyR]

I'd love to come, but afraid I wont be in the UK then. We will be in the UK at the end of July and start of August, and hope to take the family upto Scarborough then, so might you see around that time!

[grahamw48]

I've put my name down.

[Terpe]

From my diary (always empty ) timing looks good. Just need to have my wife request hols. I'll tell her when she gets home.
I've never been to Scarborough, but your photo looks great Alan

I'm hoping by then we'll have moved house

Sounds nice

[DeltaRomeo]

I get 1 weekend off out of 4 and as luck would have it, I am off for this weekend.
I would have my 2 girls with me as I always do on my weekend off. They are 7 and 5 years old. I guess that you'll probably be meeting in a pub, but during the weekend at some point it would be great to see some of you there.

[stevie c]

Sorry Doc i/we will be in the Phils on these dates

[Arthur Little]

I see three of our regular contributors are planning to meet up in London next month. How lovely it would be if as many members as possible were to respond to Doc Alan's brilliantly-enthusiastic initiative for what promises to be a truly memorable weekend - at the height of glorious summer - in one of England's most popular holiday resorts ... sunny Scarborough by the sea. Marvellous!

[Steve.r]

I'll try my hardest to trek that far. Never been there either, but to see all of my friends again it would be worth it.

[Arthur Little]

I'll try my hardest to trek that far. Never been there either, but to see all of my friends again it would be worth it.

Thanks, Steve. I'd love to meet you, Alan ... and as many friends as can possibly make it. It would, I'm sure, be a fitting token of appreciation for the effort Alan puts into the forum in order to help others - and also to the esteem in which he's held by all of us.

[rusty]

I would have gone but already have a family wedding to attend in Wales that weekend.

Hope the weather is nice and a good time is had by all

[Doc Alan]

Thanks for your responses Arthur, Ricky, Graham, Terpe, DeltaRomeo, Stevie C, Steve.r and Rusty
I do realise how far it is for most members to travel here in the near east !
Just to confirm the weekend get together will definitely go ahead, come what may . It will be informal, we will " play by ear " according to numbers coming, weather, and what you would all like to do. It's also flexible - make it a day trip, stay one night, three nights or more.
There has been a lot more interest than you might think from the replies posted here. Although you don't have to make a decision until nearer the time, just be careful that accommodation is still available !
It's been said before that meeting " for real " is vital in a long distance online relationship. I have no doubt also that it's good for members too. Already I've been lucky to meet a number of members in UK and Philippines. I'm looking forward very much to seeing new - and old - friends here in Scarborough .
If you need more information, contact me on this thread, by private message, or message me on facebook.

[Terpe]

My wife has submitted her leave request for Fri thru Mon as that is her working weekend. We don't expect any reason to refuse as it's still quite far off.
Looks like we actually may make this one.

[Doc Alan]

Just for information ….
• There are at least 17 Scarboroughs in the world, 14 of them populated. Of the three that are not inhabited, navigators steer clear of Scarborough Shoal / Reef, west of Luzon, unless they’re politicians !. There’s also Scarborough Hill, a landmark on the approach to Portland in Oregon on the American Pacific coast; and Scarborough Bluffs overlooking the north side of Ontario in Canada.
• The largest inhabited Scarborough ( population over 100,000 ) is a suburb of Toronto in Canada. There are three Scarboroughs in the Caribbean – the chief town of Tobago, and one each on the islands of Nevis and Jamaica. There are at least three Scarboroughs in the USA – one in New York State; another in Maine, and a third in West Virginia. Australia has three Scarboroughs - a suburb of Perth, a park near Sydney ; and a beach at Brisbane. New Zealand’s south island has two Scarboroughs on its east coast – one just south of Christchurch, with a restaurant called “ Scarborough Fare “; and another, further south, at Timaru. Finally there is a beach on Cape peninsula, near Cape Town, South Africa, named Scarborough.
• Scarborough in North Yorkshire was the first in the world of that name . It was thought until the twentieth century that it owed its name to the rock or scar of the headland under which the early town sheltered. However, during the 1920’s it was suggested that the name derived from a tenth century Icelandic Viking, Thorgils, nicknamed Skarthi because he was disfigured with a cleft palate or hare-lip. So Scarborough was originally “ Skarthi’s stronghold “. That is the least unlikely explanation for its name.
• From as early as the twelfth century Scarborough was one of Western Europe’s principal fishing ports and markets. Although in the past 50 years North Sea herring have been fished to near extinction, herring was not the only fish associated with Scarborough and its annual fair at which the fish were sold. In mediaeval times the stalls of Scarborough fair were set up on the sands at low tide. Nearly two centuries separate the last time Scarborough fair was celebrated ( 1788 ) and the song “ Scarborough Fair “, popularised by Simon and Garfunkel ( lead track of the 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme ; released as a single after featuring on the soundtrack to The Graduate in 1968 ). There are no references to fish in the words, although there is one line : “ Betwixt the salt waters all on the sea sand “. Many versions existed by the end of the 18th century. Some refer to locations other than Scarborough, or don’t mention a place-name. The lyrics may even refer to the black plague, with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme being four herbs used to ward off the smell of the dead or dying .

Taken last month !

[Arthur Little]

It was thought until the twentieth century that it owed its name to the rock or scar of the headland under which the early town sheltered.

's always been my belief ... even in the 21st century!

[Terpe]

We're looking forward to our weekend break. Also plan to make a trip to Whitby.

[Arthur Little]

Interesting post, Alan ... curiously enough, I've often wondered about the origins of the lyrics Simon & Garfunkel composed for "Scarborough Fair".

[lastlid]

Interesting post, Alan ... curiously enough, I've often wondered about the origins of the lyrics Simon & Garfunkel composed for "Scarborough Fair".

"The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of impossible tasks........"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Fair_(ballad)

[Arthur Little]

"The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of impossible tasks........"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Fair_(ballad)

for this additional link ...

... much appreciated.

[Terpe]

"The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of impossible tasks........"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Fair_(ballad)

Something's not quite right with that link.

As Jimmy Saville would say "close bracket" :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Fair_(ballad)



The BB code for "close url" [/url] is inside the closing bracket in your post. Sorry lastlid sometimes I am so so pedantic. One of the weaknesses I need to control as I am no longer a practicing engineer.

No offence intended at all.

[lastlid]

Something's not quite right with that link.

As Jimmy Saville would say "close bracket" :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Fair_(ballad)





The BB code for "close url" [/url] is inside the closing bracket in your post. Sorry lastlid sometimes I am so so pedantic. One of the weaknesses I need to control as I am no longer a practicing engineer.

No offence intended at all.

Strange as it was a straight copy and paste.......

[lastlid]

Something's not quite right with that link.

As Jimmy Saville would say "close bracket" :-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarbor...">)</font></b>



The BB code for "close url" [/url] is inside the closing bracket in your post. Sorry lastlid sometimes I am so so pedantic. One of the weaknesses I need to control as I am no longer a practicing engineer.

No offence intended at all.

I train engineers so I know what they are like....

[lastlid]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Fair_(ballad)

Thats better. Strange. I had to edit the link to get it to work....

[Terpe]

Believe or not I just finished editing the link after you posted your reply, I just couldn't get it right, but have just done it.

Engineers eh

[stevewool]

whitby is just so beautiful place to be, i love it there

[lastlid]

whitby is just so beautiful place to be, i love it there

The home of Whitby Jet!

[lastlid]

Quite beautifully sung too.....

[Doc Alan]

Whatever Wikipedia and other links say about Scarborough Fair or the origin of this town's name, please read #14. I have lived in Scarborough for many years. Trust the local experts - one of my sources is Jack Binns, an authority on the area . This is not the place to go into detail about Scarborough's fascinating history such as " medicinal " local spring waters and alleged health benefits of sea bathing - establishing it as a resort from the 17th century. The " Northern Sea Bathing Infirmary " building still exists ... but I'm saying no more ! Come to the June weekend and meet other members .

[Arthur Little]

Come to the June weekend and meet other members .

, Alan ... !

[lastlid]

Jack Binns
http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Scar...tp_s2_edpp_url

Looked him up in Wikipedia but he doesn't seem to be there.