So that we could be close to Ampleforth Abbey we are staying in the village of Gilling East.

Gilling East is about 20 miles or a 40 minute drive from York and looks exactly as the villages do on every British TV show you have ever seen. There are two churches ( Holy Cross and Our Lady and the Holy Angels) and a recently restored Gilling East Village Hall that are set in this very quiet and perfectly peaceful little town.

The Fairfax Arms (the pub we are staying at) is virtually on the doorstep of St Martins Ampleforth School ( which is the junior part of the Ampleforth school) with the Ampleforth College and Abbey about a 5 minute drive through another small village and up the hill.

The reviews on the pub are absolutely correct – the staff friendly, the food fresh and yummy and the ambience just right. We would highly recommend this place. The beds are like marshmallows, high and fluffy and have been perfect. Whilst quite small for the three of us, for Steve and I it is fine (Isaac isn’t staying with us every night as he spends nights where he can up with Nick up at the college), there is a well appointed bathroom and enough room for us to spread out a little.

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