An opening to really get your teeth in to!

Crikey Moseley! It's been a while, opening fans - and I haven't really got any excuses. I've just been a bit bone idle. Anyway the good news is that my snipping wrist is in rude health as a result of the time off and my ribbon is positively itchy! Good job then that the other week my mate Andy invited me up to stay in his hotel in Whitby and wow! What a place! Actually, what a TWO places! First stop was (obviously) fish and chips at his hotel up by the golf course (The White House - no, not that one), then a trip into town to sample some local ales before an early night, scissor monkeys - there was opening to do on the morrow...

Whitby golf course, as seen from the bench my fish and chips were on

 ...And what an opening? First I had to take in the view from my room in his (other) hotel, The Resolution.

The view of the abbey from my hotel window. That looks like a bit of a climb...

Another stunner, this time of Whitby's mysterious abbey. Well I was a bit concerned - this was Dracula country after all. A bigger concern was the 173,682 steps up to it. Andy sprinted up like the clean-living tigger he is. I lagged behind, catching my breath and periodically rubbing my calves. Well, I'm not getting any younger. Mind you, I'm younger than the lovely old folk we found at the top (I don't know how old people make it up there. I'm sure not as many come down) and to be honest they were reluctant to get involved, but we eventually cajoled them into holding the ribbon and CHOP CHOP SLASH SLASH history was made, unofficial opening style!

These two ribbon holders didn't want to be named. What was their terrible secret? Were they cheating on their other halves? 

 After that all I had to do was get down the mountain again and avoid the vampires. It wasn't too much of a problem. Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman were nowhere to be seen, The Lost Boys were exactly that and forrtunately I was within the hours of dawn 'til dusk so I was pretty much in the clear.

That Dracula blokes done well for himself - he's even got a gift shop.

There'll be some more snipping antics in the near future, so make sure to check back soon for some more unofficial opening!