After a nice long walk in Skipton Castle Woods, we had a lunch at Le Bistro Des Amis. It was the last weekend before Christmas. While the castle was almost empty, the restaurant was packed with people, including about a large family (I think) group of about 20 people! We both chose two course meal and had exactly the same dishes. Our main was pan-seared salmon. The fish was very good. Crispy skin and tender fillet. Crushed new potatoes, buttered spinach and beurre blanc sauce were fine, too. Our server brought three kinds of complementary (I guess) vegetables. The portion was generous! Each was flavored differently. Sweet little carrots and parsnips with mustard seeds were my favorite.
Our first dish wasn't as good as the second, though. It was butternut squash soup. I expected creamy, sweet, warm spiced bisque-style soup. I was totally wrong. It was watery, bland, and too onion-y and somewhat sour. Disappointed. A piece of butter on the bread that was served with soup was huge, by the way. Wasn't it French but Yorkshire style?
After the lunch, we visited Holy Trinity Church at the top of the high street, adjacent to Skipton Castle. I was surprised that the church provided leaflets in Japanese! According to the leaflet, the original church was built in the early 12th century, probably in wood. The present church dates from about 1300s, and was extended to the east in the late 1400s. The church had chest tomb monuments of Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland as well as George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland. A lady at the church kindly told us the connection between the church and the Clifford family - Lords of Skipton.
I feel our Skipton tour has well done!
