Friday 8th October: Fog and rain all day!

Briefly clear at dawn, then thick fog and drizzle, we went shopping briefly than had lunch at the Oxford farm shop before setting down in the caravan and spending the rest of the day reading or watching TV.

Hopefully tomorrow will see an improvement in the weather!

Thursday 7th October: Cragside

After breakfast we headed inland in the direction of Wooler and stopped in a layby to have our morning coffee with this view of the cheviot in the distance, touring inland in Northumberland is always a pleasure as the roads are very good, and there is hardly any traffic (especially at this time of year.
We made good time down to Cragside, to find that the house opening was delayed till 1PM, which didn't really bother us as we love the carriage drive and the lakes, and lunch in the visitor centre (the old stables) shown here.

And as an added treat in October you get a free dessert with every meal. (It was Banana and Walnut sponge and custard)
Because the drive near the house is being resurfaced, the carriage drive has been diverted to operate in reverse, which rather added to it's already considerable charm!

This is the highest of the lakes and as you can see it has a lovely level walk at the shore level. Just look at those reflections!
Further along the second lake was just as still and really rather fine
I can't get enough of the views of these lakes, they are really something!

Down by the lakeside it was very mild and obviously there are signs of impending autumn like these berries
But rather surprisingly large buds on the Rhododendrons, it looked more like spring than Autumn, and it certainly felt like it too!
We came back via Alnwick, stopping at our favourite view point for the lovely landscape
Pat has made a very good job of this one!
Just before tea I ventured down into Spittal and had a walk along the all but deserted promenade.
And on returning to the caravan I took this shot in the fading evening light, as you can see we have a fine view from out caravan!

Wednesday 6th Oct: A wet start then Eyemouth and Dunbar

The day started with continuous rain, which suddenly turned off around ten o clock and the sun came out and it changed the day completely.

We fancied visiting Eyemouth for the day, and parked in the town centre, which was refreshingly FREE!

This is the main street, as you can see there are still many of the buildings still roofed with slate tiles, which keeps the original character of the place

We picked up a sandwich and a bun from Trotters the baker for lunch, very very, tasty!

Opposite on the other side of the harbour is Gunsgreen House, once the home of a rich merchant and prominent smuggler, and now a museum

Down any alley in Eyemouth the true nature of the place is revealed with all the Fishing gear, otter boards, Lobster pots, floats etc.,
This is the fish processing terminal on the other side of the harbour, only two boats in suggests the main fleet is at sea
on our side of the harbour seals come to a point behind the fish stall where they are usually fed scraps, but the stall has now closed for the winter, I wonder how long before they give up?

Here is one I took of a seal swimming underwater

And one Pat took of one begging!
There is quite a nice beach here too, but rather quiet now!
We continued along the coast raod to Dunbar and Pat got this fine shot showing Torpoint Nuclear power Station, Barns Ness light house, and the Bass Rock
Pat was taken with the colourful nets on Dunbar Harbour side

And so was I some of these boats had amazing collections of floats aboard
Here is a large relic of times gone by, recovered from a wreck, the propeller is over 12 feet high
How this for a collection of floats?
Lobster pots seem to be simply left piled up on the quayside
And Pat pointed out the number of lobster pots on this small boat, really stacked up high
After we came back to the van I walked down to the riverbank and shot these fishermen. It had been a great day!

Tuesday 5th October: Seahouses and St Abbs

One of the best things about this site (Sea View) is the fantastic Dawns you can see out of the caravan window. Here is todays example, and very colourful it was too!

We drove down the coast, had a coffee at Bamburgh then on to Seahouses, parking on the front and visiting the lifeboat station, this is the RNLB Grace Darling (no surprise in that choice of name, is there!)
Then the inevitable visit to the Farne Gift shop, which must have the biggest range of cheap goods of any shop of comparable size, anywhere! Pat couldn't resist taking a photo of the place.
Trotters the bakers was next on the list, then a walk around the harbour where even this late in the season, boats were getting ready for the day trips to the Farne Islands
I went down to the bottom of the slipway looking for a better "angle" care was needed as there was a very slimy coating on the concrete

Next move was to head north along the A1 back in the direction of Berwick to have dinner at the Oxford Farm shop, here is Pat tucking into a Cheesy Salmon Bake, which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had the Farmhouse Mince and Dumplings, absolutely delicious!
Back to the caravan for a brief rest then a walk down to the riverside and this was the view across to Berwick, after a dull morning the sunshine was very welcome!
With the weather so much better it was worth going for a run to St Abbs to take advantage of the long shadows and directional lighting.
St Abbs is always worth visiting and this late in the year it is pretty quiet, and there are fewer than usual boats in the harbour
Pat took this one looking in the direction of Coldingham, as can be seen here there was quite a sea running
On the outer harbour there was a real problem with glare as we were facing directly into the sun, but Pat managed this rather nice shot, a great advert for her Bridge Camera!
As we left St Abbs the Church and harvested field caught Pat's eye and she took this rather good image.

Monday 4th October Back in northumberland!

After a full week at home it only took a half decent weather forecast to make us pack and hit the road!

So here we are at the "Sea View" Caravan Club site in Spitall, (opposeite Berwick on Tweed)

This is the view from the Front window of our Caravan

It was late afternoon by the time we got set up and headed to the shops for something for tea, we made our way back along the banks of the Tweed and spotted this couple taking shots of The many bridges and Berwick itself
And here is Patty living up to her nickname! it was a lovely mild evening and so quiet now that the summer crowds have disappeared.

Friday Sept 24th AWFUL WEATHER!

Starting at one fifteen AM and ending about half past four we had the mother of all thunderstorms, howling wind, driving rain and fog, all at the same time!

The day was little better, strong winds and some very heavy showers, so we simply went through to Casteleton to have our usual pensioners special then came back to the caravan, and spent the rest of the day "indoors" I did take just one photo that sums up the sort of day it was

Lets hope tomorrow is a better day weather wise!

Thursday 23rd sept Kettleness and Whitby old town

We began the day by Shopping at the Lidl in Whitby, then going on to our usual spot for morning coffee on the road down the hill into Sandsend, then continued on to Kettleness. This is the view from the track that joins the coastal walk, looking back towards the now closed Railway Station, farm and adjoining cottages.

Looking north across the bay you can pick out Runswick Bay village

And here is a closer view, as you can see there are two parts to the village, though the most popular part with visitors is obviously the lower more scenic one.
Turning south east from the same spot is the site of the village of Kettleness that slid into the sea one stormy night, and was never rebuilt, the cliff face is still prone to landslides to this day!
Returning via side roads Pat took this moody coastal view
She also took the following series as we descended Lythe bank, something I have always wanted to do!
Just look at the expanse of beach, its a great view from this hill
And here we are in Whitby, if you park on the temporary car park at Endevour Quay the first thing you see leaving the car park is the memorial to Captain Scoresby, a Whaler who invented the crows nest
We don't usually see the swing bridge so quiet across the Esk, and rarely seem to get there when it's low tide
Here is a professional photographer who knows how to make a good living, he dresses his clients up in vistorian costumes to have their pictures taken
There is a "Farmers Market"" on in the market square, lots of attractive things to tempt the appetite!
This shop has always attracted me, they stock fossils and gemstones. I have always liked fossils, as I kid I used to spend hours looking for them in the mud cliffs round Atwick and Kilnsea, but never found any as fine as these.
Here is one of the oldest Inns in Whitby it offers among other things "Fine Stablery"
And a shop that I now try to avoid, the "old fashioned sweet shop" I could really make myself ill in there!

Our walk takes us past the Abbey steps and we emerge with a view of the twin breakwaters and lighthouses, the floating platform against the outer one indicates that some maintenance is taking place
And last but not least a view across the river looking across the nothern harbour wall to a distant Sandsend. Altogether a great day out