Northumberland - Beadnell
As Ian had booked to do a 14mile run along the beach from Beadnell Bay to Alnmouth, so we scrambled to book somewhere at the start or the finish and came up with Beadnell Caravan and Camping Site. The plan was for Ian to run, then Kathy would collect his battered body at the Alnwick end and return him to Dame Shirley. I would have been waiting there, having had a fabulous day of doing nothing. Sadly, old sick note was injured and had to defer till next year. Happily we decided to go to Beadnell anyway, and take Good Dog Monty with us.
In between going to Wideopen and this trip we had to replace Dame Shirley’s battery, so I was a little concerned she wouldn’t start, but all was well and after dropping Ian’s mum at Whiston Hall we set off up the M1. We decided to come off near Thirsk on the A19 and rejoin the A1 North of Newcastle. That way we could find a lay-by for lunch and not end up fighting for a space with the hundreds of other motorhomes at Wetherby. We duly did this, and found one set back off the road near Middlesbrough with a patch of grass for Monty. I don’t know if the grass was haunted or what, but Monty wasn’t having it at all! He ended up just sniffing the kerb for five minutes. Weird.
After a sandwich and cup of tea in less than salubrious surroundings, we set off again. Ian was not only injured but had a heavy cold which left him coughing and sputtering so much I felt obliged to offer to drive. Thankfully he declined and we made our way North passing through the Tyne Tunnel. ‘Pay for it now or you will forget’ said Ian. ‘I won’t forget’ said I. (Hold that thought).
We rejoined the A1 just above Kathy’s, remarking that the A19 is so much nicer. Most people in England were travelling North on the A1 at the same time as us. As were all the tractors in the area. Eventually we turned off for Seahouses (Yay, we could see the sea!) and arrived at Beadnell Bay. The wardens who welcomed us were among the nicest we have come across and took us to choose our pitch. We had a choice of two, as the site is chocka, and we chose number 16, closeish to the facilities and nowhere near the kids playground.
Ian filled up with water and I took Monty to the dog field for a looooong sniff. By the time we got back Dame Shirley was up on her chocks and ready for occupation. We put Monty on the stake and he proceeded to do what he did at Carsington Water, sit peacefully and survey his surroundings.
Ian had a very very important job to do first, before even putting the kettle on. He had to fit my birthday present, a new Dame Shirley Bedroom Telly! He did some drilling and such, hung it, turned it on, and voila! I can watch stuff from bed, or we can watch separate things. We set up all the apps we have, except the one we got it for, Now TV for the footy. Maybe we need a fire stick for that but we will get it before the season starts next week.
Having exerted himself with the telly, Ian was ready for his tea. Charlie Bingham’s Thai Green Chicken (they didn’t have our favourite, butter chicken, at Tesco) with a nice glass of Rioja.
After tea, and coffee sat outside, we fed Monty and took him across the road to the beach. If you refer to the site plan, above, you will see one of the reasons that this site is chocka. It’s literally over the road from the beach. And what a lovely beach it is. We let Monty off and he had a wonderful time running and digging. We tried to remember if he has ever been to the beach before, and don’t think he has. That’s probably why, when Ian tried to entice him in for a swim, he tried to drink the water. Not once, not twice, but three times. Monty is Monty.
You can’t have your birthday present yet!
ReplyDeleteI am getting a bad feeling about the Tyne tunnel…
The birthday present is just in its test phase.
DeleteShe does have previous form re the TT🤔
ReplyDelete