Before going on to write about the holiday, I reckon I should close out the Olympics. I was very busy at work during the week leading up to my holiday, but was able to keep abreast of most of the action. At work there were screens in the office showing action, and when a key event (by that I mean when GB had a chance of winning a medal) there would be clusters of people around the screens – it made for an odd atmosphere in the office. On the Thursday evening Tricia and Ellie had tickets for the men’s hockey semi final – GB v Netherlands. They had a great time…. except GB lost 9-2. They got a hammering. However, Ellie was hoarse when she got home from singing, cheering and shouting. Here is a picture of the hockey stadium, and of Tricia and Ellie.

 

On Saturday morning we had managed to pack, load the car, secure the house and get away by 8:20am. It was a significant drive to a place called Lowick, near Berwick, of over 300 miles. It was straightforward though, we picked the M1 up at Northampton, and then onto the A1 at Leeds. Lowick was about 5 miles off the A1. We had stops for drinks, the loo, and lunch, before arriving at around 3pm. The cottage was clean and spacious, perfect for what we wanted. After unloading and a cup of tea, we went to Berwick-upon-Tweed (Ellie amused us by saying ‘Ber Wick’ – which is how we pronounced it for the rest of the holiday ). We walked around the town walls looking at old fortifications, before stopping in an fish and chip restaurant for our evening meal. Some piccies from the Sat… Tricia driving (she drove all the way), then Ellie asleep in the car (note the GB ‘tattoo’ she had put on when at the Olympics), then two from walking around Berwick.

 

Sunday was a slow start, and unusually, I was the last awake at 8:30. Ellie cooked us breakfast, and then made the lunch up as well! We headed for Bamburgh. As you come into Bamburgh there is a ‘Grace Darling’ musuem. She had lived locally with her family, in a lighthouse, and was involved in rescue in 1838 that saved 13 people, and that got national coverage. Tricia’s grandmother on her fathers side of the family is related to the Darling family, so that added some interest… so the musuem was our first port of call. We then went further into Bamburgh and saw the magnificent castle which overlooks the village and out at the sea… we had lunch by the side of the cricket pitch before going into the castle.  The castle itself was very interesting, and overlooked a beautiful beach. In the evening we had a drive round, looking at some of the villages or small towns near where we were, such as Wooler, and included a trip over the border into Scotland and to Coldstream, where we bought a Chinese take away and went back to the cottage where we ate and then watched the closing ceremony of the Olympics.

I thought the opening ceremony was pretty good, and I thought the whole event was very well organised, very successful for the GB team – finishing 3rd in the medal table. In 1996 we came 36th, with only 1 gold… so that has been a massive shift in our sporting success. Due I suppose to a number of factors.. a lot of our athletes are now fully funded and full time athletes, thanks to the national lottery, and means they are not disadvantaged in that way. Also I believe the success in discovering athletes who take drugs has helped. I am not saying it is foolproof, but I think it has helped. The closing ceremony was a bit of a disappointment though and a bit disjointed – who wants to watch George Michael sing a song nobody has heard of – it was supposed to be a party atmosphere, not an opportunity to promote a new song.

Some pics from Sunday… The first two of the castle itself, the second one from where we had lunch. Then Ellie, one looking out at the sea, then one looking back down to the cricket pitch, and finally Tricia and Ellie, and another view out to the sea.

 

On Monday, Ellie repeated her feat of cooking breakfast and preparing lunch. We then headed off to a place called ‘Seahouses’ which was a bit further along the coast from Bamburgh. I had an expectation of something similar to Bamburgh…. wrong. I didn’t like it at all, it was everything I dislike about British seaside towns. Tricia tells me I am turning into a snob   At lunchtime we went back up along the coast and sat on the beach for lunch. We then drove to Holy Island… now you are supposed to be able to walk out to the island, when the tide is out. We had checked tide times, and set off on the 3 mile walk… about a mile across we found that the tide had not entirely gone out, so we all ended up with our socks and shoes off and wading / paddling most of the last mile (much to my irritation). Oh well. Tricia, Rob and Ellie walked on into the village, I went back and got the car. A visit to Tesco’s on the way back for provisions, and I cooked the evening meal. Pics from Monday, lunch on the beach… and then the long walk to Holy Island.

 

Tuesday we made our way down to Alnwick, to visit the castle and the gardens. It was a bit expensive to get in (£24 per adult!) but we stayed the whole day, and we were rewarded with a wonderful sunny and hot day… I didn’t realise it could be so warm that near to Scotland The castle had been used for some of the Harry Potter filming, so there were some references to that, but that apart the state rooms and musuems were excellent, and we had our picnic in the grounds of the castle. In the afternoon we went into the gardens, which were lovely, particulalrly the ornamental gardens, and the rose garden, the ‘poison’ garden was interesting!, but the water features and fountains were excellent as well. Of course Ellie managed to get heself soaking wet! We enjoyed tea and cake in the sun as well. Some pics from the day… some shots of the castle itself, then one looking down on the main fountain, one of Tricia, and then a soaking Ellie. Final two are of the garden, and the fountains.

 

Wednesday and Ellie and I dropped Tricia off at Holy Island, and they walked out to Lindisfarne castle (Ellie had been ‘castled’ out at this stage), and I took Ellie out to a bird sanctuary, which mainly specialised in Owls. Ellie had a great time, being allowed to have some of them on her hand (with a glove of course). After picking up Tricia and Rob, we had a picnic, but the weather wasn’t so good today, chilly and overcast. We then went back to the bird sanctuary and Ells and Rob went to see a demonstration, whilst Tricia and I went for tea and coffee.We ended up in Coldstream late afternoon, but a lot of it was closed… Wed half day closing. So we missed the guard musuem. We then stopped off at Flodden on the way back, and saw the place where the English and Scots had one of their many battles. A quiet day…. some pics. Ellie with a Barn Owl, then the Owl, and an Eagle Owl. Then Robbie with a hawk. Then Ellie wanting to be in England and Scotland at the same time! Finally, the monument at Flodden.

 

Thursday was our 26th wedding anniversary, so cards were swapped in the morning. But there was no hanging around. Tricia and Robbie wanted to walk the Cheviot Hills, and Ellie wanted to go to the beach. And so, Ellie and I dropped Tricia and Rob off, and then headed to the beach at Bamburgh. Ellie had a good time in the sea. Too blooming cold for me. I picked Tricia and Rob up in a place called Wooler at about 6pm, they had enjoyed their walk. Back to the cottage it was quick showers for everyone, and then we went out for an enjoyable meal to celebrate our anniversary. Some pics… first is of Rob at the top of the Cheviots, then Ellie on the beach before swimming like that in the freezing North Sea, and my poor attempt at a sand castle… truth is I got bored with the digging etc.

 

 

Friday saw a wet start to the day. The cottage we were staying in is owned by an old neighbour of ours who moved from North Marston to Northumberland. She had been away in Australia, but arrived back on the Thursday, anyhow she popped in Friday morning to see us, and we talked and caught up, so we didn’t get out till past 11am. With the weather not so good we were a bit limited, but we went to Ford and saw an art gallery, then an old corn mill, then onto Coldstream, and this time the Guards musuem was open so we went in…  and then a rather excellent army surplus shop which had its own musuem. After a late lunch we went down to Alnwick to visit a second hand book store in an old railway station…. my Dad would have loved it, in one area above the books a model railway was running. There was a vast selection of books, and Ellie, Rob and myself all made purchases. We enjoyed tea and cake there as well. We got back to the cottage just after 7 and I cooked an evening meal. Tricia started watching Alan Carr… neither Robbie or myself can stand him, so we hid in the kitchen reading our books  Here is Rob trying on a helmet in the army surplus shop.

 

The forecast for Saturday was good, so the plan was to let Ellie have a day at the beach… but when we awoke we were greeted by rain. But it gradually cleared, and by the time we got to the beach at Bamburgh the day was looking a lot better, and indeed as the afternoon wore on the sun shone and it was lovely. Ellie was in and out of the sea, I tried, but again found it too cold. Ellie has a wet suit on so that helped her… for no good reason Robbie dug a trench in the sand, which promptly collapsed on him… In the evening we went to Berwick for fish and chips at the same place as the previous Saturday. Afterwards, Tricia and Rob went on to look at the stone circle at Duddo, and witnessed a wonderful sunset. The surprise of the day was West Ham beating Aston Villa 1-0, a good start to the new season… so I had to sit up and watch Match of the Day. Some pics… Robbie in his sand trench, and one of the sunset.

 

Sunday morning we packed, and reluctantly left. I enjoyed our stay in Northumberland. But the holiday wasn’t over yet, as we were due in the Lake District for a few days. We drove across the Scottich Borders, then down into Carlisle, before finally arriving in Millom… which is where Tricia’s sister lives. They are all away in the Cayman Islands at the moment, but Tricia’s Mum and Dad were house sitting, so went and stayed with them.

On the Monday Tricia was out early with Ellie and Sarah (our niece who was staying with Tricia’s Mum and Dad). I lazed around catching up with the newspaper. In the afternoon we went out to Muncaster Castle, and then stopped at some place called Ratty Arms for a pleasant meal on the way back. Tuesday we went out to Ulverston. I wanted to visit the Laurel & Hardy musuem, Stan Laurel was born in Ulverston. They may seem dated when you look at them now, but I still think they were brilliant comic actors and still laugh watching them. About 15 years ago we were last in the Lakes, and I visited then. However, the musuem has been relocated closer to the town, and in an old cinema (called the Roxy ) … I thought this sounded good, but alas it is a disappointing location. I enjoyed the exhibits, and watched some of the shorts they were showing, but I felt that there could have been a better memorial to them. I preferred the old musuem. Oh well. Wednesday was a quiet day, the weather was a bit overcast. Tricia and Rob had hoped to walk up Scafell Pike whilst we were in the Lakes, but the weather defeated them. Still Tricia and I enjoyed an afternoon walk at the beach with Lesley’s dog, Lucy. This is Muncaster castle, Rob and Tricia in the foreground, and then one of me with the statur of L&H in Ulverston, then Ellie and Sarah, and finally Ellie with Lucy the dog.

 

We came back after lunch on Thursday. A long drive down the M6. We left Millom at just after 2pm, and didn’t get back till 7:30pm, although that did include a stop off for a meal. Friday was a busy one. I was at the school for 9:30, for a governors meeting re sixth form admissions, and an update on the GCSE results. Then back home I cut the grass. Tricia went out with Ellie to do a mammoth shop, and in between all this we managed to get all the washing and ironing done. At the end of the day I was exhausted… time for another holiday ? Saturday I settled down to watch Swansea v West Ham…. unfortunately we gave away two dopey goals, and then they proceeded to play us off the park and beat us 3-0. A reality check. Looks like it will be another tough season just trying to stay in the Premier League.

Yesterday Nikki was at the bobsleigh trials in Bath. She has been recovering from an achilles injury and so hasn’t been able to do full on sprint training recently, but she did well enough. She has been picked for the Latvia training camp, and also to compete on the Europa circuit this coming autumn and winter, which will also include some World Cup races. So well done to her, and she knows that as long as she remains injury free there is plenty more to come.

I also completed what has been a mammoth task yesterday….. over the last few months I have been converting all my old 45rpm singles to cd. I had about 500+ plus of the things. When he turned 50, Deb bought Carlos a jukebox, which revived his interest in 45’s. So I have given him all the 45’s… just the last 50 odd to give him when I see him this coming weekend. I am not sure Deb is best pleased about all these 45’s cluttering up their place, but Carlos is pleased

Robbie has been busy oil painting. He started a ‘sunset view’ of a scene from Hadrians Wall for us before we went on hols, and has just completed that, and done another on Lindisfarne castle. The Hadrians wall one will go up in the dining room (hence the ‘sunset’ feel, as the colours will go). Here are the two paintings, plus an update on the wall fresco he is paining in the conservatory…

 

So, last day of the hols for me…. back to work tomorrow . Tricia and Ellie have been over in Winslow today at the ‘Winslow show’, the weather forecast suggested it may be wet all afternoon, but apart from one shower seems to have been ok. Well, this has been a mammoth blog…. I need to go and get my head around what I need to be doing at work this week….