Druridge bay

What a wonderful day we’ve had. The children slept well in the camper van with their mum and as the weather was to be hot, we headed for the coast.

Mr C and I went via a fruit farm to see if it was open for pick-your-own, but not yet. Then we went to Fine Fettle Fabrics where I had an appointment to pick up some more Shetland wool for more keps. She’d put out various combinations of colours for me but I wasn’t that keen, so as nobody else was in the shop, I had a quick look and picked some more to my taste.

That done, we headed off to Druridge Bay. We had a successful campaign in the 1980s to prevent a nuclear power station being built on this beautiful unspoilt bit of the coast. We met #3 daughter and children there. Although this beach is directly east from us it’s a more complicated drive on country lanes and as it is nearer bigger towns and easily accessible from the city, it is much busier. But we easily found a safe place and had a lovely day. Ella and Nathaniel flew their kite, we made castles and swam in the sea. It was pretty cold. Ella doesn’t feel it but Nathaniel might need to be a woose and get a wet suit. I think they’d all have more fun if we got them wetsuits as they could say in longer.

Luckily there was a strong southerly breeze blowing up the beach as when we got home it was too hot to sit in the garden. Val’s weather station said 31degrees which is exceptional for NE England.

Things are going to open up on 4 July - pubs restaurants, camp sites etc but it would be wise to stay clear as the virus has by no means gone. However we have booked 2 pitches at a small site taking 6 vans with Sheila and Mike from 7-10 July. We are self-contained for ablutions and will take all our food. Normally we’d support the local economy. Let’s hope the weather is good enough to socialise with our neighbours S and M in the evenings. We are going to the vale of Pickering in Yorkshire, where we have spotted some walks. It’s beautiful here but it will make a change.