Riding the waves

A trip down to Newcastle to visit Jacqui, who's still in hospital there. Newcastle United were playing at home at 4.30pm, but by the time we arrived just before 2.00pm the car parks were already full to overflowing (as were the pubs!). Not a problem though, as we found some on-street parking about 15 minutes' walk from the hospital. (At least it would have been 15 minutes had Google maps not directed us to part of the hospital grounds where we definitely shouldn't have been, resulting in us hurriedly retracing our steps!)

Good to see J looking much better and to meet her friends S, with whom she'll be staying until she's fully recovered. We stayed and chatted for a couple of hours, and went down to the hospital café for refreshment before making our way back to the van.

Out of Newcastle along the coastal route to Cullercoats, where we parked and strolled along the Grand Parade as far as the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth, before walking back along the beach, dodging the waves of the incoming tide. Much to our surprise there were dozens of surfers in the water (you can see some of them in the extra), despite the fact that the light was fading.

Next stop was Alnwick, for a meal at the Oak before driving home home.