Saltburn on Sea, Staithes & Afternoon Tea - 28th Feb’20 (100th Blog!

This blog is the 100th one since we started our Brunnehilda adventures. I reckon that’s about 5 years of nights for the average caravanner? I believe we can therefore now call ourselves “experienced”. At least the current Mrs Pitts now doesn’t greet everyone we meet with “we’re new to this...”.

We woke up to a very windy morning. The van is shaking so much I wondered whether it worth putting the awning storm strap over the van? It’s due to get even windier on Sunday so it may well be worth it before then. We have at least now worked out why the site has a large leylandia fence blocking the sea view - it’s to protect you from the wind!

We went north today- we had afternoon tea booked at Gringle Park Hotel (courtesy of the restaurant at Volvo Daventry - retirement present).

The weather was drizzly and windy - and very cold. We left the site before midday and headed for Saltburn on Sea. What a nice place?  Very Victorian, slightly run down but lots to do and see. We parked on the front, walked up to the pier and then took a beautifully restored / kept funicular railway up the steep cliff to the town. There was a great beach for dogs - which made us miss our 2 mad collies even more!

We headed back south down the coast to Eassington arriving at Gringle Park Hotel at about 1.45pm. It’s an 1880’s country house set in beautiful grounds but slightly run down and tired inside. The afternoon tea was splendid though. We ate it in the conservatory overlooking the grounds, watching the strong winds moving the chairs around the patio!

We headed home via the pretty little fishing village, Staithes. It was once the biggest herring port in England and has links with Captain Cook - so lots of character and history.

The rain had stopped by this time but there was still a strong cold wind. We walked down the cobbled streets to the harbour then back up the Main Street to find a coffee / tea shop. Dotty’s was a very atmospheric old place. A lot of the locals seem to gathered there for a cup of tea and a natter. You couldn’t help but be impressed with the size of the Americanos - served in individual / antique bone China mugs.

We walked back up the hill thinking what a fabulous place this would be to live or have a holiday cottage ... and this was in the grey, wind and cold... imagine if the sun had been shining?!

We arrived back to Brunnehilda at about 5.30pm. A quiet evening in followed - more Waltons, more Wire, toast products for tea and, shock upon shock, Kim absolutely slaughtered me at Canasta!