“Back home” to Northumbria - 3rd May ‘23

So it’s up to Northumberland for a few nights in Brunnehilda but the weather forecast looks grim!

Ive only been up here twice before so it’s really odd that this third visit feels a bit like I’m coming home! Which is weird as to my knowledge i’m totally Northamptonshire with not a strand of North Eastern DNA in my body! 

I think it’s the sea and the solitude that gets me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike people, but if given the choice of passing by lots of hand in hand happy beach walking couples or not seeing a soul, I’d always go for the latter.

Anyway, the trip up here was a good one.

I arrived at Welton Fields at 9.45 and was on the M1 by 10.20! I reckon I’ve cracked this solo hitch up malarkey. Head down and effortlessly gliding through the processes - easy peasey!

I arrived at Embleton Bay at 4pm, which included a 30 minute stop at Wetherby. I wanted to be different and find somewhere else to stop but I couldn’t find anywhere pre Wetherby and by the time I got to Wetherby i needed a break. The Volvo was quite insistent too - regularly coming up with warnings that I should take a break. And, of course, it was 100% correct.

When I got to the site 3 of the 5 pitches were being used. But, lucky for me, my preferred pitch was free! OMG, my preferred pitch!!! I need to keep working at avoiding these bloody ruts I seem desperately keen to get stuck in!

Driving through the gate I thought of cousin Diane’s comment (after reading these blogs) that I’m clearly in touch with my feminine side … with that in mind, I didn’t even try to back onto the pitch. I abandoned my alpha male on the A1 and went straight to the motor mover, slipping Brunnehilda into place like a pro!

I was all set up in under an hour and that included taking the dogs round the farmer’s rape field for a leg stretch after their long journey.

The sun was shining and according to the BBC forecast, this was the last I was due to see the sun before home time. It seemed to make sense to go for a long(ish) tea time walk. I parked up at Dunstan Steads (the other side of Embleton village) at just gone 5. I fancied the walk to Craster and, if time allowed to see what was the other side of the village.

As always it was gorgeous. We walked along the beach before heading up to the golf course and walking by the haunting ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. Then on to Craster. 

I walked through the charming little fishing village and out the other end on the coastal path towards Boulmer (4 miles away!). Last year I had a wonderful beach walk from Alnmouth to Boulmer. I didn’t get very far tonight! It was as I suspected and the map indicated, totally beach less. Just a wee footpath winding by a wild rocky coastline. 

I headed back to Craster and the Jolly Fisherman for a pint. The sign said that they had crab sandwiches so that would be worth a try.

The barmaid was particularly grumpy (the Geordies were so friendly last time??!), although she did seem to cheer up when she told me that they don’t do crab sandwiches in the evening! The pub was really busy so I took the dogs onto the empty wind swept terrace. We had a lovely view over the harbour and, in lieu of a crab sandwich, we shared a couple of mini pork pies and a packet of Monster  Munch!

In the spirit of trying something new, I thought about cutting across the fields back to the car - but I didn’t! I changed my mind, justifying my walk back along the same route as I came on the grounds that I could walk across some fields at home but looking at a ruined castle as I walked by the sea and the beach was not something that Long Buckby had to offer!

I got back to the car at 7.30. I reckon I’d walked about 5 miles. Back home for a microwaved cheese pasta ready meal, a couple of beers, Cadburys chocolate and a bloody big portion of Sainsbury’s raspberry trifle. I watched a few episodes of Black Adder but my heart wasn’t in it!

I’ve noticed I’ve been shouting at the dogs a lot today. I think I take things out on them a bit - although Tilly not eating her breakfast and Benny pooing as he walks along are not really big deals but when you’re not on your A game they can be more annoying than they actually are!

Off to bed contemplating a dull weather day forecasted tomorrow with the rain washing in on Friday. 

Oh well, I’m here. I never like first days in Brunnehilda as my brain is full of memories. She’s always with me anyway but it’s just so hard to stop comparing “now” and “then” on days like this.