Cayton Bay & Fimber - 13th July ‘23

So, a couple of the Chapman guys had recommended Cayton Bay for a dog walk so that’s what I did. The weather was set fair and the tide was an hour later being fully in - about 1.30 - so there was no need for an early rise.

I had a modest breakfast and was out the door just as James O’Brien came on LBC - about 10am. The 30 minute drive to Cayton Bay, just south of Scarborough was completed without incident!

I parked on top of the hill and we walked down the steep path (and steps) to the beach. The Bay was very picturesque but nowhere near as big as Filey - especially with the tide encroaching fast! 

We walked to one end of the bay then back past where we started and back to the other. Grabbing time to snack and get a quick book read at either end.

It was at this stage I realised I’d made a very familiar error - I’d packed loads of snacks for me and the dogs and plenty of drink for me, but no water for the dogs!! Many would say this was typically of me prioritising my nutritional needs over everybody else’s - and believe me I heard “her” say it loud and clear to me as I explained the predicament to the collies 😉.

Luckily there was a stream of fresh water coming from somewhere - in the spirit of not looking a gift horse in the mouth, I encouraged the hounds to drink - oblivious of the source of said “fresh” water!

The beach was shared amicably between young families and dog walkers. It all seemed to work well, although I was very aware of my 2 bombing in and out the water with little kids playing with buckets and spades at the water’s edge!

Now, the regular Travels with Brunnehilda blog readers (I think we’re in double figures now - you know who you are!!?) will know I have strong views and tragic stories about dog excrement. A holiday trip rarely goes by without some dog poo related drama. Well today was to be no different.

The rot started off by me forgetting the new roll of dog poo bags. This meant I had come out for the walk with only 2 on my person. This might have been enough in normal circumstances but Benny drinking barrel loads of sea water yesterday meant that today’s circumstances were never destined to be normal!

The 2 bags were used up very quickly with some pretty disgusting runny stuff. Then Tilly thought she would join in the fun - this necessitated double bagging. A process that is as skilful as it is extremely high risk but sometimes just has to be done. And we hadn’t even got to the beach! Once on the beach Ben started again - luckily I could discreetly dig a hole in the sand and bury the offending item (not sure something that looks like that can be called an item??) without too many people noticing. By this stage I was starting to panic - I’d got to get up the steps and past load of folks at the coffee kiosk without incident! I didn’t fancy my chances so …. Lord forgive me, I did a dreadful thing? 

I went to the rock pools and emptied one of the bags into the sea. And, to make sure it was prepared for use I had to give the empty bag a good swill out - sorry if you’re eating! Now I don’t feel proud of myself but if you compare it with the 375,000 times that the Water Companies did this same thing last year (with far far  greater amounts of the brown stuff!), I refused to feel too guilty.

There was a big queue at the coffee kiosk and, you’ll be pleased to know, both sets of canine bowels stayed unemptied! I still have the previously cleaned and emptied bag in my pocket ready for another day! Only joking, that disgusting thing went straight in the bin!

After the beach I had a bit of a walk along the Cleveland Way footpath. The views were wonderful and by now it was feeling really warm. I was tempted to walk down to the secluded Johnny Flinton’s Harbour but the path looked mighty steep. I regretted my decision within 5 minutes of making it - Carpe Diem, that’ll learn me!

We returned to the car at 12.15 - 3.5 miles and 1 hour 45 mins from whence we began. At lot less than yesterday’s 7 miler. We headed back to Brunnehilda to relax and clean up. The weather was so good I got the chair out and sat and read in the sun - after demolishing a couple of vegan sausage bagels! And, the sun was so hot I think I fell asleep for a bit - I certainly only read one chapter and I was sitting there for quite some time!!

Just time to take the dogs for a quick walk around the farmer’s field before heading over to my Brother-in -law’s  (Ray) place at Fimber - about 40 mins inland. The 3 of us (my nephew Luke joined us) had a good old chat over a cup of tea in Rays amazing garden / paddock. I took the dogs for another walk on my own (Ray has 4 crazy collies!) before we went for dinner at The Triton Inn pub at the neighbouring village of Sledmere. The Barnsley chop was wonderful! As was the pint of Timothy Taylor’s.

Back to Brunnehilda for more Tudors, Cadburys and blogging. And as if to finish my “pooey” day on a high …Benny emptied his bowels again - all over Brunnehilda’s sandy Germanic floor. This wasn’t the salt water, this was as a result of the dead bird I couldn’t stop him eating on our walk at Fimber! Yuk!

I promise, no more excrement talk tomorrow. If I want to get to 20 plus blog readers I really do need to focus on something a little more popularist!

Filey Bay - 12th July ‘23

So the plan was to get up early to catch the sun and the tide. The rain was due at about 1.30 and high tide was due at 12.40. This meant the best beach walking time would be between 9 and 11! Well that was never going to work was it?!!

Even with sacrificing breakfast and a thorough ablute, I could only drag myself out of Brunnehilda by 9.30am! The weather was cloudy with a few welcome sunny spells but definitely no rain at this stage.

I drove to Filey, popping into visit an estate of holiday houses called The Bay en route. This was a place Kim and I had stayed at one wedding anniversary weekend. I remember having Tilly and not Ben so that must have been 11 years ago! It brought back nice memories - which I took time to register and congratulate myself for the progress. More on that later.

I parked up by Glen Gardens at 10am. The beauty of an early start is that I got a free parking space next to the pay and display car park - result. We walked through the sunny and peaceful Gardens and dropped down to the beach at the end of the Royal Parade - coming out just where the beach went from a no dogs beach to a dogs welcome one! That was lucky!

We had a wonderful 90 minute walk along the bay towards Speeton. The tide was coming in fast at this time but there was still plenty of beach to play with. It was fairly busy (compared to Northumberland) but the dogs (Amazingly!) behaved themselves! The sun was shining as well. All was good!

After about 2.5 miles we came to a spot where the incoming tide was making things a little more difficult to progress. I decided, as there were very few folks around at this stage, to have a swim. I got as far as my thighs and had to abort! Not because it was too cold - it wasn’t. Not because I changed my mind - I hadn’t. It was because the dogs became quite agitated. Benny wanted to come in with me but was getting upset because he dare not take the plunge and swim and Tilly, who doesn’t like going in above her knees (do dogs have knees??) was starting to yap / bark.

I didn’t go any further out but we did walk / paddle for about a mile by the water’s edge retracing our steps back towards Filey. The weather was starting to close in a bit at this stage with a few spits and spots of rain.

When we got off the beach I was starving so we walked along the prom to the centre of town to get something to eat. The dogs were immaculately behaved much to my surprise- no pulling (Ben), no snarling (Tilly) and no barking (Tilly). I was very proud!

The something to eat was a kids scampi, chips and curry sauce - it was ok. Just as I ordered it the heavens opened. We started to walk to find shelter but in the end I gave up and we just sat down in the pouring rain and tucked in. The dogs had the chips that weren’t covered in curry sauce! By the time we had finished, I was uncomfortably wet and the dogs looked rather pi**ed off too. So we walked back to the car as fast as we could and stripped off our wet clothes - to be more accurate, that was just me not them!

Back home to Brunnehilda for a breather by 3pm. This consisted of a cup of tea, a slab of Cadburys and an episode of The Tudors. 2 hours went by very quickly! 

The beach walk had been a success. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like Northumberland and the weather could have been better but the dogs good behaviour had more than made up for that. And I had enjoyed thinking back and reliving nice Kim based memories. Even couples walking past me holding hands didn’t seem to affect me. A year ago, if I passed a happy middle aged couple on a beach I would be wishing pestilence and fatal diseases on them and their loved ones. Not any more! A few pangs of jealousy occasionally but nothing to worry my therapist!?

So a nice day and then a smashing evening. I travelled the 25 miles to Malton to meet up with some old Volvo buddies at Florios Italian Restaurant. It was great to chew the fat with Duncan, Ray, Mike, Mick and John from Chapman’s as well as meeting up with my old mucker, Scotty! It was a good meal but I hardly noticed it as the quality of the company was so darn fine.

Back home to Brunnehilda by 10.30. A quick call with  Thom and Rach and then to bed and to blog. No Tudor Porn for me tonight!!

The weather forecast and the tide means another early start for me tomorrow- hmm, let’s see!?

Off to Brid / Flamborough - 11th July ‘23

Yippee - somewhere new. After 4 or 5 Derbyshire Dales and a couple of Northumberland visits, Brunnehilda and I are off to pastures new.

That said, the start of the trip was like all of the previous ones - since July 2021 anyway! I was looking forward to it as much as a visit to the dentist (although, to be fair, I quite like going to the dentist - always been happy with a bit of pain! I guess that’s why I follow the Cobblers!😉).

As always the horrible weather forecast was providing me with a legitimate excuse to cancel- I gave my self a good talking too and got myself up early for the normal prep routine. Packing, bath (last one for a few days!), dog walk and Tesco shop! 

I had planned to be on the road by noon. As it happened I only missed that deadline by 30 mins. The hook up was, as always, quick and precision like - even if I do say do myself. Apart from meeting another caravaner at the top of the single track lane leading from the farm! A bit hairy to start the trip but all was well as I avoided the need to back and thereby embarrassing myself!

Alan Mac had kindly come out to Brunnehilda last night to help me with my leaky tap and puzzling electrics. To his eternal credit and my huge appreciation he got my water works functioning enough to ensure the trip would include hot and cold running water. Thanks Macca.

A great trip - apart from some nasty weather half way up the M1. I arrived at North Mount Farm at 5 with the only holdup being the first 500 yards (the above mentioned stand off!) and a queue in Bridlington - 5 miles from the campsite!

I stopped off at Thorne Services on the M18. No space for caravans so I left Brunnehilda to have a wee chat with Eddie while I polished off a Greggs Vegan Bake and a pretty average cup of coffee. Made me think of the recently announced definition of “The North / South divide” - more Greggs than Pret is up North. More Pret than Greggs then your down South!

I also stopped at a lay-by on the way over the Wolds to let the dogs wee and stretch their legs.

The familiar feel to the first day continued with my embarrassment when arriving at the site - all the other 4 pitches were there and set up. I was on pitch 5. Actually it had the best view, was nearest the dog walk and was at the end of the row so Brunnehilda’s German door couldn’t offend any of my English caravan neighbours. And they are all caravans - no Motorhomes which is bloody unusual!

Anyway, regular readers of the blog will know what I was referring to when I mentioned being embarrassed -  my appalling reversing skills. I’ve never considered myself an Alpha male but my God in the arena of reversing I’m more of a Zeta one! Stupidly, I persevered - time and time again I buggered it up. It’s so much worse to try for 5 minutes and then use the motor mover than just to rock up and use the motor mover. It’s like you just don’t care - like you are proud of embracing your feminine side?! It’s just that this particular manoeuvre looked so easy - lots of space! Oh, how wrong could I be!?

As if to compound the assault to my manhood the bloody heavens opened. I got absolutely soaked setting up Brunnehilda. Although the weather motivated a very quick turnaround - I think I had the kettle on within 40 minutes of arrival!?

Cup of tea and a quick dog walk around the field. It’s nice here. An Estate Agent would definitely be justified in claiming a view of the sea.

I chilled until about 7.30 and then set off to travel the 5 miles to Flamborough for a look round. The village isn’t up to much. I first went to the Lighthouse but there didn’t seem to be much of a beach so I went onto South Landing, the Bridlington side of the village.

I parked in the big car park - the only car there - and walked down the steep private road to the Lifeboat Station. I spent a very pleasant hour walking along the beach. The tide was out but there wasn’t much sand. That said, there was enough to avoid having to scramble on the rocks.

I walked back to the car via The Coastal Path and a gorgeous walk through a wooded valley. 2 highlights here - the first was an owl flying right in front of me and then the wonderful smell. There is something so special about the smell of a wet wood / forest - honest, you should try it! It was a nice sunny evening now but it clearly wasn’t just me that got soaked a couple of hours earlier?? 

I had wondered about getting fish and chips at Brid but I couldn’t be ar*ed so I went back to Brunnehilda for a Tesco ready meal, a beer and some Cadburys!

This week I shall be re-watching the Tudors TV serial. Watched one episode and remembered why Laura always used to talk about me watching “Tudor porn”!! Like the Tesco Chicken Satay, it was a wee bit spicy!

The weather looks nice tomorrow morning but poo in the afternoon so … it looks like an early start!

Oh, and the other thing that has made this a familiar first day - Madam Tilly is refusing to eat her dog food again! It happens every bloody time we come away! She will be trying to tell me something but to be honest I couldn’t be less interested! I’ve saved it for her breakfast!