Camping in the North East

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Camping in the North East



So we set off with the Range Rover fully loaded after having a couple of days looking after Scuzzie the springer spaniel. So after dropping off Scuzzie we are off and no I am not singing “we’re off, we’re off, we’re off in a motor car, 360 miles to go and we don’t know where we are”. However keep that song in mind you never know as I decide that the SAT NAV is not required the girl guide in me will take over so map in hand and here I go.



It is the Yorkshire Show so I am trying to avoid Harrogate like the plague which is a bit difficult as it is on the way. However, the dib, dib, dib in me (girl guide - talk, just in case you don’t know) takes us just past the show up to Ripon where we get on the A1M. So I get us to Seahouses and then let the SAT NAV take over to find the campsite.



Now comes the fun part pitching the tent - which to be honest was not too bad and only a few choice words were exchanged and we broke a pole - YES broke a pole - but hey ho the girl guide in me went into overdrive and I have patched it up with gaffer tape and yes it was my idea to pack gaffer tape. It was too windy to put up the awning which is really annoying as it was my ebay purchase of the year - if you know me I am an ebay queen so you can imagine what a bargain I got.



Anyway after a good night’s sleep up we pop and have breakfast - I could get used to this camping lark as Mike does all the cooking - RESULT.



We booked ourselves on the 2 1/2 hour boat trip where you have 1 hour on Inner Farne island where it is breeding time for the puffins. There are over 40,000 puffins on the island and over 23 different species of birds. So you can imagine the noise and the bird crap. We were told to take some lunch by the lady when we booked the trip, so I got us some sandwiches. Now think about this, here you are on an island with 1,000s of birds and you have taken bread sandwiches! So you can imagine how and what I am feeling - could it be another scene from Hithcock’s Birds, der, de, der de, der de!



Anyway we decided covertly to eat the sandwiches and managed to get away with it - Mike decided it was too stressful to eat the Cornish Pasty - so that came back with us.



Unfortunately I cannot put any photos with this blog of the puffins as I took all the photos with my camera but forgot to bring the lead - and not thinking in my girl guide mode did not take any with my iPhone - don’t think I will be keeping my “Be Prepared” badge, do you!



Anyway back at the tent and yes it is still standing (yeh, yeh,yeh) and we decide to have a BBQ. Well Jamie Oliver’s kettle BBQ has its own tale to tell. When we were last in Australia I saw this BBQ and it was 1/2 price. Remember this is the bargain queen speaking and I keep seeing it and thinking that would be great for camping - but Mike the ever sensible one kept saying “how can you get it home?” . Well this was a dilemma for me to win Mike around on this one - however, perseverance paid off as I thought we could send it! After a lot of coaxing I got Mike to go with me, even though it cost more to post it than the BBQ itself. So after a few months travelling the high seas and through China the BBQ arrived in Lancashire. So it is the maiden voyage for the BBQ and after getting the coals white we had a brilliant BBQ - I am even getting Mike to like little Jamie - although he has said we could have got the same type from any shop in England - but like I say this one is a talking point - and I can embellish any story (as you can see).





So after another good night’s sleep we are up and thinking where should we go today!

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