My 2nd week of summer holiday sees me on the near empty train to Leicester which I wouldn't (shouldn't) have been able to visit a week ago due it's extended lockdown. Bruce meets me at the station and we whizz away from downtown Leicester to the allegedly safer suburbs. We go for a walk around the wetlands feeding vicious swans and picking blackberries and then go for a cycle ride to Bradgate Park. Back home we see a sparrow hawk take a small bird about 12 feet from us (with a window between) and fly off. Not spotted the local puma which frequents the steam railway track. Wednesday sees us cycle to Loughborough to see the steam railway gap and lunch next to the carillion tower. After a pleasant cycle home we go for our wetland walk and have a drink outside the Earl of Stamford. Thursday and it' off to north Yorkshire and after a very pleasant lunch at a York container park we arrive at Mr Malcolm's Marvellous Wild Campsite which is not wild but is pretty basic. But not quite as basic as last week's site as we have showers here. Soon Ramsay and Jo arrive with my tent (thanks guys) having fled extended lockdown Leeds and we pitch up on a lovely flat bit of ground with amazing views out over the valley. We dine on BBQed sausages and then tell yarns around the communal fire. Friday is a scorcher and we head for Runswick Bay which Debbie saw mentioned as one of the best beaches in the UK and indeed it's a lovely place. Trouble is thousands of others think so too and we park in a farmers field that looks like Glastonbury car parking. Of course what with social distancing and walking a while along the beach we get to a relatively quiet spot where I can find a bit of shade and the others can bask in the sun. The water is damn cold but bearable - as the saying goes "it's lovely once you're in". It seems especially buoyant too and laying on my back just drifting I wonder if there's more salt in the water here than in Devon and Cornwall. Bruce and I go for a walk along the cliffs for an amazing view back along the bay (of course neither of us brought a camera or phone) and return past hikers with very sensible footwear commenting on our bare feet. As the afternoon draws to a close our chauffeur Bruce (thanks mate!) drives us into Whitby which is pretty crowded. We have a drink in the market square and then I get about 20 chips for £2.50 at the terrible bar and restaurant overlooking the harbour. By this time it's raining off and on and we are surrounded by a lightning storm which weirdly doesn't seem to be overhead. A perfect time to ascend "Dracula's Steps" to the ruined abbey which is especially atmospheric with the rumbles and flashes. Then home to bed. Saturday and I'm up early to a cloudless sky and I sit alone sipping tea watching hawks circle overhead. I then go for a walk through the wood a safe distance from any campers to practice my harmonica and on the way come face to face at 12 feet with a large owl. After about 30 seconds of us staring each other out I try to ease my camera from my pocket but he's photo shy and nonchalantly flies off. Having desecrated Dirty Old Town I wander back to see if anyone is up yet. We drive to Boggle Hole and walk along the cliffs to Robin Hood Bay then picnic on the beach. The water is possibly even colder today. It starts to rain a bit so we go into the village and have a pint before wandering back to the car. By this time I'm listening to the FA Cup Final and The Arsenal are 1 nil down to Chelsea which is turning my mood about the same colour as the sky. We go back to Whitby abbey as we spotted a micro brewery there. There are 3 likely looking characters in pirate hats at a table sporting bondage trousers and bum flaps. Young punk rockers. Of course we are drawn to each other and they end up sitting with us invalidating all the social distancing we've been practising over the last few days. Although from Sunderland one turns out to have a Spurs crest tattooed on his arm so of course wants The Arsenal to lose the final but we've equalised and soon enough score the winner. The last 10 minutes plus another 10 of added time I'm just listening intently on the phone but after an age I'm elated. The record number extended. Who cares if it's started raining? We leave the punks as we've exhausted discussions on bands and whether punk is dead or not (and this is over 30 years after that debate was first had) and with a last shout of a certain anti Spurs song directed at our new found and newly lost friends we go back to camp for another BBQ and interrupt a romantic couple by the fire. Sunday is sunny at first to dry the tents and after breakfasting and packing up it starts pouring just as we've packed the cars. We say our goodbyes to Ramsay and Jo at an acceptable distance and Bruce and I head back south over the moorlands. Bruce's team are meant to be playing at Thrumpton so we decide to lunch there but the covers are still on and we have to eat watching the grass grow. Evening we have our habitual walk to the wetlands rudely interrupted by having homophobic yells directed at us by the morons outside the Stamford so my silver won't be passing that bar again. On our way back the same blokes keep quiet so I guess they realise that we aren't intimidated by a few drunken yobs. More likely cos there's only 6 of them there than the original 12. These people are all cowards and only hunt in packs. Monday Bruce drives me to the station and on a slightly busier train I speed from the locked down north to the safety of London, but for how much longer? A fantastic few days away. Thanks fellow campers.
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| Put 1st so's it's the one picked up by links... |
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| Swan action |
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| Bradgate Park |
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| Bradgate Park route |
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| Loughborough station |
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| York picnic spot |
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| The motor |
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| View from my tent |
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| A bit of space |
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| Ready for the plunge |
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| Back along the beach - clearing in the late afternoon |
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| By Whitby Abbey during lightning storm |
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| Album Cover |
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| Whitby by night |
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| View from the tent - with old faithful pot bellied stove |
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| Our little encampment |
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| Shopping in the time of Covid |
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| Robin Hoods Bay |
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| Jim thoroughly enjoying himself in Robin Hoods Bay village pub (pre match nerves) |
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| Me, scared of Dracula? It's the Covid Punks I'm more worried about... |
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| ... the Covid Punks (note tattoo) |
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| Sensible Covid Bubble |
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| You're getting a bit too close mate |
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| Whitby Abbey |
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| Thrumpton Cricket Pavillion |
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| Thrumpton Cricket Club cancel due to Covid |
