Beautiful Northumberland

Gosh, it's been a busy couple of weeks!  I so wanted to tell you straight away about POH's surprise trip for October/November, and we've been back nearly 2 weeks!  My part time job has been so hectic, and I've been busy working on making my Christmas presents, as well as doing things around the house.  The time has just flown.

Anywhere, here I am - finally - to tell you all about our lovely holiday in Northumberland!  It was wonderful!  POH had no idea where we were going but kept saying he hoped it was the seaside. Phew!  We stayed in a little village called Beadnell, which is just south of Seahouses.  The house I had rented was perfect - warm and cosy, and everything we needed.

We spent the week walking on vasts beaches under great expanses of sky.  Daisy was in doggy heaven!  She ran and ran and looked like she was smiling most of the time.

We had a lovely day on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which you get to by driving across the causeway at low tide.  I never fail to be impressed by the atmosphere as you approach this most unique place.  

The castle was closed for major renovations, but we went to sit in the little walled garden, out of the wind, and I took a few minutes to start yet another shawl from the Crochet Project - my much talked about 'Your Mileage May Vary'.  What a location to crochet; it was perfect.

We went in to Pilgrims Cafe, and whiled away a lovely hour sampling cakes and hot chocolate, and I did a bit more on my shawl.  It was so restful.

We wandered around the Priory ruins...

The sun was starting to set as the tide dropped low enough to cross back to the mainland, so we climbed up above the ruins to have a last look.

The following day we took a boat trip on Serenity II to sea the baby seals (and the adult ones too!) It was brilliant!  The photos don't do it justice!

This adult seal bobbled alongside our boat.

The tiny white dots on the rocks are day old seals.  (You'll have to zoom in!)

After our boat trip, we consumed a whole flask of hot chocolate, and then went to a pub restaurant for lunch.  We took a walk along the beach afterwards, and saw a marvellous rainbow!

We visited one of our favourite National Trust places, Cragside, home of the first hydro electricity.  As well as as fabulous house (closed this late in the year though) the gardens and estate are just breathtaking.  Acres and acres to walk around - woodland, lakes, bridges, rock gardens, you really could spend all day walking there.

Sometimes you just have to play Pooh Sticks!

This was the first year we visited the tiny village of Low Newton by the Sea.  The most fabulous beach provided an hour's chasing around fun for Daisy, and probably my favourite picnic spot of this year.  

We even took our coats off!  Afterwards we had a half a cider in The Ship, fortifying ourselves for a last walk in the late autumn sunshine.  Wow, we were so glad we did, as we saw the most amazing sunset.

Northumberland is definitely one of our favourite places, and we are planning to visit again next summer.

There's just one more surprise trip for POH  - December!  I'll tell you all about that once we've been...  :)

Donna x