Even More Seasides

It has been a dry summer up until last week. Then it poured down for a couple of days. Enough rain to deserve a visit to High Force up in Teesdale. Some of the smaller valleys have been shaded enough to maintain their green velvet look and the main waterfall was indeed splendid. The brown colour from the upland peat shows in the rush of water over the Whin Sill and onto the sandstone below.

Then when the weather brightened up we took off north to find puffins. Boats travel out from Seahouses to skirt and land on the Farne Islands offshore. The season for puffins is about over and fewer seals are to be seen too, but it was our last chance for this year so we booked a trip the next morning to the Grace Darling Lighthouse Museum and a tour of the islands.

The next day, the sea was a bit choppy and it was with smile of relief that DJ was informed that there would be no boats that day. We headed off to "do" Bamburgh castle instead. The puffins will return next year and so shall we.

The sparrow hawk hunted happily in the dunes as we walked along. The tide was out and another enormous expanse of British beach spread before us with the castle in the background.

The UFO in this picture is the sparrowhawk again, or maybe one of its relatives.

The weekend was spent in the mobile conservatory at Seaton Carew. Sunshine, big waves, picnics and the weekend papers! DJ even got the TV working so that he could watch the Grand Prix.

It's a great life... if you stay on your bike. I rode my new one along the promenade. I did well until I was two metres from the van. I glimpsed a section of kerb and panicked. (I can only ride in straight lines on flat surfaces).

I jammed on both brakes and came to a very abrupt stop. My bike was unhurt except for a broken bell. But my knees are still sore and there are bruises on most arm and leg corners.

Cheers for now Gillian