A DAY AT DRURIDGE BAY

We love the beach and Druridge is a wonderful open beach with miles of sea and sand and dunes.

This beach goes for miles and miles its beautiful

MY DOG FRIENDLY RANT

We decided to book a holiday, in the UK. We want to travel round the West Coast of Scotland. 

We have found a lovely cottage where they welcome dogs, this was fairly easy as there are quite a lot of cottages where dogs are welcome, so much to Ben's relief we are going to Fort William to a lovely cottage overlooking the loch


http://www.highland-view-cottage.co.uk


However, once there where we have the problems of finding places we can visit or eat where Ben is going to be welcomed.

When we lived in France we could visit many restaurants and Ben was welcomed and often given a little treat and at least a bowl of water.  He just sits quietly under the table and doesn't bother anyone. 

In the UK there are very few places where dogs are allowed unless they sit outside and its not always warm enough.

I don't see why if they are kept under control and not in any food preparation areas they can't be allowed in.

We have been told that we can go on a loch cruise   http://www.crannog.net/index.asp  they have said Ben is very welcome so we are looking forward to that.

Well we will find out once we get there just where we can and can't visit. 

May 2011 Walks near our house.

We have been having the most wonderful weather here. Sun sun and more sun with just a few cold breezy days and very little rain. 

Its great as it means we get out a lot more and stay out later as well. Days at the beach and some adventures finding our way around the walks here.

We have managed to find our way round an Art Trail, its between Seaton Delaval and Cramlington. You wouldn't think there was very much land to walk, but once off the main road you could be anywhere in Europe. No cars just trees, fields and other walkers.

This is the Spoon, it has some graffiti on it, but it has "Eat for England" engraved on the handle.

This it the empty cloak, or Capella as it is called.

Both art pieces are located in fields, with no sign posts or explanation.  At first we thought it was a bit silly, but now we quite like visiting them.

Found some water for me to play in, my favourite passtime, yes



27th March 2011 Everyday walks for me

Most days our first walk in the morning has been through Holywell Dene.  Its only a couple of minutes walk behind our house.  Holywell Dene stretches for miles in both directions from where we live.

Its a lovely place to walk, with plenty of paths, and of course the river, which I love to play in.  It goes all the way to Earsdon and then to the waggonways which are the old railway tracks which go for miles round here. It also goes all the way to the beach as well, that is a lovely walk out, past the Holywell Pond where all the wild birds live.

These photos are from the Friends of Holywell Dene website.

Today we went to the Silverlink Biodiversity Park. Its a park which has been developed from an old pit heap which used to be part of the old coal mines of Backworth and Algernon.  Its very surprising, there are wild cattle with long horns grazing there. The walk takes you through the trees and past several ponds with wild birds on, then on an upwards to a huge sundial at the top.  Next time we go we are taking a camera, as the views are outstanding.  Here is a photo we got from the internet.

Dad tells me he has been underneath this years ago when it was a coal mine.

Your going to what??

This blog is about Mum this time, not me.  I haven't really been up to very much recently myself.  However Mum has decided she is going to abseil down the front of a hotel  in Newcastle in May 2011.

It is to raise funds for St Oswalds Hospice, Uncle Nick did it last year, and he raised a lot of money.  But he is a bit brave as he spent some time in the TA doing all sorts of exciting things.  Mum has never done anything like this before.

This is the building

Doesnt look too bad,

Oops,


Oh well she says its for a very good cause.

http://www.stoswaldsuk.org/