We’re really getting our teeth into Certificated Sites now!
After a fabulous May outing to a CS in Shepley, West Yorkshire, we travelled to the east coast
for a few days of sun, sea and sniffing out great beach locations.
It was Kizzy’s first time on the craggy coastline that meanders from the Site that was our base, Beacon House CS at Flamborough north to Whitby and the first time we had stayed for more than one night on a CS.
?width=300&height=168 "The adults only but dog-friendly Beacon House Certificated Site")
Not sure what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised not only by yet another warm welcome but also the proximity of the village of Flamborough to the Site. In fact, once we had settled in at this pretty five unit,adults only Site at Crofts Hill, we walked into the village to see what was on offer.
We’d been told by the Site owners that there were three dog-friendly pubs in the village, two fish and chip shops and also a convenience store. The weather was warm and sunny, so we ventured out along the picturesque road leading to Flamborough. What a lovely village! There was a dog-friendly coffee house and even a small carpentry shop selling beautiful wooden items such as boat-shaped planters and other items that would be great for the garden.
That green-fingered feel was echoed at Beacon House as the owners were busy adding plenty of colourful plants during our stay. The Site is level, easy to access, with electricity to all pitches, handy water points and nicely gravelled hardstanding with a spacious grassy area in between each one.
During our stay we met several four-legged friends on holiday with their owners on the Site, which was equipped with a single toilet and shower. We didn’t know it at that point, but Beacon House was going to be a brilliant base for walking.
The following day, Sunday, was also filled with sunshine, so we decided to ‘kick back’, as you
two-legged travellers say, and have a few hours at Flamborough Head,to look at the lighthouse
and generally savour the sea air.
There was a sign in the village that said ‘Lighthouse’, so off we trekked, not knowing at that
stage that it was nearly two-and-a-half miles away! Fabulous views, a friendly atmosphere, and
food and ice creams were on sale... Oh, and you can drive there if you prefer, as there’s a big
car park when you arrive at this landmark!
The good thing was, after a five mile round trip, Kizzy and I (and the maid and chauffeur) all slept soundly, awoken only by the sound of birdsong the next morning, which happened to be Kizzy’s first birthday.
As she has a few sharp teeth we decided to take her to Whitby to see if we could spot that other fanged fiend, Count Dracula. It was a Monday, but the town still hummed with life and was, yet again, bathed in sunshine.
Although we didn’t see Dracula we did spot another sleek, dark shape mysteriously appearing and disappearing… a seal which swam into the harbour, which delighted the chauffeur and the maid. We also saw a barn owl one evening as it was getting dusk, and in a field next to the site we spotted a deer grazing on more than one occasion. The chauffeur also spotted a hare, although it was a good job I didn’t…
The following day was the maid’s birthday and a trip to Filey was in order. It brought back bittersweet memories for me (and, I expect, the maid and chauffeur too) as we took our beloved Molly there a couple of years ago. I had selected Filey as my favourite beach destination of the year, and it was very nice to see it again, looking serene and splendid in yet more shimmering sunshine. One of the nicest things about Filey is the amount of places to sit and watch the world go by, both along the promenade and also in the gardens next to the town that overlook the beach and sea. Kizzy and I also enjoyed bacon at a beachfront cafe while our human companions enjoyed a cheese toastie and hot chocolate drinks with all the trimmings.
Wednesday dawned and off we went to Scarborough, another favourite, and another day of glorious sunshine. We were so spoiled! On Thursday we went off in the morning to a giant car boot sale, held every Thursday during the summer at a venue called Strawberry Fields, on the outskirts of Bridlington. Cloud was forecast, but again the sun came out and blessed us all. In the afternoon we drove, thankfully, to Bempton Cliffs, the RSPB nature reserve, and walked along the footpaths, where the chauffeur was able to see nesting puffins from a viewing platform.
So all in all, it was a splendiferous week, made all the better by the excellent weather and amazing scenery. Can’t wait for our next trip, maybe to another CS… but will it be able to beat Beacon House?