July trip day 15 - Home

Our final day today. Got up to a rainbow on the moors just outside.

We drove to Fala Moor for a walk - the weather had turned a bit, Goretex jackets on for the first time on for more than a week.

We then took a quick final trip to the seaside at Musselburgh before going home.

July trip day 14 - Scottish Borders

Having wild-camped we got up fairly early and drove to Hawick, where we bought a few things at Morrisons before having a walk round the town then along the River Teviot.

We then drove towards Kelso, stopping in Denholm for coffee and cake (in the campervan of course). We visited Floors castle, and had a walk in the grounds and gardens.

We then had a walk round Kelso and its abbey.

We drove north from Kelso, looking at a few wild camping spots on the way, before finding a good one in the moors above Lauder. After visiting Lauder for a quick pint we went and parked up and made pasta and sauce for dinner

July trip day 13 - Kielder and Scottish borders

We left site and drove north to Kielder Forest park. We parked the van at the Kielder Castle visitors' centre car park and walked Amber in the forest along the Dukes Path to a squirrel hide - only saw birds though.

We then left Amber in van and go for cycle run. We had no particular intention to do so, but the weather was so good and the scenery so spectacular, we ended up going all the way round the reservoir, about 28 miles. Pretty knackered at the end of it.

After a pint at the pub we went for a short walk to a viaduct which remains from a railway which predates the flooding of the valley for the reservoir.

Rather than stay in a camp site we decided to wild camp. This is much easier in Scotland than England because of the Outdoor Access Code, so we drove across the border. Somewhere on the B6357 there is a car park at "Hell's Hole", this is where we stayed.

July trip day 12 - Durham

Today we went to Beamish Open Air Museum. This was extremely interesting, having buildings and settlements from various past eras, from the 1820s to the 1940s.

First was the farm.

Then we went to the colliery village.

Went for a run on a steam wagon and a tram.

Visited the manor house to see how the other half lived.

We had lunch in the van, leaving Amber so we could return to the colliery and go down the drift mine.

Finally we visited the town, where they have various houses, shops and offices.

We got a tram back to the exit and drove back to the site, where we had pasta and Stilton sauce for dinner.

July trip day 11 - Durham

Today we went into Durham. We parked the car in a car park near the river and walked in to the marketplace part of town, which was very busy and had some local dancers.

We then went on a walk by the riverside so Amber could get some shade and have a swim.

We then had a look at Durham Cathedral, before going to Subway for lunch.

We bought some barbecue food then drove back to sit out in the sun for a while.

Leaving Amber in the van we cycled along the track to Rowlands Gill and back. We saw what we thought were Red Kites in the distance, which are quite common in the area.

On the barbecue we had venison burgers and sausages for dinner.

July trip day 10 - Durham

We packed up and left the site about 10. The owner had highly recommended the walk from Flamborough Head to North Landing, so we headed there before leaving the area. The weather was a little overcast and breezy, but quite warm. The chalk cliffs were spectacular and we saw hundreds of seabirds, including a few puffins.

Then we drove north via North York Moors, where we stopped for lunch just outside Whitby.

We arrived at Byreside camp site just outside Consett about 4pm. By then it was sunny with little wind. We sat and read, before having pork and kebabs on the barbecue for dinner.

Later we went for a walk along a disused railway track nearby, then went back to the van and watched some television.

July trip day 9 - Flamborough

Today we made a trip to Spurn Point, about 90 minutes away down the east coast. It was sunny away from the sea, but cloudy at the coast.

The road down to the point was breached by last winter's storms, so you can't drive right to end. We wouldn't have been able to take Amber anyway, since it's an RSPB nature reserve. We took Amber for a short walk, where we saw a deer and some swans and other birds from a hide.

After leaving Amber in the van we then took the bikes to head for the Point. For about 1km we had to push the bikes over sand where the road was washed away.

Then we cycled a further 6km to the end, where there's a lighthouse, RNLI lifeboat station and a jetty.

The last bit to the beach had to be walked.

After eating our lunch at the lighthouse we cycled back to the van, then drove back to Flamborough Head, where we had a short walk round the cliffs and the two lighthouses, one of which is the oldest in England and made of chalk.

After a pint at the Dog and Duck we went back to the site, where it was too windy for a barbecue so we fried the rest of the pork on the cooker. Later we walked to the south part of the Head and up Danes Dyke.

We headed back to the van after a pint at Seabirds.