Saturday 11 April 2015

A Day At Scarborough

With the weather being so nice last week, Mick decided to take a day off work so that we could spend a day at the seaside. He chose Friday so that it would make a long weekend and we headed off to Scarborough on the Yorkshire East coast.


Scarborough has two bays, North Bay and South Bay, but before we went down to the beach there was somewhere I wanted to visit first.

I've been coming to Scarborough since I was a tiny baby yet I'd never yet seen this famous resting place of Anne Bronte.


Anne Bronte, a member of a nineteenth century literary family, who wrote Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the only member of the family not buried at Haworth. She had been suffering from the early stages of consumption and was in Scarborough for the change of air hoping that it might relieve the symptoms. She died on 28th May 1849 and her grave can be found in St Mary's churchyard.


The original headstone gave Anne's age as 28 when in fact, she died aged 29.


The Bronte Society installed a new plaque in 2011 which gives Anne's true age.


Just across the road from the churchyard is the entrance to Scarborough Castle, another place in Scarborough I've never visited.


The plaque tells how the site was fortified in the 12th century and was last used defensively in 1745.


We didn't go inside the castle on this occasion but we wandered around the walls.


There would have been some wonderful views but a haze had descended which lasted the whole day. Here we're looking out on North Bay.


The lighthouse and harbour looking out towards South Bay.


On our way back to the car we passed these cute little cottages.



It was time now to get on to the beach, we'd all waited long enough and Archie couldn't wait much longer. He took one look at the sea and off he went.


Archie's quite a soft dog in some respects but not where water's concerned, he can't get enough of it.


As usual, he dried himself off by rolling in the sand.


I was really pleased that Eleanor wanted to come on our day out with us. We're often on our own these days as at nearly seventeen she doesn't always want to be hanging out with her parents, but I love to spend time with her as she's such good company.



We spent quite a bit of time on the beach much to Archie's delight, there were lots of other dogs for him to play with as well as an abundance of rock pools.


The sands were finally left behind and we wandered by the busy harbour with its array of fishing boats.


There were dozens and dozens of lobster pots and crab traps stacked together.


We walked along the row of shops and shacks selling all manner of seaside paraphernalia, shells, seafood, buckets and spades etc.


We'd taken a small picnic with us so we didn't have to buy any food, still, we couldn't resist a small portion of chips, Eleanor had a tray to herself and Mick and I shared one. Can you see who else was waiting for a chip?


It was a lovely day out and though there was a steady breeze all day long, it was still much warmer than we'd usually expect in April. We took our trip in the nick of time as the good weather has broken today and we've got rain and high winds, it's much cooler too.

50 comments:

  1. Are you going to Scarborough Fair ... great pictures, it does look warm. Love Archie in the water.

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    1. We did have a little sing song of Scarborough Fair while we were there, Eleanor sang it for her Grade 4 singing exam. Archie loves the seaside, he heads straight for the sea.

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  2. I have never been to Scarborough but looking at your pics I think it will go on my places to visit list! thanks for sharing.

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    1. We have some wonderful places to visit on our East coast, you should definitely try to get there if you can.

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  3. What a lovely post. Archie looks like he is enjoying himself indeed.
    And how wonderful for showing the final resting place of Anne Bronte. Her writing was even more sullen and dark than Charlotte's and the visions she brought to life on the moors makes my heart go pitter patter.
    Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
    Susan x

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    1. I have to confess that I haven't read any of Anne Bronte's books but I am fascinated by the Bronte's. Haworth isn't that far away from us and other places which the family frequented aren't either. Archie loves the seaside, he's always happy when he's beside the sea.

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  4. What a nice day out you had. I love the idea of a castle near the beach, it seems like something from a storybook. And I love the cottages with the laundry drying on the line, it's a timeless scene, isn't it? That photo could have been taken any time. That photo of Archie drying himself in the sand is great! I love the look on his face. How funny that he does that, it must be instinctual for him. I've never taken a dog to the beach but maybe they would all do that. I'm glad Eleanor wanted to go with you, it must have been nice to spend the day together. I hope you're having a good weekend, Jo.

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    1. The castle can be seen high on the cliffs above the beach but it's somewhere I haven't visited yet. Daniel went camping to Scarborough with Scouts when he was younger and visited the castle then, but I shall have to put it on my places to visit. I loved those cottages when we passed by and they must have a fabulous view, they're so high up. It's wonderful to spend time with Eleanor now that she's older, it's like having another friend as well as a daughter, I'm very lucky.

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  5. Thank you for sharing your visit to Scarborough, we visited long ago, so it is nice to see your photo's. We always have chips on the beach, it always seams the right thing to do.

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    1. We love Scarborough, it's probably our nearest seaside so we visit fairly often. There's something for everyone there too, the North Bay is quieter while the South Bay has lots going on.

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  6. You can't go to the seaside and not have chips. I can smell them from here. Great day.
    xx

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    1. I agree, I had them dripping in vinegar. Yum!

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  7. I did like the picture of Archie drying himself on the sand - our dog always wants to drink the sea water, usually with disastrous consequences for his digestion! I had to smile at the picture of your Dad's socks - I've made some for my Dad in the same colour! xx

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    1. As soon as Archie comes out of the sea he rolls around the sand, it's so funny to watch. I'm glad he doesn't take a fancy to the sea water though, salt water does play havoc with digestion. My dad loves his socks, I've knit him a couple of pairs and he wears them all the time, he says they remind him of the ones his mum used to knit for him.

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  8. Looks like a great day out....seems like Archie really enjoyed himself. The perfect end to the day....chips!

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    1. We really enjoyed our day out and so did Archie. The chips were delicious and we may have allowed Archie to partake too, even though we shouldn't.

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  9. I love days like this, looks like everyone had a great time, including Archie. You'll be finding sand everywhere now, unless your next post is of you bathing him!

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    1. Nope, he hasn't had a bath and he came home looking less than white but I think he's shed all the sand now, the wind today has blown it away. We all had a lovely time, it does make a nice change to get away from everything if only for a day.

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  10. As you probably know, I love to see photos of Archie and had a good giggle at him "drying" himself on the sand. I see his nose waiting for a chip as well. LOL

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    1. I always laugh at Archie when he dries himself on the sand too, he's such a daft dog. I have to admit to throwing him a chip or two even though it's naughty.

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  11. What a lovely day, better still that you got to share it with Eleanor. It is great and sad to see the children become more and more independent, isn't it? Archie looks like a fun dog, I bet he and our Jack would get along well, maybe gang up on us to steal human food, which is so much better than the dog stuff. So Jack barks.

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    1. Daniel's away at university now and is totally independent these days, he rarely comes home, even during holidays. I'm glad that he's matured as he has but I know it won't be long until Eleanor goes down the same path so I'm making the most of the time she's still at home. Archie definitely thinks that human food is far superior to his own food, though he's quite partial to Jumbones.

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  12. Hi Jo, I'm just on catchup and loved reading about Hope Pastures and it really touched me. Scarborough of course is somewhere I know well as that is where my step daughter lives and 3 of our grandchildren, so it made feel quite homesick. I'll be in touch soon. I may even try and post soon. Did Mick hear about Richie? Take care and hope you're having a great weekend.

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    1. Scarborough holds happy memories for me too as my sister lived there for a time, we had some lovely visits with her. Yes, Mick heard about Richie Benaud, though I had to ask him who you were talking about as I've never heard of him. I don't follow cricket at all even though both Mick and Daniel play.

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  13. I could see Archie waiting for a chip - Rocky does the same greedy little hound. We haven't taken Rocky to the beach yet but I'm sure he will love walking through the waves. I've never been to Scarborough but it looks like a great place to visit x

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    1. It would be nice to live near a beach so that I could walk Archie on it more often, he loves the seaside. Scarborough is a lovely coastal town, it's got a bit of everything so suits most people.

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  14. A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. I certainly enjoyed the couple of visits I've made to Scarborough albeit some years ago. Flighty xx

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    1. I'm glad you've had the pleasure of visiting Scarborough in the past, it's a lovely seaside town which most people seem to enjoy.

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  15. what a lovely day , your dog is so delightful and he looks like a fun happy dog. I have never been to scarborough it has now been added to the lis of places I need to visit.

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    1. Archie loves nothing more than days out, especially by the sea. I don't think anyone would be disappointed with Scarborough, it's a lovely place to visit with something for everyone.

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  16. Yes I can see Archie's nose very near the chips! Isn't he funny, rolling in the sand like that, I expect your car is covered in it now. I like Scarborough, we visited for the day when we were on holiday in Whitby. Chips are a must at the beach, aren't they. Do I remember you visiting a very good wool shop in or near Scarborough on a previous post a while ago?

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    1. Archie's so funny when he's rolling about on the sand, he gets it everywhere, even in his eyes though it doesn't seem to bother him. Whitby is another lovely seaside town not too far from Scarborough, we like visiting there too. I don't remember a wool shop near Scarborough but I'd love to know more.

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    2. I must have dreamed it Jo! If I ever do find a wool shop near Scarborough though, I will be sure to let you know! :-)

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    3. Thanks. I'm intrigued now.

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  17. Oh I do love Scarborough. I was smiling all through your photos Jo. Though I shocked there was no ice cream - we all know it is law to have ice cream at the sea side :-)

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    1. I don't think we've visited the seaside so soon in the year before, the good weather lured us out. I have to confess that I did have an ice cream, I was the only one out of the three of us that did and as Archie helped me finish it off it was gone before I could take a photo.

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    2. Phew, I can keep reading your blog then. It was touch and go there for a moment or two!!! :-)

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    3. Ha ha. It was only vanilla though, there's so many flavours these days that I'm spoilt for choice so I go with what I know I like. I'm so unadventurous.

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  18. You're fortunate to live nearer to Scarborough than us as we would go there more often. It's one of our nearest seaside towns and we've always enjoyed our times there. It's good that Eleanor joined you for the day out and Archie looks happy to be on the beach.

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    1. It usually takes us about an hour and a half to get to Scarborough, it would be much quicker if there wasn't always queues up the A64. I was really pleased that Eleanor wanted to come with us, I think this will be the last year that she comes on jaunts with us as she'll be off doing her own thing next year.

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  19. What an excellent day out! Our son was always happy to go out and about with us, as of course we paid for everything!

    http://frayedattheedge.typepad.co.uk

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    1. Ha ha, yes, that's one attraction of going out with mum and dad. I'm looking forward to our next trip to the seaside now that Scarborough has whetted my appetite, nothing planned yet though.

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  20. Scarborough seems to have lots of different 'characters' in the bays, castle and harbour. It looks like you all had a really nice time. Jx

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    1. One thing I like about Scarborough are the different areas, there's definitely something for everyone. We had a lovely day.

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  21. What a super day, it's great to get out and about.
    Thanks for sharing.

    All the best Jan

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    1. It was a lovely day out, we all enjoyed it.

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  22. I'm in love with Archie. And the place. :)

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    1. He's such a loveable dog. Scarborough is a wonderful place with something there for everyone.

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  23. What a fabulous day out, , lovely that Eleanor came with you too. You can't beat a day at the seaside, complete with chips. I spy Archie waiting for his little treat too!
    Lisa x

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    1. We picked a good day for a trip to the seaside, I'm looking forward to going again, we always have a lovely time at the coast. Archie always likes it on the beach too.

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