Late Jolly To Northumberland

Due to the road traffic accident I missed out on a weeks holiday so last week I was able to use some of those days up at our cottage in Northumberland. Oh it was bliss.
Sunday after arriving I had a quick look at the tidal crossing times for Holy Island(Lindisfarne) and realised if I didn't go immediately then there would not be another opportunity during the week. It was bitterly cold but wrapped up and off I went for a stroll around the bay. Here are some of my pictures.

Sorry I've probably posted a similar photograph before, but every time I go this view across to St Cuthbert's Island just moves me.

The light across the priory was just lovely. Apologies for grotty small pictures but I've run out of free space so need to revert to these small pictures.

 This is looking across the harbour to the castle.

I love the lobster pots that lie idle by the shore and the boats. My children would tell you that I have a thing about boats.

Again I love the way that the boats have been recycled and turned into fishing huts.

Monday I went into Berwick hunting for Christmas presents and the afternoon and evening was spent crafting.

Tuesday I went into Alnwick again hunting for more presies and then the rest of the day spent crafting.

Wednesday I went to Seahouses. It was very very cold and a lot of the shops were shut - even the fish and chip shops!

This is a view across the harbour at Seahouses with Bamburgh Castle in the background. 

Thursday was a gorgeous crisp cold day and I went for a walk onto Ford Moss Reserve.

Is this snow or is this just frost? I don't know but it looks so lovely.

 Just as I arrived at the reserve I could hear some gun shots and I walked as loudly as I could so that the hunters would hear me. Eventually I spotted them and I made myself obvious and as a typical townie looked gormless and asked was it safe for me to walk across the public right away or was I in danger of being shot at?! Thankfully they had just finished so I was safe. I have to confess to feeling rather vulnerable talking to these men, men with great big guns, on this remote moorland and me all on my ownsome!

 

I think these are pheasant footprints. Highlight of the walk - I felt a little spooked as I thought I could hear someone but how could that be as every time I walked I made a crunching sound and so would anyone else. Then I heard a faint noise again and as I stood still I had the pleasure of watching six deer walk near to me and leaping and grazing on the moor. They were sooo cute, didn't dare move to get my camera out as I thought they run away.

 

The next village have this wonderful full size wooden nativity scene - it's lit up at night time, but it was too cold to go out at night.

 

After the walk I made a Christmas wreath for the front door - very proud of my creation.

 

 This was what the dining room table looked like with some of my crafting gear. I cannot show you what I made as it would spoil it for those who are going to receive some of my mad creativity! After Christmas I'll show you!

This is after I've tided up! But sadly all good things must come to an end and early Friday morning I made my journey home and to go to work. But unfortunately it was one of those nightmare journeys when I started off with ice on the road, followed by snow on the A1 and then when I stopped for a comfort break at Washington services, just south of Newcastle this is what temperature the car was displaying!

I'm not sure I've ever seen that temperature before! Then the weather went to fog and the A1 stopped because there was a RTA and we had to be diverted off the road to Wetherby. Yorkshire was experiencing horrendous black ice. Hours later the fog then turned into heavy rain with the roads flooded! What a nightmare and I had to stop in order to rearrange my first appointment in the afternoon. Needless to say I arrived at work feeling rather wrecked and stressed. Unfortunately snow had not been forecasted otherwise I would have returned home the previous day. But at least I arrived home safely.

I'm only away for a few days and the cheeky Mr P took the opportunity to use some of the empty bookshelves that I had created by taking so much craft stuff away with me! Needless to say the books were duly evicted!