We had to leave the cottage around 10am so got up around 9am to finish packing and have breakfast in good time. We packed everything into the car then took it down to the visitors carpark (in case the cottage’s cleaner, who was due to arrive imminently, needed to use the driveway). Then as we walked back into the village, we remembered we’d left our bag of fridge stuff in the fridge so grabbed that and left it secluded in the shaded front garden to pick up after we’d dropped off the key in the village.

We went to the winery to buy the mead and a last stroll about the place (which was swarming with day visitors and school children because the causeway was open practically all day), then picked up the fridge stuff on the way back to the car. We stopped halfway down the causeway for a quick run on the dunes then started on our way home.

Since it was pretty early in the day still - and knowing we’d only come back to Leeds and sit on our laptops (which we’ve done), we decided to stop in at Whitley Bay for fish and chips for lunch. I’d always assumed Whitley Bay was to Newcastle what Southport was to Liverpool so they’d be comparable - but Whitley Bay seems a lot smaller, less chainstored and with a much better beach. The dry sand at the top of the beach was golden and so warm (I took my shoes off instantly) and towards the (retreating) water, there were loads of coolly eroded rocks and lovely tiny pebbles/sea glass - my jean pockets were quickly weighted down. We stayed on the beach for an hour or so then went off in search of food. We first tried the cafe on the beach but the menu didn’t inspire us so we thought we’d look elsewhere - we weren’t looking for anything amazing but still. After a brief stroll along the promenade (with me noting how Whitley Bay’s promenade was much better than Southport’s - since WB’s is actually worth promenading along), we ended up at an Italian restaurant called Al Forno which served lunch. The manager/head waiter guy didn’t seem to be too happy to see us (even though it was quiet, just a few other customers, and still well within the lunch opening hours) but the food was alright - John had a veggie pizza (peppers, onions, mushrooms, a single piece of carrot (?) and what appeared to be artichoke) and I had a very creamy (but not much else-y) linguine carbonara. It looked quite new and fancy - I bet it’s heaving of a Friday and Saturday evening - but was cheap because of a lunch time offer - £12.10 for the two of us, including drinks and an espresso for John.

After we’d finished there, we headed back to the car and the GPS took us through a crazy tour through Newcastle/Gateshead back to the A1, then it was straight down until Leeds again. We got home around 4.30 and the cats - well, Carla and Carbs - sulked/were scared of us for the first time ever. My mum and dad’s cats always sulk when they return from short breaks but I was just saying the other day that ours never do that … until this time. They’re back in love with us again now though :)

Pictures (click for bigger ones)

• Top: the cool eroded rocks at Whitley Bay
• Lower: my feet, sandy and sun-warmed