For me and my family, this summer was another summer full of fun and road trips!

The first was a trip to Hartlepool to visit friends, family AND hit a few other destinations while we were at it!

Here’s what we got up to…

DAY 1

Dressed in my new “Do more of what makes you happy” t-shirt we had a rather chilled first day- visiting family while Granny and Grandad took Miya to Jump 360!

So I don’t have many photos from day one- we spent it with my Autnie Bev just drinking countless cups of tea and catching up on life.

 However here’s a photo of the flowers I was admiring in Grannies garden before walking along the beach to finish off the day.

As we spent so long at my Aunties then went straight to dinner to meet everyone else me and Mum were really feeling the fact we hadn’t moved much all day and wanted to go get some fresh air and stretch our legs.

Seaton Beach is always the answer when we’re up North- it’s so nice being close enough to a beach to pop down each day if you need to clear your head, up your steps…and collect shells!

 

DAY 2

We started our second day with a trip back to Seaton Carew for a game of crazy golf!

Although the beach is lovely, Seatons seaside town itself has been pretty run down for as long as I can remember, which sadly effected the all-round character and overtone.

HOWEVER…more recently lots seems to be happening to change that!

Following the long overdue demolition of the huge derelict and burnt out Longscar Centre, Seaton’s charm seems to be picking up nicely.

A lovely children’s play area, splash park, crazy golf and some colourful beach huts are just a few of the delightful additions that have popped up.

It was a lovely sunny day and we had a great time spending our morning at the jazzed up seafront!

Following a game of golf and a long walk down the beach we stopped at Glady’s for some tea and cake!

Next stop on the agenda…

Exploring The Headland

Whilst walking along the beach the night before my Mum pointed into the distance, at a ferris wheel and said “look the headlands carnival is going up”

And it dawned on me that I had no idea what she was talking about.

Of all my 28 years visiting Hartlepool, how I never been over there?!

So it was decided then and there- THAT is just what we would do the next day…

Walking around he Headlands was beautiful and the fact it was a lovely sunny day was the cherry on top!

It was such a charming corner of the world and the perfect end to our little day out!

My day wasn’t quite over yet though and I finished my day with some down time visiting a friend and tucking into a Northern speciality for dinner and a raspberry mojito or two!

Day 3

The next day we were up bright, early and heading for Beamish, a living breathing museum telling the story of life in the North East of England during the 1820’s, 1900’s, 1940’s and 1950’s.

Another place it seemed everyone on the planet except for me had been to!

A step back in time….

I love anything like this- experiencing, seeing and feeling how they lived years ago was so fascinating yet so eerie.

After exploring the main town thoroughly we went to the bakery for a savoury snack then sniffed out the tea room for a cup of tea!

We finished the day taking a ride on an exact replica of a Puffing Billy!

 

Day 4

Dragging out my birthday ever more!

I was gifted a lunch voucher for Station Five Deli so that we could come and celebrate with family!

They were able to cater for our whole family including the gluten and dairy intolerants!

I went for this yumy beetroot and goats cheese salad with lots of colourful goodness and walnuts.

One of the staff already knew of our tables dietary intolerances and had premade some delicious chocolate puddings!

As the birthday girl I was offered one and thought they were a 10/10 for yumminess- the absence of gluten and dairy went completely unnoticed!

 

Thank you Station Five!

After lunch we popped back to my Aunties for a cuppa and I was surprised with a lovely little birthday afternoon, including cakes tea and confetti!

It was such a thoughtful cherry on top of an already lovely afternoon!

🙂

After plenty of tea and cake we chatted the afternoon away while our food went down.

We then went to put all that sugar to good use!

In the form of an evening hike up the Cleveland Hills!

Reaching the top!

Finishing the day on an active note was just what the doctor ordered and I was left feeling fabulous in the brain!

In fact- we all were 🙂

We headed back to Granny’s and ordered a northern favourite to refuel after our 2 hour adventure…

Day 5

On our last day we said our goodbyes and headed home via England’s oldest tourist attraction, Mother Shiptons Cave!

Miya got to train and graduate from Mother Shipton’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

And we had our fortunes read before a quick stop in the beautiful pub garden next to the gift shop.

And we of course picked up a few bits from the gift shop too!

Then headed into Knaresborough for a look around…

& let me tell you- it is b-e-a-UTIFUL!

We stopped for a lavender scone at The Lavender Rooms

With lemon curd (one of my faves) and clotted cream

We carried on wandering until we’d done full circle returning back to the lovely water front, where we grabbed an ice-cream to finish of the holiday before setting off home!

 

A yummy end to a lovely week!

♥