Rain, rain, go away

The weather has been atrocious and the media keep telling us that more rain has fallen on this day or that day than usually falls in a whole month.  Unfortunately these heavy downpours have become the norm this summer so we have been quite lucky with our activities so far.  

Pocklington Canal

On the way to the coast we stopped for our picnic at the Canal Head, a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), home to a host of interesting plants, insects, birds and mammals.  Completed in 1818, the canal carried coal, lime and fertiliser and agricultural produce  until 1932 and is now being restored by volunteers.  I’d like to revisit the area and spend more time there; perhaps walking the towpaths or taking a boat trip on the navigable stretches.

We came upon this carefully decorated house en route; the owners evidently unaware that the Olympic rings are a registered trademark or maybe the applied for permission.

These are some alternative views of Bridlington not the kind shown on postcards:

The garden at the coast is a work in progress but the raised beds have helped as have many of the bulbs from the pound shop.

Fraisthorpe to Bridlington

Taking advantage of the fine weather we walked over the cliffs to Bridlington from Fraisthorpe, a former naturist beach for decades until recently.  Rather cold and windy, I would have thought.  After a drink at the Belvedere Cafe, we returned along the beach.

 View from Belvedere Cafe

In our garden we found that the tadpoles had changed into frogs.  At least, they won’t mind the rain.

Our anniversary celebrations were put on hold as it clashed with the UEFA cup finals. 

Bridlington Maritime Trail

Bridlington harbour is still used a working harbour for the fishing industry who store their catch in special cooling tanks sited here.

We made our way to the north pier of the harbour by Spring Pump Hill where a branch of Macdonald’s used to be on the corner (sign of recession?).  Here there is a plaque to Benjamin Milne, a Collector of the Customs, who discovered a tidal spring, where fresh water ebbs and flows, and is an unusual phenomenon.

 A cannon from a fort used during the Napoleonic war was excavated from harbour and is now used as a mooring bollard

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 An unusual compass and weather vane fish with a hole in its tail.  The leaflet said to find out about it by asking a fisherman, but alas there were none to ask.  The only mention I can find on the web  is:  This fishy weathervane is on Bridlington's north pier. The triple B is not a credit rating from Standard & Poor, in fact no-one is quite sure what the three Bs stand for in Bridlington's coat of arms. The best I've seen is Bright & Breezy Bridlington.

  www.hullvalleyblogspot.co.uk

Anyone got any other suggestions? Please enlighten me if you can.

As the rain began, we retired to the Spa where I indulged myself with a Wimbledon waffle (with strawberries and cream if you were wondering).  Scrumptious!

Scarborough

As the weather was fine, we took the open top bus like real tourists to visit Peasholm Park, which was opened in 1912 in a Japanese style with pagodas, Japanese arches and dragon boats.   I can’t say I was there at the opening, but I have fond memories of the park as a child, with my own children and with my grandchildren.  If I go there with my great grandchildren, they will have to push me round!

 funicular from the beach to the town

There was a live band playing at the Spa, school trips on the beach, busy shopping area and we had unlimited pizza and salad at Pizzahut.

This is a model sheep on the roundabout towards Filey but I couldn’t get a photo of the whole scene with the shepherd even though we circled it three times!

These guinea pigs are allowed to roam freely.   We nearly knocked on the owner's door the first time we spotted them!

My flower arrangement from the class called Summer Medley

Just managed an evening drink outside at Napa Bar before the heavens opened and the garden visit I was looking forward to the following day was cancelled.  Disappointing, but watching the news of the flooding, it wasn’t so bad.

I’ve been watching Wimbledon and the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and was impressed by the Coastal Drift garden by Wyevale East Nurseries but you can look on their website for inspiration from all the entries.