Goodbye to Summer!

The kids went back to school last week and it was time to say goodbye to our summer outside. I’ll be honest, the house, cats and me, sighed with relief as the kids went back to school! It wasn’t that I was fed up with them being at home, more fed up of some of them bickering. We did pack a lot into our six weeks despite not going away. I’m pleased to say we managed to spend a lot of time outside. Here’s a look back at some of the adventures we’ve had.

Bridlington beach, Yorkshire coast – the kids had wanted to go to the beach all summer. Towards the end of the holidays and with the heat wave long gone, we managed to fit it in. I asked for recommendations as we usually end up going to the same places. A friend of ours was over in Bridlington, so we went over for the day and met up with her. The three kids spend hours on the beach making moats, rock jenga and having a great time. The beach (North beach) was lovely and clean, nice sand with lots of big pebbles. The adults sat wrapped up chatting and it was a perfect way to spend a few hours. Lunch in a café and then a walk along the harbour to see the speedboats and the pirate ship. Had we not just missed the pirate ship I might have taken the kids on. Next time maybe!

We parked at the Lime kiln Lane car park and paid £2.90 for all day.

Slightly overcast beach shot from the promenade, sun glints through the clouds at Bridlington Close up of pebbles stacked on top of each other on the beach. Bridlington.

Hardcastle Crags – revisited! Now we’re national trust members I’m trying to make the most of it. We walked at Hardcastle crags a few years ago, and with the kids being a little bigger I knew they would enjoy going again. The weather was a bit strange being muggy and overcast but it didn’t put us off and we arrived early. We nearly had the place to ourselves. The kids loved walking in the woodland beside the stream and this time my daughter actually tried the stepping-stones! We enjoyed a big walk, the fresh air and cake in the café.

With the funny weather the café had low power, so hot drinks and food aren’t available until it rains, or the sun comes out. We weren’t affected as we just wanted cake and ice cream.

The public toilets below the first car park weren’t open when we visited. It was a quick march the 1.5 miles to the toilets near the mill. It might have been quicker had my son not chosen the complicated red route there!

Girl crouched on the banks of a stream at Hardcastle crags Boy on stepping stones at Hardcastle crags

Ingleton waterfall trail – A lovely trail that takes you past 7 stunning waterfalls. We once took our eldest here when he was a baby, not knowing it wasn’t pushchair friendly. Walking the trail this year I can’t believe we carried him so far! It’s a lovely walk through woodland and then up onto open moorland. There’s even an ice cream van parked up on the tops! I did have to check it wasn’t a mirage!!

We paid £15 for a family ticket. There’s facilities and a café at the start of the walk and a couple of snack huts further along the route.

Landscape view of a waterfall at singleton waterfalls trail

These were just some of the lovely places we visited during the school holidays. If you want to see where else we went, check out my Instagram for more photos. If I haven’t written about somewhere you’d like to know more about, let me know!

Where did you go this summer?

 

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