Mum’s godfather’s funeral was on the day after she and Faye got back from their adventures in the Dales. Fortunately it was setting out from Mum’s cousin’s house and so Faye was able to stay there with the caterers while Mum went to the service with the other mourners.
Then, after refreshments had been served at the house, Mum and Faye set off on their travels again. They were on their way to Scotland, but first Mum wanted to show Faye a bit of the Yorkshire coast.
Their first stop was at Filey, where Mum had originally thought of staying the night. But it had taken less time than she’d expected to get there and so, after a look round, she decided to head for Scarborough instead.
There they soon found accommodation at a guest house in the North Bay.
But it was only bed and breakfast and so they had to go out for their evening meal. The guest house owner recommended The Blacksmiths Arms at Cloughton, just north of Scarborough, and so they decided to go there.
However, the evening was very sultry with a storm threatening and, as they pulled in to the pub carpark, Mum heard the first rumble of thunder in the distance. Now as you know from some of my earlier posts, Mum’s absolutely terrified of thunderstorms and so she parked as near to the pub door as she could and they hurried inside.
Then, as the storm came closer, they made the meal last as long as they could. Luckily the food was delicious and so she and Faye had starters, a main course and a pudding, followed by two leisurely cups of tea, by which time the storm had just about gone and the late evening sun was shining again…
They made their way back to Scarborough and, after a quick drive around the town, they parked up on the Marine Drive and watched the waves for a while, before going back to the guest house and turning in for the night.
Next morning they were up bright and early and heading for Scotland again straight after breakfast. But there was another seaside town in Yorkshire that Mum wanted Faye to see first. That was Whitby, with its famous abbey ruins, connections to Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, pretty harbour and the 199 steps leading from the town to the parish church on top of the cliffs.
Luckily Mum was able to drive up to the Abbey and park there briefly to give Faye an overview of the town – and later she was able to park by the statue of Captain James Cook, the 18th century Yorkshire-born mariner whose voyages took him to the lands we now know as Australia and New Zealand, as well as to Hawaii and what is now British Columbia in Canada where Faye’s home was.
And after that they really were on their way to Scotland…
From Whitby they headed across country to join the A68 which was Mum’s favourite route to Scotland.
But there was still a long drive before they got to the border and so Mum decided they’d make a much-needed stop at Corbridge on the river Tyne.
This lovely little town has its origins way back in Roman times when it was a busy garrison town for the Roman soldiers and a supply base both for them and for local civilians.
It’s also not far from Hadrian’s Wall which had been started in 122 AD to defend the north-west boundary of the Roman Empire. The most spectacular parts of the Wall are further west, however, and, as there wasn’t time to visit them that day, she promised Faye that they’d see them on the journey back.
Mum made time to take Faye for a quick visit to nearby Vindolanda, however. This was another Roman settlement which had been occupied from around 85 AD to around 370 AD and which has been excavated by archaeologists for many decades.
There’s much more to see there now than when Mum and Faye visited, including some well-preserved letters to and from people who lived there all those centuries ago. One invited the commander’s wife to a birthday party – while another was from a Roman soldier to his mum, asking her to send him some more underpants!
All too soon it was time to get back in the car and back on to the A68. Though the Romans had set their border just north of Corbridge, Mum and Faye had 40 miles/64 km further to travel across open countryside and rolling hills before they reached the present-day border between England and Scotland at Carter Bar in the Cheviot Hills.
There they stopped for photographs at the boundary stone, before driving the last few miles into Jedburgh, where they decided to stop for the night.
I think I’ve written enough for today, however, so I’ll tell you more about that – and the journey to Inverness – in my next post. Meanwhile, take care, stay safe, enjoy the sunshine – and look out for more tales from me soon!
Follow my next blog:152. MY MUM THE STORY-TELLER – PART FORTY-FIVE
01/07/2021
Wilf the bear-faced blogger 