Our traditional camping trip to Robin Hood's Bay

When the weather was warm we began getting the camping things out, our first camping trip with four children. "Where are we ..." Imogen stops in mid sentence and realises, "... don't tell me, Robin Hood's bay!"
We've been going to the RHB folk weekend for a few years now. The weather forecast was unsettled, but we decided to go anyway.

Luckily we managed to put the tent up in fine weather, some years Geoff and Jemima have put the tent up in pouring rain.
We always camp at Middlewood Farm in Fylingthorpe, a little village above Robin Hood's Bay.
The children spent ages watching the cows: it's amazing to see the peristalsis of their necks as the water goes down.

Middlewood is a working dairy farm, so twice a day the ladies go off to be milked. Our journey sometimes takes us through their midst as we cross the fields

and down the wooded glen to get down to the village. On the way, maybe a quick lesson from Geoff naming trees.


But definitely the first thing we do on every camping trip after putting up the tent is to go down to the village to eat fish and chips on the quarter deck.


On the Saturday we always...

visit the coast guard centre, but HORRORS, it had been refurbished, new exhibitions!!! and some of our favourites had gone.

But the children really loved this model that demonstrates the tides. Reuben watched the model and then went to the window to watch the real waves come in.

Next traditon: Dollies ice-cream shop

Farm made ice-cream dipped in the chocloate fountain.

Contented children

and with a front row seat for our next tradition: watching 'the dancing ladies'.

Look blue skies, time to hit the beach

The beach is great for rock pooling and collecting fossils.

"blob on a cone, crab in a cup ..."
(Julia Donaldson illuminating our world as ever - this time from 'Sharing a Shell')

and we watched the tide come and talked about the pull of the moon.

Once the the beach had vanished we headed up to 'the boat' playground.

The evenings were so cold and rainy. We played a few games of mapominoes (which I am totally addicted to) then we had a drive around to warm up before bed.

The view was spectacular and I love the line of cloud.

Sunday's are abit more flexible! we explored the narrow winding lanes

So many pretty cottages

Lots of seagulls had nested on the rooftops and were feeding their young.

To feed our young - another camping tradition - Heinz Tomato soup!

Gobstopper from Dollies

We found out about the history of the bay in the museum.

A tree to climb and swing on in the campsite.

We usually go home via Bempton Cliffs, but we decided on a change and went to Rievaulx Abbey instead.



The visitor centre is very hands on, with models to demonstate early building methods.

And after three nights of camping in the cold and rain, this is how I felt!

I wish (upon a nail) ...

We have had our children two by two.  This means that Imogen and Reuben had lots of trips out on their own on the seat on the back of my bike but Jemima and Rosanna have had not quite so many trips with their next elder sibling in the bike trailer that keeps me even fitter!  Rosanna is worst off.  Since we moved house we are further from the Trains Pennine Trail, Country Park and Reservoir so a bike ride is more of a undertaking rather than an everyday event.  Now there is a really big hill climb to get home.

Anyway, the other day when Beccy was taking the other 3 on a home education visit I took the day off and treated  myself and my littlest girl to some favourite things.

Starting about 11 years ago, Imogen and I would always stop the bike on this bridge.  After looking for fish and seeing how much the Himalayan Balsam had grown, we compared the feeling of the "smooth metal' and the "rough wood".  I can't remember if it was me or Imogen who discovered that the wood had shrunk and the nail rusted so that it was actually completely loose.

But ever since, whenever we pass, as long as no one is looking, we pull the nail out and hold it carefully while at the same time making a wish.  Then we slip it back and go quietly on our way.  Imogen has done it, Jemima has done it, Reuben has done it ..

... but for Rosie this was the first time.  I wonder what she wished for.

(As I write I hear that she is having a massive tantrum in Meadowhall - who wouldn't 

- but generally she is a happy little thing).  

In the background is the new bird hide.  It's made of solid metal  so that though battered and scorched by a minority of the local nature lovers it doesn't actually burn down.  That was the sad fate of its cosy wooden predecessor.  Against that background, and in spite of the fact that our nail could be easily dropped and would then certainly be lost in the stream, it is reassuring to find (touch wood) that our little wishing nail is always there.

After lunch at the local open farm it was home for strawberries picked from our polytunnel.

And a chance to catch up with her big brother.

Handa's surprise

The book of the moment for Reuben and Rosanna is 'Handa's Surprise' by Eileen Browne.

From the library I got the 'listen and join in' CD. We've had other CD's from this range and they suggest great activities and games based on the book. Reuben pretended to be the animals that appear in the book and enjoyed moving to the African rhythms.

The kids really loved acting out the story. The props they used were all things that were to hand around them. I love sponteanous play.

Rosanna put seven delicious fruits in a basket.

"She will be surprised", thought Imogen as she set off.

"I wonder which fruit she'll like best?"

"Banana? guava? orange? mango? pineapple? avocado? passion-fruit?"

Which fruit will Rosanna like best?

The naughty goat broke it's tether and really enjoyed butting the tree!!!

"Hello Rosebud, I've brought you a surprise"

"Tangerines" said Rosebud. "My favourite food"
"TANGERINES?" said Imogen. "That is a surprise!"

... and I was equally surprised when I found tangerines in the bathroom, under cushions, in the water tray. By the end I wasn't surprised, but visitors did get a surprise!

The Handa's Surprise theme continued with the playmobil and playdough.

and as usual Immy and Mima joined in too...

and we got a Lady Gaga meat inspired playdough dress!

Here is another post inspired by a favourite book.

Britain's Got Talent

On a Saturday in the middle of May, we went for an evening walk in a local wood. Quiet and deserted it was clear to see that Britain's got talent!

Boscobel, Brodsworth and King Charles II

Our holiday didn't end when we left the canal boat. We had a weekend in Wales planned and on the way we went to Boscobel house.

This is what English Heritage has to say about Boscobel house:
'Boscobel House was built in about 1632, when John Giffard of Whiteladies converted a timber-framed farmhouse into a hunting lodge. The Giffard family were Roman Catholics, at a time when the religion suffered persecution. Tradition holds that the true purpose of Boscobel was to serve as a secret place for the shelter of Catholics in times of need.

The house was, however, destined for greater fame. Following the execution of King Charles I in 1649, his eldest son made a brave though misguided attempt to regain the throne. In 1651 his hopes were crushed at Worcester in the final conflict of the Civil War. Young Charles was forced to flee for his life.

Initially the future King Charles II set out to cross the River Severn into Wales, but found his way blocked by Cromwell's patrols. He sought refuge instead at Boscobel, hiding first in a tree which is now known as The Royal Oak and then spending the night in a priest-hole in the house's attic. He then travelled on in disguise via other safe houses before escaping to France.

Boscobel later became a much visited place, although it remained a working farm. Visitors can also see the dairy, farmyard, smithy, gardens, and a descendant of The Royal Oak. White Ladies Priory, another of Charles's hiding places, is nearby.'

Rosanna hiding in the fireplace of a demolished part of the house.

Hiding in the priest hole

We went on a guided tour of the house. The story of King Charles II is amazing! They tell you what he ate, how long he slept in the various hiding places and other intriguing details!

The rather unhealthy looking (sadly it was recently struck by lightening) middle tree with the fence round it is a direct descendent of the Royal Oak. The actual tree got destroyed by early tourist, once the story emerged. Below is another descendant!


At the weekend we visited Brodsworth Hall, both my and Reuben's favourite English Heritage property.

But before we could start our visit we were entertained by crows defending their territory from a buzzard.

It is one of the crows in flight the buzzard (much bigger than it appears) is perched on a dead branch and seemed to almost topple off every time the crows made a flypast right at it.

Broddy Hall - as the locals call it.

There was a 'fairies and dragons' theme, with craft activities, dragon/fairy trail, story telling and dancing.

Jemima wanted to do some 'tree hugging' and counted her arm spans around the tree: four adult spans equals an ancient tree.

and Immy climbed the tree.

It started to rain so we headed to the house. Up in the education room we found out about the painting 'The Dolphin off Amsterdam'. The picture tells the story of the 1667 Raid on the Medway in the second Anglo-dutch war. King Charles II had his ship the Royal Charles captured by the Dutch. We gradually pieced together the history from Boscobel with the history from the painting.

Last year at Brodsworth Hall the girls took part in a time travellers day which was about the painting and the Raid on the Medway. The English heritage time travellers day are brilliant and I'm hoping we get to more of these events over the Summer.


Before we left we got big hugs from a dragon!