Sunday 29 April 2012

A blustery day at Flamborough Head

I took far too many photo's as usual, I have managed to whittle it down to twentyfour. Yes, there were some correct guesses, clever peeps. I had a last minute ride out to Flamborough Head, on the east coast of Yorkshire. Now that the Humber Bridge tolls have been halved to £1.50 each way, I don't mind paying it quite so much. My sister and hubby are staying in their caravan up there, so I had a day with them. Saturday was rumoured to be the best day weatherwise so I thought I'd better grab the chance.

I arrived at the caravan park just in time to get the bus to Flamborough, a few miles away. My brother in law now has his bus pass, so my sister was the only one to have to pay the fare. She won't be getting her pass for a few years yet as she is four years younger than me, and the Government keep moving the goal posts.

It was very blustery when we got off the bus at North Landing, which is at the top of the bit jutting out to sea. We were well wrapped up against the elements, but even so it was still very wild and wet, and a bit chilly. There was a couple of short showers at first, but for most of the day, walking along the top of the cliff was like riding a fairground ride, with the wind whizzing past you at 90 miles an hour. It was a job to stand still enough to take any photo's. This is looking down into the bay at North Landing, first one side.....

then the other.

This is the slipway that goes down to the seashore.

We walked, or rather staggered along, past Breil Nook, Cradle Head, Stottle Bank, and Selwicks Bay. Some spectacular scenery.




Thousands of birds clinging to the side of the chalk cliffs. At one point the wind was whipping up the seaspray right over our heads and we got covered.

Aha, up ahead is the Lighthouse coming into view.


Photo opportunity, me and sis. I have my £1 charity shop bag with a pink strap and neon coloured hearts all over it.

After a welcome cup of coffee and a piece of apple pie, I decided to join a small group and have a short tour of the Lighthouse. £2.20 for pensioners. This is the way up.

This is what goes on in the glass dome at the top. Very difficult to get any good shots because you can't step back in the small space. The whole dome thing rotates, and the light from the bulbs beams out through the slatted glass. I'm not sure of the exact workings of it.


Some views of the surrounding area.




Now it's time to go down.


Then it was time to walk back along the cliff top to North Landing to get the bus. We had a bit of time to spare so while sis and BiL went to get a dring in the local hostelry, I took the opportunity to walk down the slipway to the seashore, for a few more pics.




It was good to get back to the caravan, which soon warmed up when the heating went on. They have all mod cons in this van, like a mini luxury flatlet. My sister produced a nice meaty meal for the two of them, I took my own mackeral fillets and spaghetti, and had it with some salad. Only a small glas of wine for me as I was driving back.

It was a lovely day out, even though it was wild and windy. Sometimes battling with the elements makes you more alive and blows the cobwebs off, ha ha.

22 comments:

  1. Some smashing pictures Ilona, the lighthouse looks wonderful. It's just as well you got togged up for the weather...

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  2. I have really enjoyed this! The light house tour must have been very interesting and I loved all your photos of the sea.

    Saturday was definitely the better day for it, hasn't it been rough today! Your bargain bag looks great, it's a nice splash of colour.

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  3. Spectacular scenery and spectacular weather. It would certainly have blown away the cobwebs.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  4. Great pics Ilona, I haven't been to Flamborough head. Have a bigggg bird phobia and I know they're part of Flamborough's fame.

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  5. I love Flamborough Head...and your lovely photos...my photo of the lighthouse looked more like the leaning tower of pisa ...haha.

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  6. great photos, I especially liked the one looking up the stairway.

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  7. You brought back some memories today Ilona. Many years ago I walked from Bridlington to Flamborough lighthouse then down to the village to catch the bus to Brid. It was a very hot day and I was unprepared. When I got to the village pub I sunk 2 pints of beer in record time, I dont think it touched the sides lol.
    Did you see any puffins ?

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  8. Lovely photos. There is something special about the coast on a day like today, mind you here it has not stopped raining and blowing a gale. It is clearer and calmer now and I think the rain is going up North! Good. Get thee gone, wind.

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  9. Brilliant photos Ilona, have been all along that coast, nearly moved there once, but haven't been to Flamborough - one day maybe :0)

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  10. Wonderful pictures! Some of the coastal scenery reminded me of places along the Devon coast.
    Aren`t lighthouses just fascinating. Sadly not many of the oldfashioned ones still exist. You certainly had a great day out!

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  11. My sister also has a caravan at Flamborough Head. We've visited on a few occasions, but live near Reading, so don't get up there too often. I know North Landing too - that whole area is so unspoilt and very bracing! I'm from your part of the country and you bring back lovely memories for me. Makes me feel sad sometimes that I left.

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  12. The views were spectacular. Looking down the staircase made me a bit queasy. I understand what you mean about the elements making you feel more alive, invigorated.

    Is their caravan there permanently or is this just a temporary stay for them. I am not really sure what a caravan is...lol. I think it might be a motorhome. Some people here travel around in them with a car hooked on the back so they can park the motorhome and drive around.

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  13. OH YOU'VE MADE MY DAY!!! You had to have walked right past the spot where our house used to be in the 1950's. It's all brambles now. It was the other side of the little bay at the lighthouse. Lighthouse on the right side of the bay. We were on the left. The footpath to North Landing was just the other side of the fence to our back yard. My bedroom was about 20 feet away from the footpath What a view -- and I know all about the weather! Very typical --90 mile winds. Bracing is the word. Some of the happiest days of my life were spent there. Your photos are excellent. We lived at the headland for 5 years and about 5 years in the village.
    Jane of the Maple Syrup Mob gave me the heads up on your blog. Now I have to let all my friends know especially my sister who is up in Toronto. To illustrate how obsessive I am about Flamborough, visit ABC Wednesday on Wednesday, I am planning to display my Picture Postcards of Flamborough - about 100 in all. I have bunch of small, white pebbles from the South Landing several paintings around the house, a sea shell (whelk) from North Landing, several books that are hard to find about the history, (a couple are more than 100 years old). Then there is my own book The Tale of Robin Lythe -- surely you did visit Robin Lythe's Hole (cave) -- if not, it's a must see. Tide has to be out.

    I'd better stop. Do visit my blog Flamblogger (what else?!!) at I'd love to know which caravan site you visited. There are a few more now.

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  14. As I thought, blogger won't let me put my blog site in the comments. It's flamblogger dot blogspot dot com.

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  15. I am ChrisJ's sister. You just can't imagine how great it is for us to see your photos of Flamborough Head. Our heads and hearts are full of wonderful memories of the years we lived there, and in the area. Your photos are really good. We got to visit there a few years ago, and I was back on the beach (Selwicks Bay)after 50 years - so wonderful!! Glad I was able able to get down there, and even more grateful to be able to get back up!Thanks for the memories!

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  16. Reading about these wonderful places in and around Yorkshire in your posts makes us rethink about our holiday destination next year. We thought about going to Dartmore, but.... . ;)

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  17. Wow, what an interesting photos. Love those chalk cliffs. Glad you got to actually walk up the lighthouse (which, might I add looks very well maintained). So many of them are closed to the public.

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  18. It looks like a great day, there's nothing like a walk along the cliffs on a windy day.

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  19. Gosh Ilona what spectacular cliffs!

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  20. Hi Ilona It looks lovely around there. We are bracing ourselves for floods. I live just out side Tewkesbury and the waters coming our way !!! Kind regards Jean

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  21. OOOO I love Flamborough Head we spent hours up there last Summer. Or as we call it Playas de Las Flamboros :)

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  22. ElaineInPhilly1 May 2012 at 19:04

    Hello, Ilona. "Reading you" is one of the first pleasures of each day. Elsewhere a few days ago you wrote about long words, so I'm adding my hearty support of WHAT and HOW you write by sharing this: "Winston Churchill said: "Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words when short are best of all." TTFN

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