Month: Sep 2026

Whitby Revisited

We had guests over for the weekend from the south and thought it would be a good idea to take them to Whitby. Whitby Abbey is a great land mark. While we usually think of the iconic Whitby Abbey falling into ruin due to King Henry VIII or centuries of brutal North Sea weather, it actually survived a direct naval attack. On December 16, 1914, the German Navy launched a surprise raid on the Yorkshire coast. Whitby was hit by over a dozen shells in a matter of minutes. The coastguard station was targeted, and several shells struck the beautiful sandstone walls of the abbey itself.

Gillian had made a lovely picnic, and so my fish and chips plan was thwarted. When I last picnicked out in the wilds, a seagull had appeared from nowhere. This time I felt the edge of a graveyard would be safe, and the feathered beggars were nowhere to be seen. Of course once the food is laid out it’s kinda inevitable.

The small church has a sign that says: “Please don’t ask staff where Dracula’s grave is. There isn’t one!” 😂 After my post last year you’re all familiar with the fact that Dracula came ashore at Whitby disguised as a dog, so I won’t repeat myself, but he’s still here in the Dracula museum, after all these years.

Of course the Goths have made it their Jerusalem (might be a bit dramatic there, but I am supposed to be a writer😂) Walking through the streets this past Saturday, I couldn’t help but think about how this town transforms into a sea of spectacular outfits every Spring and Autumn for the Whitby Goth Weekend.

Whatever the weather, whatever your situation is, Whitby is always a great place to visit. Our guests loved it!

Happy Trails, Folks x

Where It All Began 25

Torquay was a beautiful town, but we arrived in 1993 with £25 to our name. I thought (foolishy) if I went to the Social Security I might get some help. But without an address it was unlikely, also I’d need one to get a job. So by the end of the day I’d sold the van for £300, bought a newspaper, picked the cheapest bedsit on offer, and I was in the office of Alfred Marks recruitment agency being interviewed for a job at the NHS Hospital laundry in Newton Abbott. The problem was it was shift work and I had no transport. The lady told me her daughter was selling her bicycle for £30, sorted. The day after, I was cycling an 18 mile round trip up and down seven hills to start work at 6am.

Early starts meant early finishes so I could be in the gym by 3pm and get a run in before teatime. The laundry was entertaining, no disrepect to the residents of Newton Abbot but it was a little ‘run down’ As an example: one day as we put sheets through the drier a chap said, “These don’t have a label, write the name of where it’s going on some paper. You’ll have to write it and take it to Raymond.” He was taking the laundry off at the other end. “You write it because I can’t write.” As I set off with said paper he shouted after me. “You’ll have to read it out, Raymond can’t read!” It was a hard winter cycling with plastic bags over my feet and hands and a binliner over my shoulders. Yup, hospital launderies didn’t pay much 😂 Sally landed a job as assistant manager at a hotel, Frognell Hall and by Spring of 1994 life was ok. I enrolled in a Karate class and took up a Combat Course on Sundays

The hospital laundry agency job came to an end and I was offered a job as breakfast waiter and barman at Frognell Hall by the owner Lynne. This suited me, as I got to run after breakfast and spend the rest of the day on the beach. We’d rented a cottage not far from the hotel and had no need for a vehicle. Torquay had small buses called Hoppers. They ran every 7 mins and it was £1 to go anywhere. But alas, all things must come to an end. After a falling out with the husband of the hotel owner. I guess not everyone can like you… that’s a clowns job. I decided to move on and there was good money to be made apple picking in Kent, but that didn’t start until September, I needed something for 6 weeks. I had been in contact with my sister, they had just moved to a new farm and there was a lot of work needed doing. So it was agreed in return for food and lodgings, Sally and I would travel up to Yorkshire and work on the farm. Time passed quickly and September soon arrived. It was time to head to Kent I had three addresses of farmers who employed apple pickers, an old Hillman Hunter Estate and a two man tent from Argos.

This looked like fun. But you never really know until you get there? Happy Trails, Folks x