We’d booked this trip away with the poo pickers some months ago thinking it’d be the last time we saw them for a few months as we’d be starting our full time vanlife trip to explore mainland Europe in October, well as you know by now that didn’t work out as planned, but we’d booked and paid for the campsite.
Join us as we explore the north Yorkshire coast, nearly lose my drone and try out body boarding for the first time.
This weekend away has been in our calendars for AGES!! It’s taken since May to be able to get a weekend where we’re all available and not at other (wonderful) meet ups.
As usual we ended up over excited to go away so decided to leave straight from work on the Thursday, I had a good look through the Park for Night app to see if there were any pubs we could stop at but as we’d left late they would have all stopped for food before we could get there so we decided that it wasn’t much out of the way to go to Helmsley and stay in their Campervan overnight car park right by the Castle (with picnic benches and big grassy areas and toilets too – pretty much a 5 min walk into the village) So we grabbed a quick Burger King at some services and headed to Helmsley. It was already quite busy when we pulled in, about 10 others parked up but still nice and quiet. It felt cozy and safe and lovely there. We slept quite well as it was lovely and quiet, walked Cooper then set off – we noticed on the way out that there were public loos outside the main car park too – I’m definitely convincing John to come back another time, especially as we drove past a Farmers market setting up too!
We had arranged to meet up with Dave, Jo and Louie at a lovely little riverside cafe at Chainbridge Riverside Retreats so we could grab some lunch before finishing the journey to the coast and checking in at the campsite. The food at the Cafe was mainly sammiches and quiche but they were scrummy sammiches..! The cafe was licensed but (don’t fall over in shock now..!) We had a lovely pot of Yorkshire tea each and enjoyed watching the punters on the river.
We set off from there and Dave said it would be a good idea to stop off at Runswick Bay on the way because of the MASSIVE HILL you have to walk to get there – Coop is still on limited walks after the Boondockers Weekend so he though driving there would be best for him and after seeing the hill and walking down the last park of it from the car park I think Dave was right! What a gorgeous little village though.. We let the dogs off for a run on the beach by the lifeboat station with Coop straight in the water (because he’s a giant narna and thinks we love the smell of wet dog in the van – he can do what he wants though being the boss and all..) then had a lovely walk around the houses and lanes – it’s just like cornwall without the 6 hour drive! It was so lovely and quaint and perfect! We stayed about half an hour then headed back to the Vans to go and check in at the campsite having a little local guided tour by radio from the poo pickers in front.
It didn’t take long to get to the village of Hinderwell and our little site – Serenity Camping. A lovely couple checked us in and walked us to our pitches. There were lots of water points, lovely clean bathrooms, a kitchen with fridges, kettle, microwave and a washer and dryer, lots of bins and decent service point for the loo too. It was such a shame it was so windy though.. It was blowing up the carpet in the Vans it was that bad – everything was pinned down (because you have to have the doors open don’t you know..!) and we pops hats on and chilled outside the vans for a bit having decided it was too windy to eat out on the grass so we’d go into Hinderwell to see what was there. We popped in to the Badger Hounds for a drink but it was a bit busy in there so once it had hit 7 we headed to the Runcible Spoon which looked like a little shack at the side of the road – how looks can be deceiving though! It was made up of a bar in the middle with bench seats and big cushions and mismatched chairs and pallet shelves – it was brilliant and apparently the best pizza..! I had a black pudding and blue cheese stack and some chips and Jo and I shared a very very nice bottle of Malbec.. It wasn’t a late night by any stretch but we’d had a fab time being some of the last in there by the time we headed back. We’d decided to walk along the cliffs into Staithes tomorrow so off to bed we went.
Lovely lie in on the Saturday which was needed after a mental week at work (can’t wait for that to change..!) our morning can routine consists of me trying to get John out of bed so I can put my coffee on and not be sat in the dark at the front of the van.. haha.. he loves his van sleeps which is especially annoying when I can’t get him to lie in when we are at home.. we all decided we would leave about 10ish to have a nice wonder down as there is a lovely craft shop to visit and other sights to see.. we visited the well at St Hilda’s church then set off on the coastal path into Staithes.. at the very first field we came to, after a historical tidbit from Dave regarding iron ore mining, John decided that it was a good spot for the drone, tested the wind and decided it was borderline ok.. Dave wasn’t to be outdone either so Jo and I were left standing to the side while they checked out the cliffs from the air (now I’d love to come across as a lovely understanding wife who didn’t mind waiting but being married to a Gadget loving you tuber is freaking boring at times..!! Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the footage he gets and the end results in the vids but yaaaaaawwwnnnn..! Crazy boring..! Haha) so we are stood waiting in the wind, occasionally waving at passing drones when John turns to face me and says “bluffletwafflehecking down” and strides purposefully away. Jo, Dave and I look at each other a bit and after about 10 mins I check on Life360 (husband stalking app for this very reason..!!) and find he’s about 300 yards away on the side of a cliff..! We pack up and head over to where he is and as we near John phones to tell me the drone went down (I got the last word right then.!) so Dave being his lovely self goes down into the bracken and grass to help John look while Jo and I waited with the dogs.. just as John was half way back up the other side and finally getting a lock on the drones gps, Dave finds it.. haha (he was gutted..!) poor Dave and Johns legs were scratched to heck so after a little breather we decided we needed some beer so continued our way into Staithes..
it’s such a lovely walk over the cliffs and through farms to get there, so much nicer than walking along the roads – this is why we follow the poo pickers everywhere though, they are ace at planning trips like this..! We headed down a quaint but steep path to the craft centre which was just gorgeous – full of the usual hand made tissue pockets, scarves, jewellery, paintings and prints, toys made from recycled fabric and so much more – I picked up lots of ideas from them although there was a lot that I’d made already.. gorgeous place though.
From there we continued past the narrowest street I’ve seen and into the harbour and the Cod and Lobster, just in time to grab a nice table with a harbour view. Beers were promptly ordered and after a quick perusal of the menu so was gammon, fish/scampi and chips and sausages for the dogs..The Cod and Lobster is a fab little pub and very popular too with good reason as the food was spot on..!
Feeling better with full bellies we decided to take a walk through Staithes proper then take the woodland walk back to the site. As we were looking in all the shops we noticed a lovely little place called Dotty’s Vintage Teashop with mismatched chairs and mismatched china cups saucers and teapots with homemade cakes stacked along the counter and just had to stop for a brew and a slice.. this is another must visit if you go to Staithes as everything was perfect including the staff who were wonderful. We left and stopped at the deli and chocolate shop then made our way up another steep hill and over to the path that would lead us through the woods. Without Dave and Jo we’d have walked right past it..! It was a lovely, rather hilly ramble back to the site, Coop was on good form after his morning massages and pub sausages so we made good time. We arrived at the site through the lower end and decided that brews and naps were in order as we were all pooped..! The wind was still blowing a hooley so we decided to go back to the Runcible Spoon again for tea..
I do love my van naps, I don’t think I actually sleep but getting the chance to just chill on the bed with my book and a snoring dog (and husband this time..!) is a real treat. So after a lovely couple of hours we were up, washed and changed and off to the cafe again.
I was so jealous of everyone else’s pizzas on the Friday that I decided I was having one tonight..! I swapped goats cheese for the stinkiest Stilton I’ve had in ages and we ordered 4 of the last 5 pizza bases (whoop..!) and only a glass of Malbec for me this time as my head can’t take it.. haha..
After another lovely meal and brilliant company we all headed back for another earlyish night.. so we caught up on a few you tube videos and had a hot chocolate – we don’t half know how to party you know..!
Up nice and early on the Sunday as Dangerous Dave was taking us Surfing..!! This was in exchange for him riding the Segway we brought on the Friday.. haha.. turns out although it’s been quite windy all weekend that the waves were about 2 foot..! So swapping the idea of surfboards for body boards we headed to Sandsend where we could hire some gear.. we had to park right up near the top of the hill so it was a bit of a trek down and back up again to get the wetsuits on – 2 body boards and 2 wet suit hire for an hour was £21 which was a right bargain..! We SQUUOOOOOOSSEEE ourselves in and took ourselves off to find some surf.. well, tiny waves it was but that was enough for me, I don’t “do” the sea.. I don’t like swimming in places where things can eat me but times are a changing..! I will no longer be scared of the sea and strangely being in a wetsuit helped..! I’m also working on the sea sickness but that’s a bit harder.. haha..
A fab introduction to body boarding was given by Dave.. we all had an action cam in one hand and a body board strapped to the other and had a right laugh for the next half hour/forty five mins or so.. John wiped out a couple of times and I got way over excited over about 4 foot of travel on a tiny wave but it was awesome..! Think we’ll be getting some for in the van for sure..
While John was getting dressed Jo helped me cart the kit down to the hire shop before we were late and as were loaded up with boards and wetsuits the heavens opened and we were pelted with hail and soaked to the skin..! We couldn’t stop screaming and laughing, it was typical and blimmin hilarious..!
As we needed to change clothes again, our plans to park up and make cheese toasties turned into a pub lunch – a very very nice pub lunch with fizz to celebrate the end of a brilliant weekend..!
I know this isn’t a “visit the Yorkshire coast” blog but it should be..! We love Cornwall for its tiny villages and harbours and beautiful houses and will still go there if we get more than a week to do so, but if you’re hankering after a piece of idyllic Cornwall without the 6 hour drive (from Manchester) then here is where you need to head..! We’ll be back with family and a tent in tow very soon I think..
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