Blackpool or Bust
For our first overnight trip, we needed a location far enough from home to prevent us returning at the first problem whilst being near enough to travel after work on a Friday evening. We looked at Bridlington on the east coast but the sites were fully booked.
We settled on Poulton-le-Fylde, 3 miles east of Blackpool.
An uneventful journey, including the successful negotiation of a 10 foot bridge, saw us arrive at Puddle Cottage, a Certified Location of both Motorhome Clubs, about 6pm. We hooked up to the electricity but then filled up with water. A definite learning point, we ended up draining most of it off on the Sunday morning.
The village was about a mile away so we decided to stretch our legs. A great decision as it turned out, we stumbled across a good looking restaurant, part of the Miller and Carter chain (not Harvester as the picture below shows). We thoroughly enjoyed a fish based dinner and shared a delicious bottle of sauvignon blanc.
Paul is a runner and enjoys taking part in Saturday morning parkruns. The nearest one to Poulton is held in Stanley Park, Blackpool. This week saw a bridal party, complete with wedding outfits, taking part en masse. The actual wedding is scheduled for a month's time.
Breakfast was taken after the run in the Art Deco Café, reasonably priced and very tasty (we settled for the small English which was certainly big enough for us).
From there we headed to Hurst Green, a small valley in the Ribble Valley, which is linked to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College. We followed a 10 kilometre walk from the AA. A little muddy in parts, it was basically flat and followed the River Ribble. The mud on our boots was removed from a tap outside the Shireburn Arms. A little cheeky really because we decided to go to another pub up the road for a drink, the Bayley Arms. The cider went down a treat!
Saturday evening saw us eat our first meal in the van. A paella cooked in the microwave washed down with the obligatory bottle of wine.
Sunday morning was clear and bright as we unlooked the van and stored away the various wires and pipes. We decided to visit Poulton on the way to Blackpool. A reasonably sized village with a number of eateries and pubs. Only a short bus journey away from the site, it would be a good idea to travel there for a meal if we ever decided to return to the area.
A little shopping at Booths to indulge Rosie's craving then on to Stanley Park.
The sun shone as we walked along the promenade before eating fish and chips (which, of course, is mandatory when visiting Blackpool).
We'd left Paul's car at work in Denton so had to call there on the way back. The gate across the entrance wouldn't open from the outside. Rosie, because hers are the longer legs, was voted to climb over the fence. The plastic step from the motorhome certainly came in handy, here!
Both home safely, with the van parked on the drive and emptied by 8:30pm.