Further Learning in Lytham

Our second trip is a one-night stay in the Lytham area on the Fylde coast. The process is to be the same as last time, will Rosie drive to Denton to collect Paul on Friday evening.

Rosie is still not comfortable in reversing the van so it's Paul's job on Thursday evening to reverse the van off the drive. And, what a hash he makes of it! Rosie hollers stop as the van is an inch (2.5 centimetres in new measurement) from the stone wall. Ever the one from a practical solution, Rosie decides that the best solution is to take the wall down with a hammer and chisel, believing that it would be cheaper to rebuild the wall rather than have to mend the van. Even if practicable, it would have taken all night!

Instead we decide to squash a gym mat encased in a flattened cardboard box between the van and the wall. Ever so slowly, the van was inched clear and out of the drive. It took the best part of an hour to complete the exercise.

The journey on Friday was noticeable for a couple of incidents. We were cut up on the slip road on to the M6 by a car trailing a caravan which was later berthed next to us on the site. Secondly, roadworks caused a diversion but more of that tomorrow.

We hooked up to the electricity point but couldn't make the heater or the kettle work. Switches in the van were turned off and on until it dawned on Paul that there may be a problem at the site end. Sure enough, the fuse had flipped off, there.

We set off to look at the illuminations and eat fish and chips (I told you last time that it is compulsory). We found the nearest bus stop but there was no timetable. That wasn't a problem thanks to modern technology. Paul's phone connected to the local transport site and we quickly learnt that a bus was due in 7 minutes. 20 minutes later we were in the centre of Blackpool. A wander through the lights and a dinner of fish and chips later, we returned on the 21:30 bus. A good job that we did because the heavens opened shortly after we arrived back at the site.

Saturday morning and we're up early for Paul to compete in the Lytham parkrun. A short journey as advised by Google turned into a nightmare as road closures caused us to turn back on ourselves on several occasions. Ignoring the satnav, we followed signs to Lytham and met some runners who gave us instructions to follow. The parking-fairy was looking out for us as a perfect spot appeared opposite a park entrance. Paul made the start with two minutes to spare.

Breakfast was taken in the Hall café. We got talking to a family at the next table and they suggested parking at Fairhaven Lake for our walk around the town.

It was overcast as we set off but the sun came out later so much so that we had to wear sunglasses as we enjoyed coffee and cake in one of the many cafes in the town.

The journey home was incident free, thankfully.