And just like that the holidays are here! The summer break for our Scottish schools has begun and soon England's will too. I remember my childhood days and the great excitement as we approached the end of term. Sports day was my thing, I was a cracking sprinter at school. Anything beyond 800m though I was doomed. Maybe this is where I get my ability to run after livestock from!
I remember making dens, playing out all day and tennis. I loved tennis and if no one would play in our custom designed court between the 2 rows of garages, (we’d chalk the court out) then I played spot on the wall myself. For hours. I learned the hard way why you should never wear flip flops on a bike. We swam in the sea before it became popular with the rebrand of wild swimming.
Nelson drove dad’s bread van around all the rural farms and cottages. Sometimes we’d wave him down to get a treat or sometimes we’d all pile in for lifts home.
As I got older I spent every hour of daylight at the riding school. Mucking out, helping gather horses and eventually out on big adventures, riding from farm to farm, jumping the bales and picnicking along the way. Sometimes we'd follow the local jockeys along the beach as they trained the racehorses. We’d shorten our stirrups and gallop from Bamburgh Castle to Greenhill like we were in the Derby. My days were outdoors from first to last light. Then there was knocky 9 doors - but that’s no longer acceptable so I’ll stop now!
I think I was destined to live in the countryside, running around at high (ish) speed at random times chasing after wayward livestock. My trusty wheelbarrow and fork never far away, usually piled high with a gardeners best friend. We foraged wild summer berries. We never picked mushrooms just incase and knew where to watch the best birds nest.
Who’s made perfume before? I remember every summer picking petals from the roses, always watching the thorns didn’t spike you! We’d put them into jars filled with water and let them ‘develop’ which meant ferment until they stank. We’d pick wild flowers, press them in books, make posie’s or confetti. We were never bored; the long summer days spent outside adventuring.
Today life is very different. It’s not possible to have the freedoms in the same way that I had in my childhood. But getting the chance to kick back and relax, adventure around Beirhope, taking alpacas for a walk, climbing up to the top of the Hill Fort, cooking on a fire or gazing up at the most magical night sky is a welcome opportunity for our guests.
I’ve spent endless hours with visitors mesmerised by the wildlife and nature around us. We have barn owls and buzzards giving the most spectacular aerial displays. Skylarks singing, swallows swooping and diving. Dark skies, meteor showers and Auroras that you didn’t know existed. Magic moments we never take for granted that take your breath away. And if knocky 9 doors is your thing you’ll be disappointed, mainly because there just aren’t 9 doors to knock on!
We are here this summer offering big adventure, lots of fun and a little piece of magic; what’s your plans?