One of the things we have always wanted to do is to travel from Arnside on the train across the viaduct. For various reasons it has never worked out in the past (bad weather, lack of time, the viaduct being closed for repairs), but we were determined this holiday that we would do it.
Luckily for us, we awoke to a lovely summers morning on Tuesday, and after another great breakfast we checked out of the hostel and went to catch the 9.19 train. The journey is short (only six minutes) but spectacular. We all sat with our noses pressed against the window, drinking in the changing view as our train rather miraculously felt like it was flying across the water.
The huge expanse of sand gradually became grassed over, and to our surprise there were sheep grazing! It was such an unexpected sight, one minute beach and sand and literally the very next minute grassy pasture.
The train was heading all the way to Barrow-in-Furness, but we were getting off after our exciting six minute journey at Grange-over-Sands. Like many small stations in the North of England (my own town included), the little station at Grange is very quaint and pretty I think.
I especially loved the view out of the station windows and couldn't wait to get out and be amongst it.
We have been to Grange-over-Sands before, a few years ago when we brought Connievan here, do you remember? So we knew how lovely this promenade is, and also how perfectly suited to wheels it is. All three Little People had brought their scooters on the train and as soon as we were out of the station, they were off......
....zooming down the prom at energetic speed.
It was as lovely as I had remembered it in my mind. The planting all along the right hand side is so beautifully done....
....and there were some surprises to be found too, carved out of the old tree stumps.
After about twenty minutes of promenading, we came to the first of the "recreational facilities". The scooters were abandoned and climbing and sliding commenced. I know I've said it before (many times I suspect) but I just absolutely love to watch my Little People play in this sort of environment. I love that Little Man (almost 11 years old now) can still throw himself back into the simple childhood business of imaginative physical play with his little sister and brother.
When the playground games came to a convenient pause, we ushered the LP out and along a little bit further, to the next Recreational Facility. Which conveniently happened to be a very delightful café. I wish now that I had taken some photos of the café itself, it was run by two very charismatic ladies and was very cute and homely with plenty of outdoor tables and chairs. It was an absolute pleasure to sit outside on this hot summer's morning and watch the fluffy clouds whilst sipping a mug of fresh coffee and eating the most divine hunk of homemade lemon cake.
The Little People all had ice creams and went off to explore the third Recreational Facility which was just next door to the café :: the Outdoor Gymnasium. Oh my, such fun! I never thought I'd actually say that huffing and puffing away on a cross trainer would be classified as fun, but it seriously was! I probably looked a complete eejit doing it, but I did enjoy myself and the view was amazing. And I was (of course) doing it purely for Little Lady's benefit as she had begged me to join her (two people face each other on it and she wouldn't do it on her own).
The third and final Recreation Facility was especially good for our Little Man :: a skate park full of sweeping ramps, jumps and all manner of heart-lurching things to do with a set of wheels. He is very, very good on his scooter and took it all in his stride, zooming and jumping and quite honestly making me want to puke up my lemon cake with nerves. I found I couldn't actually watch him in the end, so I took Little B on his sweet little three-wheeled Lightening McQueen scooter and went off to do some slow scootering on a level that I could cope with. There was a super sweet moment when he went chasing after a sugar stealer, caught it in his grubby little hands, scrunched up his eyes (and his whole sweet face) and wished very, very hard. He immediately told me his wish, which was "for a Spiderman Bike of mine very own, with pedals and brakes that really work". I guess that the rusty old second hand balance bike that we inherited from my neighbour (with no pedals and a broken brake) just isn't cutting the mustard any more. A new set of wheels is required for our growing Little One.
The stroll/scoot back along the promenade gave us a second go on the outdoor gym (I tried the leg press this time!) and the playground, before we finally arrived back at the train station. It had been a lovely, lovely morning, a very simple outing really, but something good in it for everyone.
I wished the train journey was longer (I do love train journeys with gorgeous views attached)....
....but all too soon we were trundling over the viaduct and back into Arnside.
It was lunch time when we arrived, and on the the way back from the station we found ourselves completely seduced by the smell of fish and chips being served in a nearby café. We were powerless to resist, but instead of eating them inside the café we had them wrapped up in paper and we took them out to picnic on the grass with a splendid view to accompany them.
It's an age since I had fish and chips (with loads of salt and vinegar) eaten out of paper in the open air, and they tasted absolutely, completely divine.
After that rather naughty lunch, we rounded it off with another naughty paper bag on the pier (treacle tart this time). I just couldn't get enough of the fresh salty air and the wide sweeping views. I really love Arnside and hope it won't be too long before we return. I can imagine wrapping up in warm woolly layers and taking brisk walks in the chill autumn air, then cosying up in the café for mugs of hot chocolate......
....but back to the heat of a summer's afternoon, and one last adventure before heading home :o)
After lunch, I suggested a little trip to the nearby town of Silverdale further round the coast. We have been there briefly once before to visit the Wolfhouse Gallery, but this time I wanted to see if we could get to the coast at Silverdale, which is known to be pretty spectacular. We parked the car near the gallery, then on foot we started walking down this small, quiet, leafy lane, following the signs marked "Jenny Browns Point".
We walked past some really beautiful houses and farms down this lane, with enticing views of the estuary appearing every now and then. About half way down the lane, we came to a green painted wrought iron gate leading into a meadow. It was signposted with a National Trust sign marked "Jack Scout" and it seemed like a good idea to go explore.
We walked down a rough track through the grassy meadow dotted with gorse bushes, until suddenly, we saw this..............
.....oh! It's the coast!
Just look at all that sand! And all that sky! I honestly just stood and gawped with my mouth open at the sheer beauty of it all. The light was very bright and intense, and I loved the way that the cloud shadows constantly moved across the sands.
The Little People did not stand still for an instant and immediately began the gentle scramble down the rocky path to the shore.
It was a wonderful place to explore, and deserted as you can see. During the afternoon there, we saw a couple of other people walking along the shore, but mostly we had the whole place to ourselves.
The Little People loved scrambling around on these rocks, climbing up to explore the small cave, and (much to my delight) heading straight into beachcomber mode.
They began to present me with an array of pebbles, sea glass, feathers and bits of dead crab, the latter of which I had mixed feelings about to be honest.
When you are pootling around this part of the coast, you do have to be very mindful of the tides and very aware of what stage they are at as the sea does move at quite an alarming rate. It was just after 3pm when we arrived at this little beach and the tide was right out with miles and miles of exposed sands.
But we knew the incoming tide would be imminent. So after we had finished exploring the rocky shore, we retreated back to a point of safety to make a little camp and eat a punnet of fresh strawberries and some chocolate that I had brought with us.
The boys set up a target practice game (something they always do at the beach), and I did what I always do and lay down to gaze at the clouds.
Little Lady and Little B continued to play on the sand. They marked out a line with stones to use as a marker for the rising tide.....
.....and sure enough, about an hour after we had arrived, it was like a tap had been switched on. The sea literally comes rushing in as if from nowhere, swirling and pooling it's way across the beach, eating up the sand at a staggering rate. It is quite something to watch.
You can see how far back we chose to sit and make camp, we weren't taking any chances!
Within twenty minutes, most of the open sand had been covered by water, and all of a sudden it seemed like the right time to say goodbye to the coast and head back.
It was a really magical day, the sort that lodges itself deep in the memory banks.
Such a wonderful, relaxing, happy summer holiday.....we were only away for 2 nights and days, yet it felt as if we had been away for much longer. I came back feeling more energised and refreshed than I have felt in ages, and ready for some concentrated stay-at-home time now. Bring it on.
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When we travel to distant places we learn so many new things from different cultures and also there is so much variety in food too.
Posted by: John | July 14, 2018 at 06:40 PM
Olá, adorei o seu blog, ao ler alguns posts, vi que você é uma pessoa esforçada que só quer falar e ser ouvida na blogosfera, assim como eu. Posso dizer que gostei muito do que li, vc tem um potencial enorme e sei que será um grande blog de fácil entendimento e conteúdo gostoso de ler. Sou Luciana Shirley do blog http://coisasecoisasdalu.blogspot.com.br/ se desejar me visite e siga, mas só se gostar, eu vou retribuir seguindo também o seu.
Posted by: Luciana Shirley | August 24, 2013 at 05:28 PM
Fabulous post, fabulous blog. I've just started my own blog and thankyou for the inspiration :)
Posted by: JillD | August 13, 2013 at 12:35 AM
Amazing at what just a few good days can do for our hearts and heads! Beautiful photos, as always. Thank you for bringing us along on your little journey. :)
Posted by: Paula@weewhimsicals | August 12, 2013 at 06:51 PM
What a glorious day out. Thanks for blogging with so many pictures.
BTW - we call Sugar Stealers 'Fairies', but have the same wish-making.
Posted by: Bronchitikat | August 12, 2013 at 09:47 AM
Wow!! That picture of you stumbling onto the coast took my breath away!
Thank you,thank you, thank you for sharing your holiday as it always makes me feel like I've had one too. We live near a bay and the colours and movement constantly feed my soul -just like you do lovely Lucy:)
I'm happy you're rested and ready to go,go,go!
Stela -Melbourne, Australia xxx
Posted by: Stela Matthews | August 12, 2013 at 04:22 AM
Fantastic photos. We do have some beautiful beaches in the North & isn't it fantastic to have the weather to go with them.
Fish & chips out of the paper. There isn't a better taste in the world. Thanks for sharing your holiday.
Posted by: winifred | August 12, 2013 at 12:36 AM
What an amazing holiday... reading your holiday posts makes me deserately want to visit these places myself. You capture the atmosphere of the places with your gorgeous pictures. Thank you for my virtual holiday!
Posted by: Jen | August 11, 2013 at 01:35 PM
That was completely delightful! Thank you for taking us along with you. I feel refreshed as well. :) I have to say that I know what you mean about not being able to watch one of your children participate in something fun for them, but concerning to you. I do the same thing - avert my eyes! Blessings from Alaska, Jackie
Posted by: Jackie from Alaska | August 10, 2013 at 10:44 PM
Just had to thank you Lucy so much for sharing you special family trip away with all of us - have just come home from hospital after a major op and need to rest up for weeks! So went to your blog for a catch up and feel like I've had a lovely trip out with you all from my sofa! Just wonderful - thank you so much, just what I needed. Always enjoy your blogging and all your enthusiasm, just wonderful. Thanks :) x
Posted by: Jules Francis | August 10, 2013 at 06:04 PM
Really enjoyed your photos of Arnside. We visited it about 4 years ago and took the train from there round the coast to Whitehaven. Did you know that the sea used to come all the way up to the promenade in Grange over Sands? I was shocked to see how far it had retreated since I visited it last, probably about 25 years before, its not quite the same with the grass next to it.
Love reading your blog, and am making some bunting, hope you haven't got too much!
Posted by: Caroline | August 10, 2013 at 04:38 PM
I can't get over the sky in your beach photos. I do love a big sky! It all sounds wonderful, especially the fish and chips al fresco. Thanks for sharing your holiday with us. xx
Posted by: Gillian | August 09, 2013 at 10:28 PM
Such beautifull pictures, thank you :)
Posted by: Marisa Reis | August 09, 2013 at 08:31 PM
found your blog a week or two ago and I love it! I live in New York and just love seeing your photos of the beautiful countryside and love all your brightly colored crocheted pieces.
Posted by: Susan | August 09, 2013 at 07:56 PM
Having read this feel as if I've been on holiday too. What a lovely country we live in. Many thanks.
Posted by: Marion | August 09, 2013 at 06:31 PM
Isn't Jenny Brown Point lovely? I've been on the bike - and have you visited Gibralter too? Thats quite close.
I've gone over Jack Scout and in fact coming down on the way towards the walk back to the car, when I was staying with an aunt, I slid all the way down a muddy bank with my leg under me, leaving me with a problem with sciatica.
It's one of my most favourite parts of the country, that's not too far from home for me.
Posted by: Anne Marie | August 09, 2013 at 06:31 PM
Hi Lucy... my husband and I took the train to Arnside the other day and my hubs really enjoyed himself! He loved the scones in one of the shops... they were huuugggge! Thanks for the inspiration and I think we will visit again.
On another note, I sent a long email regarding your RSI finger/wrist and haven't heard back from you regarding whether you got the email. I sent it twice in case the first ended up in spam. Hopefully there was something of use in there. Enjoy the rest of the hols x
Posted by: MemeRose | August 09, 2013 at 09:45 AM
Hi Lucy, just catching up with your adventures having been on our own! Gosh the place looks spectacular! What a beautiful part of the world. We always squeeze in a NT visit wherever we go, they are always so interesting! I'd love to try hosteling too, although I do love the tent.....sadly this year it is only going up in the garden, although we do have several sleepovers planned! :) x
Posted by: Ada Bea | August 09, 2013 at 08:58 AM
What an AMAZING trip!
I'm very envious, that looks like the perfect holiday to me. I've never been to a beach that had sea glass, I'd love to find some of that, it's so gorgeous!
Have a great upcoming weekend!
Much love,
Tammy
Posted by: Tammy Chrzan | August 08, 2013 at 05:53 PM
What an idyllic place you found for your magical holiday.
Thank you for taking us with you.
Carol xx
Posted by: Carol | August 08, 2013 at 03:16 PM
What a great holiday...short but sweet as they say. Luv the photos and thx for sharing. I am in such need of a holiday right now and even 2 nights would do the trick...but for now I will have to re-read your holiday posts and dream of visiting the UK. Hugs, MO
http://moisbloggingit.blogspot.ca/
Posted by: Marylin | August 08, 2013 at 06:05 AM
What a lovely location!!! Beautiful little towns and a beautiful beach and scenery too! I'm happy you were able to be re-energized by it. I'm sure I would be too :). Thanks for taking us for a ride.
Posted by: Taylor | August 07, 2013 at 07:22 PM
Hi Lucy!
I loved both your posts about Arndale, looks like a magical place!
I follow your blog and always enjoy it immensely, even if I don't always comment.
Thank you for sharing your life with us! :o)
Gigi
Posted by: Gigi | August 07, 2013 at 04:32 PM
Thank you for sharing your Arndale trip with us. I have no knowledge of this area of my country at all (shame on me) but can appreciate what you are saying about those short trips away....they seem somehow more relaxing and enjoying than the longer trips. We have some of those big sky's and beaches that go on forever here in Norfolk and I try really hard to fit at least one trip to each of my favourite's each Summer and if not I long for the good weather to go on until at least November so that I can.
Posted by: Rae | August 07, 2013 at 03:49 PM
What a beautiful trip........Thanks for taking me along.
Posted by: Claudia | August 07, 2013 at 02:53 PM