Tales From Connievan :: Golden Hill Farm

Last Monday we packed up some clothes and a whole lot of outdoor clobber, hitched up our beloved caravan and drove North East for just under two hours.

It was an uneventful journey (if you overlook the puking-into-a-cake-tin episode), taking us up over the beautiful moorlands of North Yorkshire....

....to the rural village of Liverton. We had come to spend five days at Golden Hill Farm, a lovely little family run campsite that had already established itself firmly in our hearts and memories. Those of you who remember back to the beginning of our Connievan Tales may well remember our first holiday spent here in 2010.

It has changed owners since we were last here five years ago and new life has been breathed into the place. But the camp site still retains it's peaceful, rural charm and the friendly owners made us feel very welcome.

I was absolutely entranced by these beautiful gypsy caravans which are kept on site and available to rent. In fact I was lucky enough to be shown inside the small one at the front there which is actually for sale at the moment. If you fancy a nosey you can find it on eBay where there are some stunning pictures of it's painted interior, go take a peek {here}>> isn't it fabulous?

Not quite so picture-book-perfect but with just as much retro charm, our Connievan is still going good and is very much loved and adored (mainly by me, but the rest of the family have a soft spot for her I know). She's almost 30 years old, and this is our sixth summer holidaying with her.

It was sooooo nice to jolly out and about again with her, to enjoy some relaxed days with lots of time spent outdoors.

I spent quite a bit of leisure and pleasure time engaged with hook and yarn last week. Sometimes I would be outside wrapped in blankets (it was cold and windy much of the time, even when the sun was shining)...

...and sometimes I would be snuggled up indoors. Connievan is incredibly cosy, with that particular enveloping warmth that caravans generate after a day sat in the sun. I forgot to pick up my Granny Stripe blanket from the studio before we left so I pressed my Granny Patchwork blanket into work as Colourful Throw To Hide Retro Beige Soft Furnishings.

I absolutely love the combination of caravan + crochet, the two are completely meant to go together in my honest opinion. In case you were wondering, the blanket on the left there is my Sweet Flower Granny blanket, made especially for Connievan. It was a bit of a mare to make (oh those fiddlesome flowers, I can still remember the faff of them!), so please don't ask me for the pattern as there isn't one and I can't face ever doing those squares again. I do love the blanket though, it's a bit quirky with some rather suspect colour combos going on, but yes, it is rather cute.

I sometimes feel a bit bashful about sharing pictures of my (our) bed with the world at large, beds are quite private places after all. But I love love love my caravan bed very much (it's so pretty!) and even during the cold, wet, windy nights we had last week we were all very cosy and slept remarkably well. Our secret with the Little Peeps is to completely run them ragged during daylight hours. Encourage as much outdoor play as possible from the minute they wake up, then plan some fairly lengthy coastal walks to occupy the days. Then it's pretty much guaranteed that by 10pm we will all be simultaneously in the Land of Nod within minutes of heads hitting pillows.

The weather last week was mixed, and we did have to weather some rain some of the time. I had secretly worried about the dynamics of having five of us cooped up in a 14ftx7ft metal box for hours at a time, but funnily enough these times proved to be the most fun and most memorable. There were card games (this one in action is called "Go Fish", which even Little B managed to play), and there was electronic gaming too (this kept all three of mine engrossed all week)

We weren't able to eat many meals outside as it was just too cold and windy, but J and I managed a few al fresco breakfasts in the early morning sunshine. We self catered all our own meals last week, eating breakfast and a simple evening meal in the caravan (pasta featured heavily on our 'van menu, so versatile! So easy!), and taking a picnic lunch out with us each day. It was great actually and very economical, allowing us to indulge in a guilt free daily café/pub treat supplemented by ice creams/naughty sweet things from the bakers. Still can't believe how good that iced finger was, I almost inhaled it with sheer delight.

Saltburn-by-the-Sea was the nearest coastal place to the camp site, it's a quaint and old fashioned little seaside town which I don't suppose has changed all that much over the past hundred years. We took a chilly stroll through the Valley Gardens, emerging high up above sea level where the town is located.

We made a visit to the local bakers to purchase the aforementioned sweet treats, before settling ourselves down on the chilly, windy cliff to eat our picnic lunch. It was bracing, and that's putting it mildly. But still, I love to eat outdoors and the view was pretty lovely. Afterwards we paid the small fee and took a ride down in the rather fabulous "water balanced Cliff Lift"....

....it's such a short ride (less than a minute), but weirdly exciting to be a passenger in something that has such history behind it.

Oh look, yarny stuff!!!! We took a promenade along the old Victorian pier and I went a little bit crazy with excitement when I came across this wonderful yarn bombing.

It turns out that this is something of an annual occurrence, with a new theme being chosen each year. The Yarn Bombers of Saltburn remain anonymous, installing their creations under cover of darkness in true yarn bomber guerrilla style.

This year, the theme celebrated 150 years since the publication of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland".

Every piece was beautifully knitted and we were lucky to see it only a few days after it had been installed so it was all in fine fettle. Very inspiring and heart warming.

I had to include this photo of my (very, very, very good) latté that I enjoyed in a small café on the seafront. It was mid afternoon and we were all very cold, so it was declared that hot chocolate/coffee was in order. I was just about to take my first sip when J stopped me and asked me very matter of factly whether I should be taking a photograph of it before drinking it - made me laugh out loud! He sure is used to my weird blogging ways after seven years :)

Last week was full to the brim of many of my most favourite holidayish things. Caravan time, crochet time, family time, al fresco eating, cafés and pubs, coastal walking and lots and lots of seaside stuff.

Every day we went out and about along the coast of Yorkshire, revisiting much loved favourite places and discovering some delightful new ones. I was in an almost permanent state of bliss, drinking in the coastal views and breathing in the salty sea air.

This is Runswick Bay, a new discovery for us and a really delightful little place indeed. As with many of the coastal villages along this coast, you arrive and park the car quite a way above sea level, then make the final steep descent on foot.

We walked along the shoreline then sat for a while on the sand while the Little People did beachy things (digging and building in the sand mainly, plus skimming stones for Little Man). It was peaceful and er - rather cold actually. I wish it had been sunny and warm, I wish I could have laid down a blanket and lazed about all afternoon with the sounds of the sea filling my ears. But still, we enjoyed our brief time there and I know we will come back to this lovely little place one day.

One of the really great things we did last week was to walk some of the Cleveland Way coastal path. I absolutely love coastal walking with a passion and it was wonderful to plan some circular walks that we knew the Little People would manage fairly easily. At five years old, Little B is a strong, energetic child and he loved the walks that we did.  The views took my breath away, all that glorious blue, and those sweeping coastal landscapes.....wonderful stuff for the likes of me.

I'll take you walking tomorrow, see you then..........

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Comments

[Nicola Price]

Who knew? Just catching up with the blog and my daughter pointed to Connievan with the words 'That's E's van! I was playing with her at Goldenhill!' It's firm favourite for us for camping, and somewhere we go regularly. To think I was on holiday next to a favourite blogger and I just didn't realise! Glad you enjoyed it, we love it there.

[Rachell]

Gosh B is 5 years old already?! Where does time go?!

[Gillian]

Lucy, you have made me feel so homesick! My home-town is on that stretch of north-east coast. I know you also visited there a while ago and I so enjoyed your delightful pictures and commentary. I now live in an equally beautiful part of the country, conveniently perched between the South Downs National Park and Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset coasts but it's over 300 miles away from my beloved Scarborough!

Thank you for sharing! xx

[Linda M]

Ah Lucy, you photographed my favourite places so beautifully, so many happy memories of family holidays and trips to Whitby and Saltburn, I must admit, I miss those places so much living here is Aussie. Thank you for your lovely photographs bring wonderful memories.
PS love the fish and chips in Whitby!!!

[sue]

Lovely descriptions--I want one of those iced fingers me-self! I truly hope one day you'll go holidaying up Northumberland. It's where my dad's family (Goodwin) is from, around LIttleHarle and KirkHarle where GGGrandpa was a gardener. I've never been, and with my 66 yrs, chances are getting slimmer that I will. I hope you can take some pictures and describe those sights for me. It'd be delicious!

Hook on, sistah!

[Sandra Campbell]

Beautiful photos and love your adventures....the little Gypsy wagon is simply adorable!!

[Anne]

We were in Saltburn the weekend before you arrived and on the self same lift, pier and possibly cafe too! It's a regular haunt for us when we visit family in the North East! The pier knitted characters have been a regular thing for a few years now but some sadly perished in the storms last year .. Have just completed my own colourful granny blanket with one of your Stylecraft packs :). Thanks for your yarny inspiration! xx

[Liz]

Hi Lucy! As a child my holidays were in a caravan, visiting different parts of the UK. Loved it!
I wonder if you have not considered an awning for your caravan? It would give you some more space and in warmer weather 1 or 2 children could sleep in it? And if you do more walking it would be a great place to hang wet or muddy clothes and put the boots!

[Alison]

Lovely to see you exploring somewhere near to me and to see how it looks from someone else's eyes. Did you find Ripping Yarns in Saltburn? They're a lovely little shop :) Runswick holds a special place in my heart too with family connections :)

[Irene Porter]

We are visiting Yorkshire this week so I read this post with particular interest. We don't know this part of the world at all, so Runswick Bay goes on the list. I have often read your posts about your holidays and this time I can actually go to the places you mention. Only thing is I am very unprepared for how cold it is and didn't even bring a fleece. That's what comes of living "down south". Looking forward to your next post very much. I hope we are still here.

[Robin Summers]

Oh wow it looks like you and the family had a brilliant time. I so love all the pictures that you take. England is so beautiful. I have England on my list of must dos for sure!!

[Claire]

Oh my! Love your caravan bed - and the curtains just as much! (I have a thing about two-fabric curtains.

And the yarny things along the pier are just brilliant.

I love coastal walks too - although canal walks are right up there with them for me!

P.S. I'd say a puke in a cake tin is quite an event! (Hope there was no cake in it!).

[Filozailes]

Thank you so much for those beautifull landscapes and crochet, holidays in Yorkshire with you :)
And yes, your caravan is very very cosy, a wonderfull nest.

[janet taylor]

Not been reading this blog long but it's really inspiring and the crochet is fantastic. I really must get on with my own blanket I've been doing for about two years...

[Elsie Pop]

YARN BOMBING!! Oh I love those gorgeous yarnbombs - so well made and ususual! I think I might need to do some myself one day! xx

[Sweet Posy Dreams]

Idyllic. Such a nice scene.

[Spécialiste de l'éphémère]

Yorkshire is a jewel!
As all the parts of England I have visited!
You live in a marvelous country!

[Lisa~Sammamish, WA]

Thank you as always for sharing you pictures. I so love seeing the places you go!

[Kath]

Once again, thank you for taking us all on your holiday! I could feel the chilly wind as I read, and smell the coffee and cakes warming you up. Loved the yarnbombing too. The Alice books have been my favourites since I first read them as a child, several decades ago. Such talent and creativity all around. Connievan looks so cosy and I'm sure the little peeps love her just as much as you do, even if they don't really know it yet...

[Penny Rongo]

Thank you for sharing your holiday. I love reading about your adventures and everyday life. You make things so real for us armchair travelers. Your descriptions are so real.

[Ariadne Skyrianidou]

Thank you for all this British coastal beauty shared with us!The yarn bombing is great!AriadnefromGreece!

[Nancy]

Everything...glorious!

[Carolyn]

Dear Lucy - you've made me homesick.....in an entirely good way. I come from the area you visited on your North East adventure and indeed my little family and I rambled along the Cleveland Way last year. It was an amazing way to see the places I know so well from my childhood from a walker/tourist perspective, You've managed to combine 3, no 4, of my favourite things in this post - the North East, crochet, camping and coffee. Lovely to read your postings as I now live in Singapore - they bring me a bit of home. Thanks. Very best wishes.

[Charlotte]

Thank you for sharing. I really enjoy reading, and watching, what you´re up to.
It give me a sense of happiness and does always make me smile inside.

[Susie]

I love all your posts, I found your blog while looking for a pattern for some crochet flowers and I've been addicted since! I get so excited when I see a new post, I'm like 'what's she doing now?' Even my husband has started saying, what's the topic this time?!
I love it, keep it up and look forward to some more ta-da moments soon.
Glad you had a lovely week away, family time and memories are what life is all about (and crochet of course!)
Xxx