Hartlepool Folk Festival

Excellent folk music, but a bit of an odd venue. The town is obviously struggling but the Headland area where we were looked really interesting. I didn't explore though because it was such a long walk from the Borough Hall and other music venues back to the site. It was quite wearing. A day trip in Spring might be worth it.

Not sure if I'd go again, or at least I'd try not to have to use the campsite - no drinking water!

Deepdale festival

 

The annual trip to see bands at Deepdale, good weather and company, with some fine music and some awful stuff.

RSPB Leighton Moss

 

I had been sad to leave Scotland, and my first impressions of the campsite weren't great - I needed levellers and it was very busy with lots of family groups - but then it is the weekend! I'm just used to the quieter Scottish roads I suppose. After a grey, boring, drive I did eventually have a fine view of the bay from my pitch. 

I went for a walk around the area and past a very odd statue which I thought must be intended to be seen from the sea. I found out later it was called the Praying Shell and overlooks the site of the cockle picker drownings in 2004.

The next day it was off to RSPB Leighton Moss, where we hugged the coast hoping to see a bore at high tide, but not a sausage. The birds were quite a way off on the sandbanks, but we did see a cattle egret and avocets. Eric Morecambe has a hide named after him there.

We spent day 2 in the main reserve, and had a fantastic close-up view of small flocks of bearded tits. So beautiful. Also red deer, mergansers, a large clutch of cygnets and more.

As I left, the heavens opened and it was a long, wet, and tiring drive home.