Hartlepool visit, wargamer style!

Well, after a good week off I went to see HMS Trincomalee at Hartlepool marina, and an excellent time was had. The write up of the ship visit is on my other blog Herkybirds nest.

Here is the rest of my visit, to the attached museum showing Hartlepool history:

WW2 Air Raid Warden bits and bobs.

 Medicines from 1914 and 2014

A large part of the display was dedicated to an event in 1914.. 

 German Cruisers shelled Hartlepool from offshore.

  

 Zeppelins also raided later in the war.

 A wee boat!

 A lighthouse mirror

More WW2 stuff, civilian information. 

Police then..1914 

 WW2 and into the 50's

1914 fireman equipment. 

 First aid kits from 1914

 A Neolithic skeleton found locally.

 Some appropriate tools.

 Roman finds.

Iron age finds 

A reconstructed archway colonnade 

 Roman Amphorae

 More Roman period finds.

 Victorian ladies wear!

 Some ship models from the interwar years.

 On the way out, a last look at HMS Trincomalee.

 Sigh! 

Guiseley...Jonathan's 60th birthday gather.

Yesterday, we had a family get together with everyone meeting at Guiseley. We had a lovely Italian meal and gathered at Jonathan's Mum's flat after. These are a few pictures I took!

Janet, Judith and Margaret

Sophie, Mark and Rachel 

 J - opening some birthday presents

Margaret, looking very comfortable! 

Judith watching with great interest! 

Alex, Jonathan, Chad and Sophie.

 J opening a very well wrapped gift.

Aha! - a trip to Silverstone! 

 A game of cards while J rested from his exertions!

 Janet.

 The end of a very tense game!

This was a very nice way to spend a Sunday, I have to thank Mark and Rach for the transport down and back to the North East. Rach is doing very well with her pregnancy - especially with only a month to go!!!!

It was nice also to see Sophie and Alex again, so much bigger than last time I saw them!

Chad seems a very nice young man too, it was a pleasure to meet him!

All in all, I spent a nice day with lots of nice people.

Walking the North East coast

Today, I had a rest from painting the garage etc etc, and went down to the coast on the Metro for a walk in the sun!

I got to the coast at Whitley Bay, just down from the 'Spanish city' complex.

I had planned to walk on the sand here, but the tide was in! 

A couple of ships were moored near Tynemouth. 

The promenade was pretty well deserted at 10:00 am. 

 Even the sea was quiet!

 A small sea break.

Ooh, a plane! 

Ah, just a C-130 Hercules. 

 ...and a lot of Herring Gulls!

I was near Cullercoats now, this is looking back towards Whitley Bay. 

See, the Sea!

 The sun was making some nice reflections on the sea.

 Cullercoats bay.

 ..with Tynemouth in the distance.

The Blue Reef sealife centre has rescue seals now! 

 Ans a small waterfall! 

 ...and some Chickens.

 The Shark I had come to see especially, was hiding from the hordes of screaming kids, basking behind a rock!

 And on down the coast...

 It was trying to drizzle a bit here, which was refreshing in the humid air!

 Tynemouth Priory in the distance.

The light was really nice here. 

 It was getting cloudy, though still bright.

 Welcome!

 The Priory. I didn't have time to visit this again.

 Another defensive ditch!

I then left the coastline, and walked through the town. 

 Tynemouth Metro station

I like the architecture here.

 The end of a nice walk.