Wednesday June 4th we arrived at Beadnell. The site was divided with dry stone walls and neatly cut grass, but not a tree or hedge in sight. Across the road and down a ten foot high banking was the North Sea! Brrr!!!

As we pulled up at reception we were greeted by the assistant warden. after telling him we were with the Dandy Rally, booked here for the weekend, he took us through a gateway near the middle of the site to a field which gently sloped away from the sea that didn't look quite so exposed as the front fields. He asked us to pitch along the fence next to the other Dandy already there, reminding us of the 20 foot rule ( oh no, not Hertford again!). We found out later that Frank and his wife had only just started as wardens and I think he came over a bit more formal than he intended. His wife joked later that he only became a warden because he wanted to ride a sit on mower.

Thursday we had a trip to Craster smoke House, bringing back kippers to Bar-b-Que for tea, called at Holy Island for tide times for others on the rally and to watch the tide cover the causeway.

Friday Alan stayed on site to book in remaining members and for a chat... of course, while Joan (Alan's cousin) and myself went to Berwick on Tweed for the day.

On Saturday Alan and Charlie Needham set off for the Farne Islands for the day. It was very windy and raining on Friday night so it was touch and go weather wise on Saturday morning. It turned out to be too choppy for the boat to land on Staple Island, so after watching the birds from the boat they returned to the Seahouses for lunch. They returned later and landed on the Inner Farne making it all worthwhile.

Joan has been camping with us 3 times previously and on 2 of these occasions we have had thunderstorms, one of them being the rally at Knaresborough (Joan's first time camping ever). Came late Saturday afternoon we had the "If Joan's coming we'll have a thunderstorm" weather we were expecting. Everyone disappeared into one Dandy or another until it abated. The rain stopped, out came the sun, followed by the campers with their cameras and videos to capture the beautiful double rainbow that it made.

Sunday morning was the flag meet. I had organised a quiz and received some 'interesting' answers, Alan and Margaret Greenwood being the brains of the rally. Then of course the raffle. Sorry Rose I nearly missed someone when selling the tickets, but Ray and Sylvia Clarke came forward before the draw saying "Better buy some in case Rose finds out". Your selling power reigns even in you absence.

After the rally some members packed to go home whilst others went forward to Scotland. Four units stayed at least one more night, came together for a tea and coffee evening in our awning. Despite having to make ourselves heard over the rain we all enjoyed the evening. At least the rain had stopped by morning.