Tuther day I took my lion cubs down to the south coast, we went to Dungeness. Let me tell you a little bit about Dungeness. It's the site of one of the largest expanses of shingle in the world and the variety of wildlife in the area extends to over 600 differing types of plant, making it one of the best places in England to find insects such as moths, bees, beetles & spiders. The flooded gravel pits behind the shingle provide habitat for many migratory coastal birds. Another thing situated on the shingle is a massive Nuclear power station which oddly enough does not actually look out of place, in a strange way it enhances what Dungeness is, or at least it does to me. There are two lighthouses at Dungeness which warn ships not to get too close, as the English channel is the worlds busiest shipping lane. There is a nice little pub by the name of the Brittania inn, the fish & chips are 'morish' and the liquid refreshment very nice. We had munch then took a stroll along the shingle, beach fishermen were casting their lines out to see and the waves were canny high, it was a beautiful sight, my young cubs enjoyed running at he waves and collected some lovely sea shells left over by the fishing boats which lie in various states of repair along the shingle. Some of these boats are obviously still in use but others have seen better days and remain alongside their delapadated huts reminding visitors of Dungenesse's rich heritage. We walked around the boats and other relics of the fishing trade that can be found on the shingle and vowed to come back in the summer for a picnic and to collect more shells. I may also pop into the Brittania for a swift half. If you come to Dungeness you must also check out some fo the dwellings littered along the road, especially Prospect and Ness cottages, they have done some remarkable things in their open gardens using items washed up on the beach along with fishing relics, very artistic indeed. Dungeness is well worth a visit, I anticipate many more visits in the coming years. Why not give it a try!
Recently I visited the small hamlet of Staithes on the Cleveland/North Yorkshire border and what a day to visit. It was during a period when little old England was getting hammered by strong winds from the Atlantic, however the wind kind of enhanced my visit and added to the enjoyment of being there especially with regard to the waves that the North Sea was sending against the rocks and breakwater of Staithes harbour. Staithes is a seaside village which is divided between Yorkshire & Cleveland by Roxby Beck with about 90% of Staithes being in North Yorkshire. In times past it was one of the largest and most productive fishing centres in England by the North Sea, however nowadays it is largely a tourist destination due to it's attractive olde England appearance. Staithes is noted for its sheltered harbour, bounded by high cliffs and two long breakwaters, a mile to the north is Boulby cliff which is the highest cliff in England. The cliffs around Staithes also are popular with sea birds and it can get a bit noisy. Staithes population has dwindled due to a lot of the cottages being owned by people from Leeds and York for example and during the winter it can appear like a ghost town with few visitors but this is a great time to visit if you can handle the stormy weather. Staithes still maintains its tradition and many of the local women still wear their Staithes bonnets (some can still be bought today in the Gift Shop in Staithes!) for the annual nightgown parade, and the Fisher Men's choir is still going strong along with local participation in the local RNLI Lifeboat. In 1745-1746, Staithes's most famous son (born in Marton near Middlesbrough), the young James Cook worked in Staithes as a grocer's apprentice where he first gained his passion for the sea. Later he moved to Whitby where he joined the Royal Navy. William Sanderson's shop, where Cooky worked, was destroyed by the sea, but parts were recovered and incorporated into "Captain Cook's Cottage". A local family has lived here for a number of generations. Should you find yourself in Staithes make sure you visit the Royal George or the Cod & Lobster for a pint of the local and a bite to eat. One last thing Staithes is famous for , it has the most dangerous car park in England as can be seen by my picture. When I was there a local resident by the name of Sandra climbed down to investigate this strange sight. ( I suspect she's a menber of the Royal Marines Reserve but the secret is out now) 
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