The Spanish Battery

The Spanish Battery, a cliffy promontory at the mouth of the Tyne, has always been a favourite spot for our family.

The photo is one I took of Mum and Dad there back in 1970 (hence the quality).

After a weekend afternoon visit to his Dad’s, Phil and I would eat a take-away there (usually but not always fish and chips).

Whatever the weather, whether the windows are wound down when it’s warm, or even not so warm, to hear the waves or up to keep out the wind, sitting in a car looking out between the piers helps sooth my soul.

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Monday 30 April 2018

Early this morning I got a phone call from the day centre.  Their minibus’s windows had been put out overnight, might I be able to bring Ferretfingers in myself?  As I had an optometrist’s appointment at 10.10, and it’s on the way there was no problem.  I also brought him home at 3pm because there was no way the windows were going to be replaced the same day, as they’d hoped.  Thunderthighs came with me for the ride. 

There’s a load of road-works going on the Coast Road, including replacing Norham Road road bridge over it.  You can turn towards the coast at the bridge, but to come back here I’d have either had to wend my way up through Shiremoor or head coastwards and find a way of turning around.

When Ferretfingers got in the car I asked whether we should go home or to the coast. 

No choice really. 

So I drove up onto the Spanish Battery and we sat there looking out between the piers, and had an ice-cream. 

The sea wasn’t so much angry as having a nervous breakdown.  The wind was fierce and constantly changing so no sooner did a wave decide which way it was going than another slapped it in the face and sent it in a different direction.  White horses right out to the horizon and spume flying up when a roller hit the pier. 

Ferretfingers gurgled with glee when we went to the ice cream van, he loves being buffeted by the wind.