One-Off Challenge 30: Visit Three Local Tourist Attractions I Haven't Been To Before

The visitors continue to be visiting, the puppy continues to chew absolutely-fucking-everything and my challenges have taken a bit of a back seat to life this week. I've missed a few days of French, I've not even picked up my drawing stuff except to fashion a quick card for my wedding anniversary and I thought I was heading for a week with no one-off completions. Thankfully, the last challenge on my list turned out to be 2/3rds of the way done already, so a quick diversion on Saturday and boom, blog for the week!

This challenge is courtesy of...

Graham Rogers.

The challenge

Visit three local tourist attractions I haven't been to before.  That'll be easy, right?

Challenge accepted.

Attraction 1: Yellowcraigs Beach

Due to vaccination status, Cooper had to ride in the buggy to the high tide line.
We went here last week.  Despite it being only 14 miles away - and lovely - I've never been to this particular beach before. We had a picnic, we let Cooper play in the surf, we shouted at the children as they whinged at us while we were in the act of buying them ice-creams! A pretty standard day at the beach, really.  There's a bit of a walk in from the car park for those of us with buggies, but there's also a really nice play park and toilets.  Car parking £2, but otherwise free.

4/5: Would beach again. 

Attraction 2: MacDonald Cadrona Hotel & Spa

Stay with me here. Cadrona is a golf hotel.  It has a golf course. And a spa.  Even if you feel a spa isn't a tourist attraction, a golf course certainly is.  Whether it's a good tourist attraction probably depends on your attitude towards golf.  I grew up just outside St Andrews.  I do not play golf.  You can probably connect the dots on my feelings about it.

Anyway, Renae and I went for a spa day here for our 3rd wedding anniversary.  The facilities were a bit meh.  The pool was uninspired, the steam room a little scuzzy and the sauna didn't have any water to pour on the rocks.  Lunch was ace, though.  Technically it was afternoon tea, but it was super tasty. For the afternoon, we had a couple of treatments each. I got scrubbed and massaged, Renae got a facial and a pedicure.  They were lovely.

Lunch/Afternoon Tea
 2.5/5: Wouldn't go again without a good deal.

Attraction 3: Concorde at the National Museum of Flight

Right, this one is a bona-fide attraction. A supersonic passenger jet, in a genuine, actual old things and informative signs museum. Alex and Christian had gone to the full museum while the toddlers, Lynne, Donna, Renae, James and Charlie and I went for a walk at Gosford Bothy. When we picked them up, however, we sweet talked the museum staff into letting us take Xavi and Sephie onto Concorde.  Obviously, I went too.

It was ok.  Kind of a plane sitting on the ground in a hanger.  Nicely lit, though.  (You're welcome, Lex.)

Alex on the steps to a different plane.


3/5: Would take the toddlers to the whole place sometime.

Challenge complete!



Will I be doing it again?

Maybe.  I'll certainly go to Yellowcraigs again, but actively seeking out new places to go to won't be high on my list of weekend activities for a while.

Long-term updates

French words "learned" (according to the memrise app):448.  I've missed a few days this week, so I look forwards to a lot of revision exercises next week.
Daily photos taken? Yes.
Swordfighting learnt: Getting hit on the elbow with a longsword really, really hurts.
I am currently reading: Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor.  Yeah, this one isn't working for me.
"Cheat" days on food since last week: None, I've been good.
"Cheat" days on exercise: Well, I did swordfight for two and half hours in a super thick duvet jacket, but that only counts for one day.  So, lots.
Favourite drawing: The only one I've done this week, a coloured sketch of flowers for Renae's card. Which I don't have a photo of.

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