Anniversary weekend | Cleethorpes

The second part of our weekend adventure entailed a trip to Cleethorpes. Cleethorpes is a seaside resort on the estuary of the Humber in North East Lincolnshire and was probably the most perfect way to spend the day. It was a freezing cold Sunday, in November, but the sun was shining and the wind kept at bay; which was certainly the best we could have hoped for.

Cleethorpes is what I would call a typical English seaside; arcades, crazy golf, candy floss and addictive claw games in which you waste endless amounts of twenty pence coins attempting to win a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cuddly toy. For those of you, that like me, think that in the end the claw will give up and hand you over your prize, you’re wrong. It picks it up; each time getting closer to the drop hole, and then on queue, lets it slip out of its grasp moments before it’s yours. It’s an emotional turmoil, which makes you invest more than just your leftover coins. I have to confess that I was sucked in by the chance of winning Donatello in toy form, it is almost concerning how addictive some of these arcade games are, one goes there with a sensible mind and a tight budget, but within moments is willingly handing over all their money. 

One activity that is as addictive though requires less emotional investment than the claw, is one known as… the dance mat. For those of you that have never endorsed in the brilliance that is the dance mat, you have been deprived. I began self-assured and excelled (though followed by a brief period of overconfidence and failure) it has and will always be, my favourite arcade game (closely followed by air hockey of course). I could spend all day in an arcade centre, lucky for me there isn’t one close by or my degree would have been severely neglected over the past two years. 

The rest of the day was spent doing what we do best; eating unhealthy food, stroking ponies on the sand (sadly I was too big to ride them), walking along the beach and people watching, which soon turned into dog watching – the winter rules of the beach allow owners to bring their pets, meaning on a Sunday, the beach was full with some very lovely furry friends. 

I have to say, I was dubious about how much fun a beach could be in the winter, but it was perfect and I will definitely spend many more winter days at the seaside.