Sunday 13 July 2014

Craster Crab Sandwiches

Last weekend saw the three of us on the search for Craster and the fabled crab sandwiches at THE JOLLY FISHERMAN.  Himself had been told he had to go there by one of his colleagues so, after our usual jaunt to Barter Books in Alnwick, we headed north.  Soon we saw one of those brown signs for Craster.  It took a bit of wiggling about on country roads and a couple of dog-leg junctions but we got there without mishap and got parked up - eventually. 

Don't make the mistake we did and drive right into the tiny village.  If you do you'll end up reversing or doing a 6 point turn in the middle of tiny streets with the locals or the holiday-makers looking on in polite amusement.  Instead, just before the village begins there is a great car-park, which extends up the slope to give parking for lots of cars and coaches, though the lower level does look deceptively small.  It'll cost you 50 pence an hour and we were there for two, because surprisingly enough for such a tiny place, it is absolutely gorgeous. ( There are municipal toilets in the adjoining building - a little on the rustic side!)

A short walk will bring you into this very local-looking fishing village, whose tiny houses and harbour are built from a much harder looking stone than the usual sandstone. In fact the whole place has the air of still being in another century; it's not expansive nor does it look rich and luxurious in any way; it exudes simplicity and hard graft; it reeks peace and quiet and retreat from the modern world - hence its definite success as a holiday destination.  Once your eye is attuned, you'll see that many of those old fishing cottages have been made over into rather nice holiday homes.

We took the boy around the harbour where he and Himself pointed out the wide variety of birdlife: oystercatchers, diving terns and little terns, eider ducks, lots of almost tame sparrows, a cormorant...and I had fun with the plant-life, as usual. Still haven't looked up that white daisy with the very yellow conical centre that was growing in swathes around the harbour stones.

And then we had the crab sandwiches.  Served on wooden boards with crisps and a rich little salad, they were a very sweet way to enjoy seafood in a great, local setting.  Himself and I took our coffees outside and breathed in that languorous sea air to our hearts' content.  The boy poked around the tiny harbour.  On our way out we noticed a host of walkers making their way up the coast to Dunstanburgh Castle, which we have yet to discover.

Across the road from The Jolly Fisherman is Robson and Son's smoked fish shop, where we bought fishcakes for himself and a half kipper portion for me, ( I really could have managed 2 but was wary at the time) which turned out to be sweet, juicy and delicious the following evening at home.  And good value!  They have a little restaurant too- so we'll be back.

I highly recommend this place. A little bit of The Old Kingdom for us, if you can only be bothered to hunt it out. 



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