Wow. Just… wow. Some weekends are gentle affairs involving slippers, the telly and the vague intention of doing something productive. This, dear reader, was not one of those weekends. This was a Full ON Weekend – capital letters absolutely required – packed with laughter, questionable decision-making, mild athletic trauma and just enough alcohol to make Sunday morning a heroic act of survival.
From Manchester to the Yorkshire coast and back again, this was a weekend that laughed in the face of rest and recovery. Buckle up.
Friday: From Desk to Deckchairs in Record Time
Clocking Off and Blasting North
Friday afternoon had barely stretched its legs when Michele and Josh screeched into Manchester to whisk me away straight from work. No lingering. No decompression time. One minute I was thinking about emails and deadlines, the next I was slinging a bag into the boot and heading for the open road.
Destination? Filey, Yorkshire, where my best mate Warren and his family were already settled into caravan life and waiting to host us for the weekend. Two hours of motorway chatter, snack wrappers and increasingly ambitious weekend plans later, we rolled in, unpacked the car at lightning speed and declared ourselves ready for action.
Little did we know, the weekend already had other ideas.
Casino Night: High Rollers (With Monopoly Money)
Red or Black? Mostly Neither
Our hosts wasted no time in easing us into the weekend’s entertainment. First order of business: casino night at the owner’s exclusive bar. Naturally. As one does.
We were each handed £100 of play money and unleashed upon the roulette table and card games, channelling our inner James Bond energy with the confidence of men who absolutely do not know what they’re doing. Chips were placed boldly. Strategies were invented on the spot. Confidence was wildly misplaced.
As expected, not a single one of us came back with any winnings whatsoever.
The undisputed champion of the evening? A delightful little granny who calmly and ruthlessly cleaned up, walking away with an impressive £2,700. She barely broke a sweat. We suspect she may still be playing now.
Saturday Morning: Fresh Air, Coffee & False Optimism
Blowing Away the Cobwebs
Saturday dawned bright and breezy, the kind of Yorkshire morning that makes you feel virtuous simply by existing outdoors. We took a wander around the site in Filey to blow away the cobwebs, pretending our legs weren’t still adjusting to the previous night’s shenanigans.
A coffee stop in the owner’s exclusive lounge followed – very civilised, very mature – before the boys split off for their next challenge.
Mountain Biking: Brave Faces, Gentle Trails
Tame… But Respectable
Us four lads headed off for a mountain biking session, which turned out to be a little on the tame side – though to be fair, we did have two youngsters with us, and dignity preservation was high on the agenda.
Still, it was good fun. Fresh air, laughs, and just enough exertion to feel like we’d earned whatever indulgences the evening might bring.
Upon our triumphant return to the owner’s lounge, we discovered Michele and Dawn had been busy in their own way, having very efficiently polished off an entire bottle of Rosé. Different disciplines, same commitment.
Saturday Night: The 80s Never Died
Big Hair, Bigger Choruses
That evening, we headed to the entertainment centre to catch an 80s tribute band. A couple of beers in, and suddenly we were all convinced we knew every lyric to every song.
There was rocking. There was singing. There may have been questionable dancing. The band were cracking, the atmosphere buzzing, and for a brief moment we were all transported back to a decade of synthesisers, power ballads and questionable fashion choices.
Naturally, the beers continued. Because why wouldn’t they?
Sunday Morning: Regret With a Side of Competition
Hungover but Obligated
Sunday morning arrived loudly and without sympathy. I woke up fully aware that I’d had a beer or two the night before. Possibly more. My head confirmed this theory.
No lie-in was scheduled, however. Warren, in his infinite wisdom and relentless competitiveness, had arranged a pedalo race on the lake. Yes. A race. On pedalos. With hangovers.
What could possibly go wrong?
The Pedalo Race: Legs of Fire, Direction Optional
Chaos on the Water
Teams were formed. Warren and Adam versus Josh and me. The whistle blew (figuratively), and immediately Warren and Adam made a spectacularly poor start, heading off in entirely the wrong direction.
Josh and I seized the moment, powering up the course towards the island at the far end of the lake. Victory tasted close. Briefly.
Somehow – and annoyingly – Warren and Adam mounted an astonishing recovery and were suddenly alongside us. Around the island we went, Josh and I digging deep, pedalling furiously and questioning every life choice that had led us here.
The pain in my legs suggested we were trying hard… but not hard enough.
As we charged back down the lake towards the finish, we gained a little ground, hope flickering. But it wasn’t to be. Warren and Adam cruised over the line a boat length ahead, victorious and insufferably smug.
Warren celebrated like he’d just won the Olympics. Honestly, just look at him.
Sunday Afternoon: Seaside Strolls & Arcade Redemption
Bridlington Beckons
After lunch, and some much-needed recovery time, we headed off to Bridlington for a leisurely stroll around the harbour and seafront. Fresh sea air, gentle walking and the comforting sound of gulls squabbling over chips did wonders for morale.
In the arcade, I finally clawed back some dignity by securing a clear win on the Grand National game, which I’m counting as levelling the weekend’s sporting events. Absolutely counts.
Fish, Chips & the Road Home
The Perfect Ending
A quick drive into the Yorkshire countryside later, we found ourselves at a remarkably busy – and clearly beloved – chippy. The queue alone promised greatness, and it did not disappoint.
Golden batter, proper chips, and the kind of satisfaction only a cracking fish supper can provide rounded off the weekend perfectly.
Eventually, we rolled back home absolutely shattered, grinning from ear to ear. Huge thanks to the Brays for their hospitality – we had an absolutely wonderful time.
The only downside? Work tomorrow. Tragic.
Great write up… I was going to say where are the pictures as I usually read your blog on my phone, but there they are! (I’m reading on the laptop so it is a different GUI).
I would have thought someone ended up in the water?
Weather looks good too.