Eric Morecambe on Morecambe sea front

Travelled up to Morecambe today where we're staying for a couple of days for the purpose of looking at more properties in Cumbria. A not uneventful journey up, no hold-ups on the motorways but a couple of interesting incidents occurred. On the south bound carriageway of the M1 we observed much smoke and dust which turned out to be a truck bulldozing a small yellow car sideways on in front of it. It must have only just happened but fortunately both vehicles had by this time stopped and the car was the right way up. Hopefully there were no serious injuries just shock.

The other incident involved a mattress on our carriageway. I was in the middle lane passing 2 trucks in the inside lane when they both tried to pull out in front of me. Turns out they were trying to avoid a double mattress that was in their carriageway. I think the first truck ran over it and the second gave it a good bashing. For an instant I thought the mattress was going to bounce across the carriageway into us but at the same time I could tell it was going to go behind us. Caused a bit of consternation behind I suspect. I think we caught up with the culprit a little later on - a pick-up truck full of scrap, with paper billowing from the back. A mattress, of course, is full of metal springs!

Morecambe is very much a Jekyll and Hyde sort of place. The seafront is superb, a great deal of money and thought has gone into the revitalising the esplanade. There is a series of sculptures of birds, many information plaques, a silhouette of the Lake District fells visible across the Bay and of course, Mr Eric Morecambe. Those of you of a certain age will know of Morecambe and Wise, an institution and compulsory Saturday and Christmas night viewing for many years. The statue and surrounds were very well done, lots of quotations from the show, bywords and catchphrases, the names of stars who lined up to appear on their show. The statue here, shot in the deepening dusk catches one of his characteristic poses so well.

Morecambe Bay is fascinating too. A vast estuary where the tide goes out miles and provides spectacular views across to the Lakes. You can cross the Bay with a Queen's Guide. Something we'd like to do one day.

The evening's entertainment went from bottom to top too. First some excellent fish and chips at Atkinsons, then after stroll along the prom a drink and comfortable chair in the bar of the Art Deco Midland Hotel. And what an interesting place that was, only in recent years renovated and restored to its former glory after being in danger of demolition.