Picnic No14 The Vintage Bleuet

Breakfast at Runswick Bay. 04/09/2026. This time taking the 'Vintage Gaz Bleuet S200. This little stove is definitely late 1960's...Bang in the time zone for a 1969 style pic-i-nic. Late 60's to 2026..60 years old and still capable of rustling up a classic breakie.

From the local butchers R. Lyth Butchers Hinderwell a purchase of 4 sausages, 2 x rashers of the finest smokey back bacon and 2 x bread rolls. Taking with us some tomiatoes and a squirty bottle of brown sauce.

The tide was on the turn outwards and the beach on the south side of the bay was just reachable with a clamber over the boulders that are now giving some protection to coastal erosion. 

Against the cliffs helped with flame protection from the mild breeze as did the folding wind shield, so at the opening to a sizeable cave seemed an ideal spot to light the gaz.  Mindful of the possibility of cliff face collapse venturing into the far end of the cave was decided rather risky....just looking had to be enough. There was some interesting concretions embedded in the cliffs just above our heads that had resisted the fossil hunters...who knows one day the may give up their secret, if they hold one.

So, without further ado, throw in the sausage and bacon...let's get a sizzle going.

Slice then dip the bread rolls in the gorgeous pan juices before stacking with the cooked fare and a drizzle of brown.  Get stuck in !!!!!!!!! Forget the calorie count!!!

The perculator on the Bleuet had now boiled and fresh coffee was ready to pour....What timing!!!! 

A chap walking on the beach advised us of possible seal sighting in the sea just in front of us but none were spotted as we ate the butties...apparently from a colony at Kettleness Point (the next bay down the coast.) Ah well, another time perhaps.

Picnic No 13 Skinningrove.

 Skinningrove Beach. A location where my yearly camping stove 'piece de resistance' is attempted. It's Michelin 3 star with an extra star. It's Keith Floyd without the wine slosh.....It's Jamie Oliver without the Essex barrow boy accent....It's Heston Blumenthal without the scientific piffle. Yep, your Uncle Albert with only 1 x pan and skills learnt at Boy Scouts will outcook the lot of the 'um.

On todays menu I shall be presenting Local Fish 'n' Chips with a Scarborough Fare twist.

The generous piece of Cod was sourced at nearby Staithes. Whitby Seafish Ltd supply mainly trade but a small door leads to a even smaller counter where the fish skinners are happy to serve customers who drop in paying with cash. How delightful, just how it should be.. My cod worked out at £7. 

Remember Simon and Garfunkel.?...Are you going to Scarborough Fare...Parsley, Sage , Rosemary and Thyme. Well that's gonna be the flavours running thru' this meal. Here's how it was done. 

Oh..and the drinkies? I'm presenting to accompany the meal an Italian Cider served in the correct glass... fluted for maximum quoff deight.

The chips will be shallow fried Sweet Potato. The fish will be coated in a Apple and Rosemary crispy crumb. The Tartar sauce will be Sage and Thyme with a squeeze of lemon and a flurry of gerkin. To garnish a twist of lemon and a sprig of Parsley..

Presented at the waters edge looking out on the gentle lapping waves with not a soul in sight.........

Entertainment after was skyward......Flying kites as high as high can be!!!!!!!!

So there ya go.....Do I get the cooking stars? or even a  series on telly? Alb over and out.

Picnic No 12 Port Mulgrave

 Port Mulgrave...visiting is becoming a tradition. Tradition also is to keep the menu secret until at the shore. Not a secret though was that it would once again be a survival pack. But from which country?

I can now reveal all. I'm taking Mrs 'C' out for a chinese meal!!!!! 

Genuine Chinese Army ration pack....Only a few months out of date but hey....that's how it is when you're in the PLA. Peoples Liberation Army. 

Equipment was a guess as I couldn't translate the cooking instructions. Assuming it's gonna be  'Boil in the Bag' (what all the top restaurants call sous-vide cooking...) I'll take water, saucepan, Spyder stove and gas, a stirring utensil, sharp knife and eating irons.

Including in the kit will be the Star Yacht SY4. Sailing and cooking.. what a treat.

A wander along the rocky shore line looking for fossils revealed what AI is identifing as a large pseudofossil.  This pattern appears to be a mineral dendrite rather than an actual organic fossil.. Wow!!!! Still a most excellent find!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The southern edge of the bay looked more sandy and ideal to let the SY4 stretch it's sails...as in the previous sea excursion in Picnic No 11 I had a tether line attached.. and a jolly fine sight it looked too with what remains of the old port in the background.

Time to unpack the chinese.......spread it out on a rock and feel the packages....do we open them? Boil them? Cold or hot??? Well let's look at the menu for clues..

Curry Fried Chicken & Rice. Compressed energy biscuit.(citrus) Tomatoe  & eggdrop soup.  Spicy Enoki Mushrooms and an accessories pack.

Get the biggest bag hot, keep a little boily water for the eggdrop soup...Heat what could be spicy Enoki Mushrooms a bag that could be sauce and another that once opened looked like noodles...... Accessories included paper dish, plastic spoon.

Oh and did I say it was sticky toffee pudding for dessert?

Alfreso chinese...at the waters edge.....not a soul about.....and the sighting of a 200 million year old plant etched into rock...........that's what's called PICNICTASTIC !!!!!

So no worries...(well apart from the 180 steps that have to be climbed back to reality)

Keep a look out for more Cracklepicnics..the summer ain't over yet.

Picnic No11. Runswick Bay

 It's holiday time!!! A seaside holiday!!!!!Yipeeeee!!! 

Report 01/09/2026

There's every chance that a 1969 picnic can be recreated with an ideal location....food....and most important bucket and spade.

Firstly food...Hand's up those that remember Bacon Grill. Tinned meat just like in 'The War'. Well sort of, Bacon Grill is a variation of Spam. According to AI not so much invented as sort of happened as a way of feeding the army during the cold war... bet the Tommy's loved it!! (Difference the 'Grill' needs to be cooked.) Location...Runswick Bay, a quaint little seaside fishing village perched on a steep hillside. 8 miles north of Whitby on the East Coast of Yorkshire. Bucket and spade? not quite, better than that, I'm taking my newly acquired Star Yacht SY4. These Star Yachts were manufactured in Birkenhead between 1922 and 1990. Popular choice for sailing in the many seaside boating/paddling pools that seemed to be situated on every promenade.

The tide was going out but still high so we positioned the Spyder stove in amongst the large rocks that have been placed recently to slow coastal erosion. The Bacon Grill didnt take long to cook along with the tommiatoes and white sliced that was thrown into the tasty cooking juices at the end. Plated up with a dollop of 'Brown'. Breakfast al fresco...Crackleport style.

The Star Yacht was readied for the water...A tether line of macrame string was tidied tightly to the mast mount..a goodly amount of string was unrolled from the ball and the Star Yacht set off from shore in an easterly direction... How good did that little boat sail? Very well, thanks for asking.

The last cast highlighted the dangers of the sea...lurking under the ebb tide was a large clump of Bladder rack seaweed....The SY4's keel became tangled and the waves were large enough to cause a capsize...All hand been lost in the process. Thankfully Mrs Crackleport was paddling nearby and was able to quickly wade in ankle deep and save the yacht... Pheeewwee close shave. Tangled in seaweed and soaking wet sails the little boat was left to dry in the morning sun.

1969 style holidays...if you don't think that's better than 'package' ....ya've got no soul!!!

Look out for more holiday picnics...I'm at the seaside all week, owt cud happen.

Picnic No10. On the GR561 Kempen-Maaspad

 06/08/26 I'm still in Belgium. Location 'The Arcade' Balen. The long summer heatwave of  '26 continues with temperatures reaching 35deg. Work continues too under a protective parasol to ready the 1928 Chenard-Walcker for it's first drive under power. After several days of massaging 1920's brake linings into some sort of working friction material attention then turned to the engine...the wiring consisted of basic 12v power to points, starter and fuel pump. Once electrical connection was made the 6 cylinder 2.5ltr engine fired...fuel being supplied from the original cylindrical tank that sits above the engine. All gears appeared to be present too!!! Pheweee! Having awoken from a very very deep sleep surely a celebration was in order!

Let's celebrate with a drive and a picnic...

A stones throw from 'The Arcade' runs the 'Grande Route' A network of trails crossing Europe.. Let's drop onto section GR561 Kempen-Maaspad and drive a short part of the track between the corn and potato fields.

The sun blazing down as we raised a glass of one of Belgiums finest beers. Westmalle (in the proper goblet of course) Accompanied with an open sandwich to share...Meergranen zomer brood stacked with spicy chicken, peppers, tomato, avacodo and leaves topped with Devos & Lemmens Curry sauce.

Mission accomplished!! Happy days!!!

Additional Crackle info-

Brood -  https://bakkerij-marien.be/en/balen/shop/

Picnic No9 L.B.P. & L.B.P. (Little Belgium Pem & Little Belgium Picnic)

 It's been over 2 years since I've seen Koen and Nans and their Little Belgium Pem. I'm in Belgium, catching up on progress in the 'Oilyracer Arcade'. 

- 04/08/2026. A picnic was planned. Local produce was sourced. A historic location was chosen. The summer of '26 was forever giving sunny days. This is what happened on one of them.

Collected 4 x really really fresh eggs from the chicken run, next picked a variety of tomatoes and chilli's from Naans greenhouse to put with slices of bacon from the Slagerij at Molenstraat 40, 2490 Balen. A few slices of soda & red onion brood from the Het Broodvaal (2490 Balen-Hulsen). You've guessed it...a bacon omelette with a kick. Ingredients, cooking utensils, and plates where placed in a proper wicker picnic basket with a gingham cloth lining, and a single burner gas stove accompanied.

Location-destination would be the WW2 Bailey bridge over the Kanall Bocholt Herentals (Postel 2400 Mol). Down at the canal side within view of the bridge is a landing platform. A most grand picnic spot.

Stove on...fry the bacon, chop the tommies and chilli and add to the pan, whisk the eggs and add to the pan with salt and pepper. Now let the Belgium and UKs legendary chefs team up to create a picnic breakfast most extraordinary.  Proper lovely!!!!

So, that's what happened as L.B.P. waited patiently under the trees on the waterstraat. 

Check out the piccies...Yep! Can't buy that at a posh eatery.....Can't AI it either......Created with soul and a passion for enjoying life!

Additional Crackle info-

Bread - https://www.hetbroodverhaal.be/

Local - Unbeknown to us at one end of the bridge more WW2 history...A monument to a victim of WW2.  Lancaster ND715 PH-R and all its crew, shot down April 23 1944.