Pat Johnson

My memories of Pigdon are of the woods, family and fun.  My parents, my brother and myself camped there with aunties, uncles and cousins.  We always took great care to clear up after ourselves.  We had the best times playing there.  Unfortunately my parents are no longer alive, cousins have moved to other areas and one uncle has passed on too.  My childhood weekends were mostly spent in the woods at Pigdon and the memories are so precious. The wonderful river that runs through the woods, it's funny, I know that it is icy cold but back then I didn't notice. The beautiful bluebells in spring were spectacular. I believe this is where I developed my love of this flower. Even as a child I was able to appreciate the carpet of deep blue. I would dearly love to visit Pigdon woods again and bring my grandchildren, show them the places where I played as a child, even better to make some memories with them.  Not of camping of course, I don't think I would find that so appealing now. One uncle put some rope around a tree and made a swing. We played for hours on this. We were pushed over a small valley with a stream running through, if we managed to touch the trees on the other side we were promised sixpence. No one ever got that sixpence even though we touched the trees on countless occasions. I have put 1960 as the year my memory relates to but that is just one of the years, we spent so many summers there. We didn't need money as there were no shops close to buy anything. We made our own fun and dreaded late afternoon when we cleared up and left for home again in North Shields.  Still we had the knowledge that if it was dry the following weekend we would be back. These were happy times when families made time for each other and enjoyed each other's company. Sadly the world has changed so much and families seem to drift apart. STILL MY MEMORIES WILL STAY WITH ME and who knows, maybe this year my husband and I will revisit Pigdon woods.