SEEING the brilliant photo on Dunstanburgh Castle by Mick Naisbeth of The Northern Echo Camera Club (HAS, Jul 11) took me back 50 years when my wife and I plus kids, mother-in-law and Labrador rented Rose Cottage in Embleton, Northumberland.

It was the week before Whit Week as it was too expensive after that time.

My son was aged about seven and we set off to walk to Dunstanburgh Castle, stopping on the way to watch fulmars toing and froing from their nests on the cliff face below the castle. We lay flat on our backs and got a splendid view of the fabulous birds.

We then walked to the ruin and were entering when a voice boomed: “That will be ten bob.”

I never gave a thought that there may be an entry fee and a custodian at this impressive ruin. I did not have a bean on me!

My son and I then walked back to Rose Cottage crestfallen.

I have never thought of going back but I often have thought how much this jobsworth got paid and how many ten bobs he took a week. In bad weather he would need a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for just getting to his post. I am sure by now they take credit cards at the ruin.

Malcom Rolling, Carrville, Durham