I've long believed that time on our own is important. As I get older, I am less worried about saying 'yes' to every social invitation, and value quality over quantity when it comes to friendships.

The pandemic reminded us all that too much time without family and friends around us can feel terribly isolating, but there is definitely a happy medium.

Earlier this week, I got the train to Blackpool for the day, having obtained tickets in the Northern Rail flash sale. The return journey cost well under a tenner, including the additional service I had to book to get me home when one of my trains was cancelled. I took a good book, a pile of newspapers, and my headphones to catch up with the latest episode of the News Agents. But for a lot of the day, I just enjoyed the quiet, mixed with the sound of seagulls contemplating their next stolen chip and the tinny music coming from the Arabian Derby at the neon heavy amusements at the South Pier. I marvelled at how many vape shops there are, smiled at the celebrity endorsements offered by the fortune tellers ('Gemma Collins came here in 2018' was a favourite), and even bought my wife a stick of rock and a pen. My Yorkshire generosity knows no bounds!

Blackpool, like many seaside resorts, is often accused of being a place of faded glamour. Like many towns of its size, it has its issues when it comes to drugs and anti-social behaviour. But on a quiet Monday afternoon, it was paradise walking the length of the Golden Mile, browsing the tacky souvenir shops, and marvelling at the dominance of Prime energy drinks as prizes in the arcades. Now that's the perfect lesson in hype and social media marketing. I only wish I'd thought of it.

I walked along the rickety old North Pier, marvelling at the incoming Irish Sea and the fact it actually looked quite clean (I didn't dip my toes in the water, mind). A board listed some of those who have treaded the boards in the Joe Longthorne Theatre, from Russ Abbot to Katie Hopkins, Little and Large to Roy 'Chubby' Brown.

Most kids were at school, so aside from a few pensioners reading books and having cups of tea, and mums with toddlers playing on the beach, it was pretty much deserted. I even won a cuddly toy on one of those seemingly impossible crane machines. He's called Steven The Seagull, and will always remind me of a nice day out at the coast on my own. Sadly, my train departed just before the sun set, so I didn't get to see the famous illuminations, although I remember me and my brother Nik being driven through them when we were kids, and standing up to admire them out of my dad's sunroof (thankfully, health and safety rules were a bit more relaxed back in the 1980s). My wife Sofia tells me she has never been to Blackpool in her life, so I feel a return trip to see the illuminations is required!

Back to my solo day out though, and I'm pleased to say I think the stigma of being alone has faded a bit. Whether it's going to the cinema in your own company as I do every week, or even dining out alone, it's no longer seen as particularly strange by most

I sat outside in the late September sunshine and enjoyed a delicious lunch at HIVE Urban Farm Shop, so wanted to give them a mention. Do visit if you're in Blackpool, as they are really friendly folk, and have a great place. It was recommended by my foodie friend Amanda, and boy it was a good tip-off.. The finest Full English I've eaten in years. And I've had quite a lot.

I got a decent way through my book. I had time to gather my thoughts, but for a lot of the day, I switched off my busy brain and just enjoyed being in the moment. I'd recommend it to anyone. We live life at a fast pace, and sometimes it's good to close some of the tabs, and slow down a bit. Being alone is very different to loneliness. Time to think about your life, or not think at all, should be something we all treat ourselves to every now and then, in my humble opinion. I certainly feel better for it.