Early Morning Lyme Regis

'A very strange stranger it must be, who does not see charms in the immediate environs of Lyme, to make him wish to know it better.'

Jane Austin, Persuasion.

I was overjoyed to find myself back in dear Lyme Regis last week. It's truly a place I will never tire of heading too, for as soon as I walk on those cobbles or sit on that curved, perilous Cobb (sea wall), I feel at home. We were exceedingly lucky with the weather as it tended to rain overnight and leave the days sunny, so I made the most of it and got up early to explore. Despite us always going off-season to avoid the summer holiday crowds and prices, it is still busy this time of year so this is a rare time to have it all to yourself! Mia is still a little nervous in busy places, so to avoid her being stepped on or bothered I always walked her as early as possible so we could both enjoy the views to their full potential! The above photo is taken in the Jane Austin gardens which sit above the seafront, a very pleasant escape from the hustle and bustle during the day, take a picnic lunch and enjoy gazing across the front.

I had the entire Cobb to myself many of the walks, and I always picture The French Lieutenants woman stood gazing out to sea, her cloak being whipped by the breeze! The amazingly perilous steps in the above photo are called 'Granny's Teeth', I can't say I saw anyone attempting to ascent or descend them during my stay! Neither was I willing to give it a try! I never fail to be amazed by the unique design of The Cobb, the earliest drawings which match this design of wall date to 1539 - truly amazing! One stormy morning I saw waves breaking right over the end, it is surely a unique piece of British heritage! 

Just past The Cobb lies Monmouth Beach which is luckily dog friendly, so Mia could tear after the seagulls to her hearts content! She wasn't so keen on the water (after accidentally taking a dip in West Whittering!) so stayed cautiously away from the waves, gazing at them in a rather thoughtful manner instead - I would love to know what is going through her mind when she see's all these new places!

Hope this might encourage some early alarm clocks if you ever stay in Lyme, it's truly worth it!

Back with some more seaside capers very soon!

Katie

West Wittering - Mia's First Trip To The Beach!

Oh how I do like to be beside the seaside! I couldn't wait to finally escape to the sea and walk barefoot on a proper sandy beach, It's been far too long. West Wittering is just over an hour from home so it's the perfect place to head to for the day, but we were lucky enough to stay with a friend in her gorgeous quirky house. 

It was officially Mia'a first trip to the seaside, or I assume it was after three years living in Bucharest! The photo above was the first chance she got to see the noisy moving monster, and after a lot of sniffing she seemed to decide she quite liked it. One of the big draws of The Witterings are the miles of lovely walks over wetland, beach, sand dunes and country lanes, which is what we headed out to explore. Three hours later we were all rather knackered and dreaming of dry socks, a cup of tea and a sit down, but in a happy contented manner! We stumbled across this tiny beach spot, and would have sat for a picnic if the weather was better! I loved this dramatic tree thats been shaped by the elements, there was also the rope swing of childhood dreams! The water was quite calm so Mia and Holly (the Working Cocker Spaniel) could have a paddle and explore the beach and all the smelly seaweed they wanted!

As always with my trips to the coast, I am on the lookout for wild plants and flowers I don't usually see at home. The land around the pebble beaches has been left natural so it's full of wildlife and would be a great place for bird spotters! Apparently there are usually plenty of Oyster Catchers but I wasn't lucky enough to see them this time, amazing how much bird song you can hear instead of just gulls squawking! I love walking amongst the towering Thistles and variety of grasses, this is the terrain I am happiest in!

Luckily the second day was a scorcher and the raincoats could be left behind! We headed to the dog friendly beach early as we knew it would be getting very busy and Mia still needs reassurance when it's too hectic! But along the walk we found some gorgeous cottages to be added to the "Dream Home" wish list! I loved the patterned thatching on Rose Cottage, and the woven pheasants on the roof are such a great twist! All the houses are so different in the area - chocolate box cottages, 'Grand Designs' type new builds, ex council properties and even beautiful New England style homes with porches, so something for everyone! We headed back to the sand dunes for the dogs to have a run around, Mia was very over excited when she finally stepped paw on the sand!

Here is Mia being barmy on the beach! She was trying to avoid getting wet but she fell into a deep bit after the photo above, hence her running like a bat out of hell afterwards! She was on a training line as her recall is still dodgy and she can suddenly forget her name when something more interesting crops up! Personally I think she suits the 'Salty Seadog' look perfectly! 

Happy days indeed! Even happier now we have decided to look for a holiday home in the area, this could be a regular haunt for us - rather exciting!

Hope you've had a good July apart from all this barmy rainy weather! Thanks for reading,

Katie

Holiday To Falmouth - Part Two

Whilst on holiday in Falmouth I was determined to step foot on a boat for the first time in over a decade! I originally had a wildlife cruise in mind but Vanessa at The Highcliffe B&B suggested a ferry trip over to St Mawes, so off I went to explore! As you can see, the weather was a little grey in the morning, very breezy too, but luckily it wasn't too rough and my sea legs held up! And in less than half an hour, I stepped foot into St Mawes. I was struck by what a picturesque town it was, with plenty of gorgeous houses tucked on the cliffs above the sea greeting you as the ferry comes into harbour. There are plenty of independant cafes, shops and galleries and I bought some lovely local artwork which will remind me of my trip. 

I took the afternoon to just wander and explore the little town, and found the most perfect picnic bench by the beach! The houses were painted the classic jolly seaside pastels, and had very characterful front gardens full of blooming flowers, this Wisteria creeped along the sea wall for much of my walk! One of my favourite features of Cornwall is how rich the variety of plantlike is, out of all the walls and cracks in the pavement spring all sorts of flowers, succulents and grasses. A rough, rugged coastline is always my preferred beach style too, lots of gorgeous toned pebbles to hoard! What do you do with your beach pebbles once you get them home? We put them in the bottom of hurricane lanterns and jars for candles.

Up a VERY steep incline (I don't know how local drivers park and navigate those hills every day!) I found St Mawes Church overlooking the sea. I thought I would head inside and see if they had coastal themed stained glass... and I was rewarded! Aren't the colours gorgeous? And the detail on the seagulls and delicate birds really is stunning, makes me want to get back into my glass making! The impressive giant seal window took me by surprise, but isn't he grand? It was a very welcoming little church, and I was lucky to have it all to myself. There's something very heartening about pushing those unlocked heavy doors, and being trusted to step inside and explore.

  

I had a wonderful afternoon in St Mawes and I would highly recommend a visit if you are in the area! Back on dry land in Falmouth I spent some time finally exploring the town itself, more plantlike springing out at me with every step! Aren't those curly grasses gorgeous? Sorry if there's too much plant talk, I think a few people did find my interest unusual!

After a recommendation from a good friend, I was determined to visit The Good Vibes Cafe whilst in Falmouth, as it is run by two fellow Farnham UCA Grads and sounded right up my street! It had a central location, and had a board outside greeting you with "It's a good day, to have a good day!" :) I had the smoothie of the day - banana, avocado, almond milk, pecan and maple syrup, which was just as yum as it sounds! And a slice of their lemon and blueberry chia loaf cake, so I was feeling rather virtuous really ;) Definitely cancelled out the previous nights fish and chips! They had great magazines and books to read so I enjoyed just hanging out and people watching that morning, all the food looked fantastic!

As it was my last full afternoon I followed my usual coastal path over to Swanpool Beach, the sun was back out so perfect time for a Cornish ice cream! I loved the original signage at The Swanpool Beach Cafe, really nostalgic! It's a man made beach but you wouldn't immediately guess, and you are sat right by the jolly beach huts which all are named after types of fish - sea bass, lemon sole, kipper! The beach is very popular for water sports, so if my next trip is warmer I know where to head for paddle board practice! 

For my last evening, I headed to my favourite Falmouth haunt, Gylly Beach Cafe. I had sat outside and eaten lunch here a couple of times on my trip and it looked a very friendly chilled place in the evenings, I wasn't made to feel awkward eating alone and all the staff chatted and made me very comfortable, and I was at a good chapter in my book so I was occupied! And even better than the winning service, was the fish and chips which were absolutely delicious! As you can see, these might not be in the traditional style, but those minty mushy pea/broad beans were amazing (the chunky chips were on the side, I didn't want to spoil the presentation!) Finally I sat on the terrace and toasted my perfect Cornish holiday with a G&T and watched the sun go down, perfection!

It was such a memorable trip, I made great progress in my sketchbook for the first time in years! The town had a very welcoming and relaxed feel, with plenty to keep any type of visitor occupied, there was still so much I wanted to do! I can't recommend The Highcliffe B&B enough, Simon and Vanessa are the perfect hosts, and I had so much fun with them I almost wished they weren't so busy so we could go to the pub! You won't be short of cafes, restaurants or shops - so what's stopping you? The Oyster Festival in the the autumn, so I might see you there! :)

Thanks for reading,

Katie