Wish you were Here!

Last week realising that our diaries were unusually free of commitments we decided to take an on the spur of the moment holiday.  So where did we go?

The Mediterranean?

The Amalfi Coast?

If I tell you we needed no passports or visas, no dilema over what to pack, that there were no foreign currency requirements and that we spent no time at the airport waiting in a queue, that our self catering accommodation was a real home from home perhaps you will guess that we didn't actually leave home at all!

We did however shop in colourful local markets

Eat delicious lunches!

Visit delightful gardens

Enjoy several great walks...

And perhaps the highlight of our week was a ride on the bus!  Not just any old bus you understand but the X53 which runs along the Jurassic Coast and through some of the most stunning scenery along what is a World Heritage site and linking Exeter with Poole.  We had been meaning to travel some of this route for ages and somehow never got round to it so on Thursday we set off for West Bay through the countryside on a lovely summer morning (Yes I know it was Autumn but here it was summer!)

Having parked the car we had a wander round West Bay whilst we waited for the bus - our bus passes at the ready! (There are many advantages to being elderly and the free bus pass is one of them!)

We had decided to travel to Beer - a little town on the South Devon coast - and from there to walk to Branscombe on a circular route which would bring us back to Beer in time for the return journey.

Rather like Wells the street in Beer has a stream running along either side but in Beer's case it is lined with pretty flowers although you do need to look where you are going!  After a cup of coffee we set off up the hill on our walk to Branscombe Mouth.  The distance in miles is not far but it was an up hill and down dale sort of walk which made it seem further.

After clambering down a steep flight of steps through the woodland we finally arrived at our destination where we had lunch - a sandwich and a drink at the cafe on the beach.  

 Then of course we had to climb again on our homeward route this time inland.  I don't have many photos of the return walk probably because I was concentrating on actually making it to the top as I found it really hard going!

We did of course make it back to Beer and this was the final straight!  We had a welcome cup of tea in a pretty cafe and rested our feet before having a wander down to the beach - we had made good time and had an hour or so to wait for the bus which runs every two hours.

Although it felt like a summer's day the days are getting shorter and the sun was going down by now and we wandered back up the street to the bus stop which had a welcome bench on which we could sit.

The journey back to West Bay was good and the scenery in the evening light was lovely.

This is Seaton.  We got home just after dark (about 7.30 now) after a fabulous day out and feeling very happy after our walk and all that fresh air.

Sherborne for shopping at the market - see photo at beginning as well.  The flower displays everywhere are still very summery.

And in the afternoon a visit to Kilver Court Gardens which were lovely

Yesterday we did our longest walk yet but I will save those pictures for another time.  As you will see we had a wonderful holiday at next to no cost (I think the most expensive thing was the entry fees to Kilver Court and they were reduced for Seniors!)  Cost to the environment = negligible.  Enjoyment factor = enormous!  

Today at yoga the watchword was Santosha which means contentment and as I lay there at the end of the class relaxing with a soft warm breeze coming in through the open French doors I was, I really was content - content to be living in such a fabulous part of the world, content to have stored up some wonderful memories of a lovely week, content to be me and at that particular moment I wouldn't have wished to be anywhere else!  Just as well as this evening whilst I wasn't looking the grey clouds rolled in and it was dark before 7.00 - the weather man tells us we will not see such high temperatures now till next April or May so I will be glad to have my memories to feed off during the colder months.