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Monday 3 October 2011

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.

35 comments:

  1. I wonder why you enjoyed it so much :o) as if it isn't obvious.

    Beautiful really beautiful Jane.
    There are so many wonderful places to visit in UK and the scenery, is there any better?? I think not.

    Glad you feel a sense of calm and contenment......

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  2. And what wonderful memories, what a lovely break, the cliffs were amazing in your photos I bet they were even better in real life?
    xxx

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  3. Wonderful. You do live in a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for the outing.

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  4. Oh that brought back some very happy memories - we had our family holidays for many years in this neck of the woods, staying in a chalet actually on Branscombe Beach. We have had many coffees/teas in that cafe (are the wasps still as bad?!). We did the walk from Branscombe to Beer - I had Hope on my back in her baby carrier, by the time we arrived she felt like she weighed 10 stone (although she was only 9 months old!) - the fish and chips in a pub garden in Beer were gratefully received! Ahhhh, happy days.

    Lovely photos of your wonderful few days away - you really made the most of the surprise late summer sun.

    Thank you for this post, I really enjoyed it.

    x

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  5. It all looks wonderful, I have added Branscombe & Beer to the list of places to visit!

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  6. With those beautiful skies, I really thought you were in the Med!
    It certainly looks and sounds like you had a wonderful time. Your photos are stunning. :)
    Vivienne x

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  7. Hi Jane
    What a beautiful part of the world! Lovely pictures too, it sounds like you have had a wonderful time!
    Dan
    -x-

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  8. A staycation ... often the best kind of holiday you can have. Brilliant pictures ... and what a blast from the past ... growing up in Somerset Beer featured large in my childhood summers :D

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  9. With your stunning photos I almost believed I was there with you. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful outing.

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  10. Fabulous! I would never want to journey overseas if I had all of those stunning places to visit right on my doorstep.

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  11. Ahhhh... that's what I love about England, the whole UK really. Beautiful walks at every turn and when it rains you just go inside all those lovely Stately Homes and NT properties. always something of interest to do and see.
    I can see we need to do that bus ride- no time on our last visit. The walk looked pretty strenuous to me with all those climbs. That's the trouble isn't it if you want the lovely views?
    Love that word - Staycation - describes it very well don't you think? I'm looking forward to the next walk.
    Cheers
    Helen

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  12. WOW, such a beautiful post full of beautiful photos of your beautiful country. Thanks so much for sharing.
    Anne xx

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  13. Such beautiful scenery to see in your part of the world. It's more gentle than ours. What a diverse planet we live on.
    Your stay-cation sounds like a lot of fun.

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  14. Your photos show a glorious place to visit...and that amazing summer weather you are enjoying. I'm amazed, too, because I never heard of Beer before, and now yours is the second post in a week about the town! Barbara at Ramblings from an English Garden posted about Beer, and although her photos were from June and yours from last week, the sun is shining brightly in both.

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  15. Oh, this was a lovely post, so happy and positive and bright and lovely. You ARE lucky to live in such a beautiful area, too! At first I actually did think you'd gone to the Med! :)

    It is so weird to have this summery weather and then by 5 pm it is definitely getting towards evening. Quite disconcerting...

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  16. Oh I wish I was there as well, what a lovely place, fabulous pictures, beautiful countryside, certainly a wonderful part of the country to be. Your yoga session sounds just perfect as well. I was somewhat upset yesterday before yoga, but by the end of it, I was in a better place as well.

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  17. Oh I loved this post - what a wonderful day to look back on when its dark by 4.00pm and we are snuggling by the fire later in the year. We have been so lucky to get this summery bonus this year. I managed an afternoon paddling on a nearby beach last week too. I do hope we can fit in a few more "holi-days" before next spring - and with our climate you never can tell!

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  18. You cannot beat a "staycation", that's what we're enjoying this week.
    Beautiful photos. I have not been to Beer but it is on list now- thanks!

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  19. I was working during all of that weather (that's not a complaint, by the way) ....so it has been lovely to sit this morning and look at your stunning photos. You have captured England............... My, but the skies darkened here yesterday evening and it is cool and damp today.

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  20. we are going to cornwall later this month. I hope the weather is as good as your trip xx

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  21. What a lovely way to spend the last days of summer. The scenery is breathtaking. I am so glad that I live in England.

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  22. Did enjoy my return visit to Beer with you to revisit some of the places we visited in June. Sadly we did not get to walk the Jurrasic coast paths due to time limitation. A good reason to go back though.

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  23. Love the tour in the photos. It's great to be able to get in the holiday mood in your own locality especially making the most of the glorious weather.

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  24. Oh, lovely. I visited some of these places when I was studying ENV (Environmental studies) at school. We were given a list of places to visit over the summer hols and I got my mum to drive me to every single one of them, poor woman! In fact, we enjoyed ourselves enormously - even my little sister, I think, although is was all for my homework. A very companionable holiday.

    So your post brought back some super memories! I'm really impressed that you did it in a more environmentally friendly way, and not at all surprised that you are contented with your lot.

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  25. Another stunning set of photographs Jane, and your words are just as evocative. We have spent several holidays along this coast and hopefully will be able to vist them again. How lovely to take advantage of the glorious week to take a spontaneous 'holiday'.

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  26. Yes I do wish I was there! Lovely photo's.....so pretty. Glad you had a lovely week

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  27. Such stunning photos and scenery. I think sometimes we just don't appreciate our country enough and there is such beauty here.
    Thank you for sharing, and I'm so glad you had a great time!
    Wish I was there ;o)
    Rose H

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  28. What a lovely posting. Have been to Beer quite a few times but not done the walk to Branscombe! I like the look of Kilver Gardens - one for the to visit sometime book!
    June

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  29. Such a delightful day! I so enjoyed 'going on this trip with you' in such a pretty part of the country and with blue skies and sunshine too...perfect! It was such a good idea to incorporate a good walk as well. So many things to see and do, and it's great that you are making the most of them.
    Enjoy your day today too.
    Helen x

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  30. Thanks for the link to Travelizer, I hadn't seen it - I'll give it a go although I don't tend to have much luck in draws!!

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  31. Who needs the Mediterranean when you have all that on your doorstep. What an amazing part of the country, it really is. You must be pretty fit by now Jane!
    Kate x

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  32. With such glorious places so close to you and such exceptional weather an ideal time to have a holiday at home. I've really had a longing to be by the sea these last few weeks, it just isn't the same inland, but enjoying your photos helps to make up for it.

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  33. What a lovely treat your photos are, and just perfect timing as the peacefulness of them is just what I need as I head off to bed. I love the colorful beach chairs, the ocean views, the flowers on the walls of the buildings. You have given me an idea for hanging flower baskets next spring! I always enjoy your photos and marvel at the beauty of your land.

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  34. Those top pictures could quite easily look as if they were taken somewhere in the Mediterranean!
    It is a lovely part of the world.
    Although I live fairly close by, I have not visited Kilver Court Gardens yet, they do look worth a visit.

    Have a lovely weekend

    Isabelle x

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  35. What a lovely day out! It just makes me want to live in Devon, it all looks so beautiful.

    Pomona x

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