Tag Archives: seaside

Holiday – Day 8 – Part 2 Fish & Chips Remembered

20 Replies

I have had two poems accepted for the next Blithe Spirit, which is good. I have broken my glasses (the second pair in two weeks), which is bad. It’s also what you expect when you buy cheap glasses from Amazon and then treat them badly. Today’s set should be repairable, if I had a screw of the correct size, but nobody ever does. I could, I suppose, take one out of another broken pair, but that relies on the screws being compatible and my eyes being good enough to get it all back together. It’s easier just to buy four new pairs for £9. And that, of course, is one of the things that defines our throwaway society.

I would say that is depressing, but it isn’t, not compared to facing up to retirement.

Julia, Sutton-on-Sea

On the way past Peterborough yesterday I went to have a look round at where we will be living after we move. I lived in the area from about 1967 to 1977 and there’s something depressing about going back. I’m not quite sure why, as it’s not a bad area and I had a happy time there. I think it’s because I feel a crushing sense of failure compared to the hopes and ambitions I had as a youth. I also remember the 20 mile walks I used to take in the countryside, and compare them to my current state. If I were to stay in Nottingham this feeling wouldn’t be the same, as I never had such high hopes.

Hake and Chips in Cromer

We will be living near a country park and preserved steam railway. I’m quite excited about the country park, even if it does mean using a mobility scooter, less excited by the steam railway. They always seem like a good idea but don’t really deliver. The Nene Valley Railway is quite a good one, and we used to go on the Thomas Specials with the kids at Christmas. This was enjoyable, but even now that they have extended the line a trip from one end to the other will take just over one and a half hours, including two breaks to let you look around the stations.  We did look at the steam railways in Norfolk while we were there (there are three) but they didn’t quite fit with what we wanted to do. I may see about this trip later in the year. Actually, when looking for a link, I find there are possibly as many as six steam railways in Norfolk, though some of them may be a bit small.

Haddock Special at the Fishpan, Scarborough

The Fish & Chip Special on the North Norfolk Railway costs £28 per person. It’s expensive for Fish & Chips but not bad value for a dining experience. Look at this – celebrity chef Tom Kerridge defending the £35 fish and chips her serves up at Harrods. The problem for me isn’t the price or the quality – it’s at Harrods after all, and you expect to overpay. For me the problem is that the bread roll and butter is £6 and that when you read the reviews the service appears to leave something to be desired at times. Also, if I’m going ti be picky, I take issue with his comments on the fish served by others – the fish served with the meals in the picture are all excellent pieces of fish. In general though, I agree with him that  top quality fish and chips sold in Harrods is worth paying extra for. Fish and Chips from our local shop is now up around £10 a portion so they are no longer a cheap meal. They are, however, usually a very good meal. Well, from the point of view of taste and enjoyment. From a health perspective they are less good.

 

Haddock Special at the Dolphin Fish Bar, Sutton on Sea

Keyboard Induced Amnesia

16 Replies

I think I have finally solved the problem of the mystery ailment that afflicts me every time I sit down at the keyboard – a strange forgetfulness that assails me  as soon as my fingers touch the keys.

Take today, for instance. I entered the room with this post in mind, but still visited eBay, searched Ancestry for “Richard Badger” (he gave out a medal for the 1902 coronation, but there are to many to search) and had a look round a couple of houses for sale (one an old railway station in Yorkshire, one an ancient manor house in Devon _ I can’t afford either). That was after following a link to the bridge disaster in Great Yarmouth. I’ve lived in the Eastern Counties, I’ve visited Yarmouth several times, but I never knew there was a bridge collapse. Note – we call it Yarmouth because we’re lazy – it isn’t to be confused with the other one. The other one is a lot nicer by the look of the website and has never come in the top five of Britain’s Worst Seasides.

Whalebone Arch – Whitby

I just got diverted by the list – it’s not a very fair list and says more about the people who compiled it rather than the actual resorts. I’ve been to 9 of the bottom 20 and though they aren’t particularly nice places they aren’t horrible either, they are just resorts to go with your kids for an unsophisticated day out. They wouldn’t suit international jet-setters, lifestyle bloggers or readers of highbrow newspapers, but they are cheap, cheerful an inoffensive.

The top twenty? I’ve been to eight of them, and they are lovely. This, however, is an accident of geography and lack of development. How could you fail as a tourist resort if you have a beach and a castle? Or miles of beach and a scallop sculpture?

Fish and Chips from the Dolphin – Sutton on Sea

I can’t believe that Cleethorpes missed the bottom twenty, or that Llandudno didn’t make it into the top twenty.

Fish and Chips, that’s the thing to think of, and whether your kids will grow up with great memories of the day as they decide which Care Home you are going to.

Ooops, another diversion. I forgot what I was doing . . .

Boat trip at Llandudno

A Mixed Day Trip

43 Replies

Sorry, I’ve had a distinct lack of application over the last week. A lot of it is probably due to lack of sleep, followed by lack of focus. This leads to a lack of writing, and that will never do. I have written some bits but on a couple of occasions I have then fallen asleep at the computer and woken after midnight with 150 words done and nothing actually finished.

We went to the Yorkshire coast, finishing at Scarborough yesterday. Although it was open, and even crowded in places, there was a distinct lack of enthusiasm as couples with white knees exposed themselves to the weak Yorkshire sun and looked glum. I expect many of them wanted to be abroad.

Saltburn was pretty as ever, but full, as was Sandsend. We went round Whitby and called at the Botham bakery on the edge of town (the main tearoom only being open to people who book, and we hadn’t been organised enough. We had a pork pie to tide us over (it was getting a bit late by then) and bought pies and cake to eat during the week when we got home. We then drove down through then moors and had fish and chips on the front at Scarborough. They aren’t the best fish and chips, as I may have mentioned before, but it is probably one of the best sites for a chip shop I’ve ever eaten in – nestled under the cliffs and castle, and just yards from the sea.

A Botham Pork Pie – one of the best

Chips. A bit greasy, but generally OK

As I have probably said before, one of the main casualties of the virus is going to be spontaneity, as there’s a lot more booking to be done when visiting. I don’t know about you but when I’m away from work I like to relax. That means having a broad plan like “afternoon tea at Botham’s or “visit X”. It’s not about booking afternoon tea for 3.30 or visiting X by timed ticket ay 10.45.

If it had have been we would have been in trouble, because one of the engine management lights came on as we left home. The garage had a look at it for me and sorted within 20 minutes, but it was all time lost when we should have been travelling to the coast. It would not have been half as relaxing if I had had a timetable to keep to.It’s going to be  along time before I get the hang of relaxing again, as I found myself getting annoyed by the alck of distancing whilst queuing for the chips. Some people just ignored the flow system and the six foot rule, even though there are a lot of signs about. Yorkshire seems a lot more concerned about this than Nottingham for instance. A lot of the people who ignored the signs had kids with them – I can only assume they are happy to bring their kids up as selfish louts.

Home via the Humber Bridge

Anniversary!

36 Replies

We had an interesting conversation after I picked Julia up from work yesterday.

“I’ve bought steak for tea.” I said.

“I thought we were going to have that for our anniversary.” she said.

This was news to me as I thought that I’d had the idea all on my own. She has probably been using mind control techniques to manipulate my weak and feeble man’s mind.

“I thought we’d have it early, as part of a longer celebration.”

“You’ve forgotten when it is, haven’t you?”

“No I haven’t. It’s later this week.I just thought I’d prolong the joyous celebration.”

She wasn’t convinced and went on to narrow it down and corner me like a rat in a trap. It isn’t fair, I can’t drive through traffic, talk and lie convincingly at the same time.

It’s today. This time next year I am going to search “wedding anniversary” and check the date. WP may yet prove to be good for something apart from blogging and providing shoddy “improved” services.

Thirty one years. Where have they all gone?

I’m going to think about that as I go about decluttering,

The pictures are from Huttoft beach car park on our last (and only) trip to the coast this year. It’s just a long concrete strip of parked cars and a stretch of beach. Very old-fashioned and very relaxing, particularly when trying to avoid social contact.

Two ladies on the beach at Huttoft

Fishermen on the beach at Huttoft

I’ve had the photos since we went, but haven’t got round to using them.

Random Thoughts II

23 Replies

After studying a number of articles on writing I decided to take some of the advice on board and write every day. I’ve previously tried setting myself targets, and have sometimes managed to hit them. Unfortunately this occasionally presents problems when I run out of inspiration. As you can see from yesterday’s post there are days when even the use of a random subject generator doesn’t help. It did, however, help provide inspiration for today’s title.

I turned it on again today and turned up: “Write about moving home.”

Coincidentally, that is precisely what we are thinking of doing. It’s time we looked at bungalows and, based on the experience of my parents, it’s better to start thinking about it now rather than delay. They were about eighty when they moved last, and even though they didn’t move far it was obviously quite hard for them.

I’m actually quite worried that the random subject generator is predicting my thoughts so accurately.

We’re having to make some big decisions about where we want to live. I’d actually be happy living in a tent. The maintenance required would be minimal – just some canvas and a needle and thread. It would be lovely in summer, just roll the side up and have one massive garden room. The other 362 days of the year would be more of a problem and winter wouldn’t be much fun, but these days winter isn’t much fun anyway.

Blue Iris
Iris at Mencap Gardens
Yellow Flag

Julia is insisting on somewhere with walls and a roof. She’s probably right. She’s also stipulated that it needs to be near a hospital because I spend so much time there these days. She’s very practical. I was thinking of living near the coast and learning about sea fishing – she’s thinking of medical care. My worry about the coast was centred on global warming rather than blood tests. As sea levels rise East Anglia is likely to return to the sea and even if you could get enough sandbags shopping in a rowing boat isn’t going to be much fun.

She’s also insisting that we give the kids the address of the new house. This is a bit of a blow as we will have to let them visit. In that case we will have to have a bigger kitchen to house the larger fridge this will involve.

Actually, she’s probably right about not moving to the coast – that would just be asking for people to come and visit.

Garden Flowers
Garden Flowers
Garden Flowers

We have a few years to decide, so there’s no need to rush. One thing we do want is a manageable garden as, inspired by other blogs, I want Julia to have plenty to do in retirement. I’d feel guilty if she hadn’t enough to do. The other thing is that I’d like to be detached. After thirty years living joined to a man with a drill and a passion for DIY (which he indulged for three hours this morning) I don’t want to share a wall again.

So, here’s a question. If you were moving again what would be important to you? A bit like Desert Island Discs, you can take your current spouse and let the children have your forwarding address…

 

 

 

A Trip to the Seaside

27 Replies

We went to Llandudno on Monday. It was unexpected, because I was thinking of going for a blood test followed by a day of loafing and odd jobs.

On checking  the appointment card as I set off, I noticed that I was going to be early for the appointment. A week early.  It was truly an epic senior moment. When I reach the end of my life and it all flashes before my eyes, this will definitely be one from the top drawer.

Talking about the end of my life, it’s just over two years ago since we last went, and a lot has changed. Llandudno has gone slightly downhill in that time. I, on the other hand, have deteriorated to a frightening degree. It’s definitely time to start taking my health more seriously.

Instead of shuffling and muttering as I walked, as I did two years ago, I was having to stop for a rest every 400 yards (or 200 by the end of the day). Fortunately Llandudno is accustomed to the elderly and infirm (it looked like an advert for mobility aids as we walked round the centre of town) and is well-provided with benches.

Sorry, I somehow I seem to have drifted to Llandudno without getting to the point of the Senior Moment anecdote. The point is that it was 7am, we had the day ahead of us and it was the first day of the holidays.

I pointed this out to Julia, who poked her head from under the duvet and growled.

She didn’t seem overly grateful to be given the chance of a day at the seaside.

Despite this, as you may have noticed, we ended up at the seaside. I had a list  of piers and a thirst for ice cream. Julia had a slightly bemused expression.

For details of what happened next, read the next installment. As a teaser, it includes gulls, piers and ice cream…

Unfortunately, when I won’t be able to show any photos today as the Netbook is refusing to work with the camera card. It wants to format the disk, which as I recall, means it wants to wipe it. For some reason it does this from time to time.

As a result the tales of Llandudno are put on hold, as I want to use photos with the story.

Looks like tomorrow will be “Blanket Weed at Budby Flash”. Not quite as interesting, but it does at least have photos.

Great Yarmouth – the end of the beginning

14 Replies

Great Yarmouth was bright and hot and crowded when we called. You can probably tell that from the heat haze in the featured image.

It was also short of parking and so our visit to the Wellington Pier was not extensive. In fact we stopped where we could get a photograph and moved on. We’ll have time to do it later, when we return to East Anglia, but after several days of walking I had to admit defeat.

Of course, as I get older I really ought to stop saying things like we will have time to do things later, as there’s a growing chance that one day I will be spectacularly wrong and find that I don’t have any time.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

The pier itself is supposedly the seventh built in the UK, and was named after the Duke of Wellington, who died in 1852, the year before the pier opened.  It was successful at first but suffered financially after the neighbouring Britannia Pier opened. In 1899 the corporation of Great Yarmouth took on the running of the pier and, in 1903 added Winter Gardens to the pier complex.

The Winter Gardens, originally erected in Torquay in 1878, were not a success in Torquay and the owner went bankrupt. In 1903 Great Yarmouth bought the building and transported it by sea to the position it now occupies. Since then, despite looking fragile, it has survived storms, air raids and bombardment by German battleships.

It even survived a period of ownership by the comedian Jim Davidson. He’s not my favourite comedian but you can’t fault him for putting his money where his mouth is and supporting the traditional end of pier holiday shows.

Back at the Britannia Pier, the parking is easier. I was surprised to see some of the big names that work the pier. (In some cases I was surprised they were still alive).

Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth

Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth

Where the Wellington Pier is elegant and Edwardian, the Britannia is obviously a modern pier and it’s open for business. There were, I swear, more people on the pier than there were on the beach.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

I wasn’t very keen on some of the boards, which seemed a bit soft in places, and the size of some of the gaps was a worry. It looks like it would be easy to put a stick in a gap that size. It probably wouldn’t but it was a bit of a worry. Of course, as soon as you start looking down at where you put the stick, you start to see right down to the sand and the vertigo starts…

It can be a long walk to the end when you’re worried about falling through. It was nice to walk along a properly used pier, where the only gulls were making use of the fun fair rather than using the place as a roost.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Gulls on Britannia Pier

The end of the pier seems a bit abrupt, with a selection of rusting ironwork at the end.

Great Yarmouth Britannia Pier
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Great Yarmouth Britannia Pier

It’s had an interesting history – opened in 1858, shortened by a ship in 1859 and by a storm in 1868 before being demolished in 1899. Reopened in 1901, fire damaged 1909 and again in 1914 (allegedly by Suffragettes, who were more violent than their current image suggests). Another fire in 1932, breaching by Royal Engineers in 1940 and a further fire in 1954 completes the list of misadventure so far.

All in all it was a good, traditional pier and you can have a look at the donkeys (very traditional) and Scroby Sands Wind Farm (less so).

They actually have a Scroby Sands exhibition on the seafront (Julia looked round it and used a telescope to watch the seals that were basking in the sun). I sat outside with an ice cream.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

In 1922 the steamer SS Hopelyn was driven onto the sands and wrecked. Such things happen. Heroic acts also happen, and on this particular occasion heroism was well to the fore when the Gorleston lifeboat, powered only by oars, took part in a lengthy rescue. It took 30 hours in all, involved several vessels and resulted in the rescue of 23 crew, the Captain and the ship’s cat. You can read about it here, and about Coxswain  William Fleming here. He served with the RNLI for 49 years and helped to save 1,188 lives.

And that is the end (at last) of the first part of the reports of the pier visits.

 

Southwold Pier (Part 1)

21 Replies

In which our heroic duo actually manage to visit a pier, see a very rude woman, eat a cream tea and have a jolly good time. Despite a sunburned head.

Built in 1900, Southwold Pier was originally 270 yards long. During the years of its existence it has, due to several storms and a drifting sea mine, varied from 20 yards to its current 208 yards. Compared to some other piers this is considered a relatively trouble-free history.

It is, to be honest, 208 yards of excellence. It starts well, and is good right to the end. When you get to the end it is also good when you view it in the reverse direction.

I took this one as a reminder that some people just love to get in photographs
Built in 1937, and looks the part
Attention to detail – Southwold Pier

One striking aspect of the pier, apart from the signs to tell you where you are, is the bright, clean appearance of the place. The plaques are also a very noticeable feature – they commemorate all sorts of things, and the prices start at £195. It’s not cheap, but it would make a very unusual present. I mentioned this to Julia, but she seems unimpressed by the idea.

This is a selection of plaques – I’ve deliberately chosen some that are related to piers and the pier construction. There are others, including, those to public figures from the town, school pupils, teachers, the town crier and many happy holidaymakers. It adds up to the idea of the pier as a community facility, and makes it a happy place to be.

Plaque on Southwold Pier
Plaque on Southwold Pier
Plaques on the hand rail – Southwold
Plaque on Southwold Pier

I’m sorry about all this unseemly positivity, but it’s that sort of place.

The first stop was in the cafe for a cream tea. It wasn’t planned, but we fancied a cup of tea and the rest of it just happened. It was clean and bright with excellent scones but appalling company.

There were three generations behind me, a baby, a mother and a grandmother. It started off slowly with a discussion on breastfeeding and weaning. The baby, to be fair, didn’t contribute much to the discussion.

The mother didn’t get much chance to contribute either.

However, the grandmother made up for this. The woman could talk. She didn’t however, always talk sense, and she kept stressing that she would be willing to donate some of her “organic cooking apples” for the child’s food. I think that’s what we mere mortals call “cooking apples”. We don’t use chemicals so our fruit is organic, we just don’t refer to it as “organic”. I can’t help feeling you should have it certified by the Soil Association before you start calling your fruit “organic”.

A fine cup of tea
Nice light scones – Southwold Pier
The view from my cream tea
A very attractive dining companion
Suffolk Cream Tea – Southwold Pier

That just makes her irritating. What made her appalling was the hand gesture.

A young waiter approached them and asked if he could take their order. The grandmother dismissed him brusquely, telling him they had ordered outside but moved inside out of the wind.  That was bad enough, but as she did it, I saw Julia stiffen.

She told me afterwards that the grandmother had made a dismissive flicking hand gesture to send the young man on his way.

I suppose it’s appropriate that a fine old pier in a traditional old resort should be the last bastion of epic rudeness and disdain for the lower classes.

I hope she gets earwigs in her organic cooking apples.

 

Sun, Sea and Sand. And Sunburn.

23 Replies

I’m sitting here with several hundred photographs and experiencing that warm glow well known to bald men who forget their sun hats in the middle of a heatwave. It’s quite sore at the moment, though it’s nothing like it has been for the last few days. I never knew that my scalp flexed so much until it became painful to move.

In just a few hours I returned to a simpler time, to an era when sun wasn’t linked to skin cancer, and I was a carefree youth. I spent a week walking around Norfolk in 1976 and lost the skin off my back and shoulders. Since then I have been more careful – until I hit my second childhood this week. Anyone who is familiar with Swan Vestas will be able to imagine what I look like. (If you aren’t familiar, they are matches with pale stems and bright red heads).

We just had a few days in East Anglia. I’ve been taking more exercise than usual and getting more sleep so despite having plenty of material to write about I’ve not done much. Sorry about. When I eventually change the name of the blog I’m considering The Lazy Blogger as a title. It’s not only an accurate title but it’s pretty close to what Julia calls me all the time.

Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth
Southwold Pier
Southwold Pier
Landguard Point, Felixstowe
Southwold Pier

I’m just getting back into my stride – it was the sort of holiday you need a holiday to recover from. Seven piers, two forts and a nature reserve don’t see themselves. I also had to consume two lots of haddock and chips and a cream tea for the purposes of research. Lesser men would have wilted under the pressure. I merely whined a little.

All will be revealed in due course.

For now I offer a selection of photographs of Julia in holiday mood.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

A Sunny Day at the Seaside

25 Replies

We went to the seaside today.

While we were out we went round a garden centre, visited a bookshop (and bought no books!), saw a lot of marshes and ate fish and chips. I also found space for a syrup sponge and custard.

We saw seven Brimstones, a couple of whites and a Red Admiral. Julia has being seeing Brimstones down at the Mencap garden, so it looks like we could be in for a good Brimstone year.

Then we came home for the last of the homemade soup.

There was, of course, a bit more to it than that, but it’s not very interesting. It’s also just after 10pm and I have a lot to do in the next few hours so I’ll leave it here and take up the story later.

I have some major changes to discuss with you all.