Sunday 28 July 2013

Chesil Beach, Dorset

We are actually driving back to the coast having picked up my camera





As usual in many of our country lanes there are passing places as lanes only wide enough for one vehicle
If you look carefully you can just see Chesil Beach (part of The Jurassic Coast) in centre of picture


Another passing place



Chesil Bank is a strip of beach between inland waters and the English Channel



Here we see the 14th century St. Catherine's Chapel standing solitary upon a hill that dominates the village of Abbotsbury


We access the beach via. a walk board, the only point of access to this part of the coast
(Don't want to confuse you but we did visit the Sub-tropical gardens first (another post)) and it is now early evening 


Chesil Beach is 18 miles long and runs from West Bay to Portland


So different looking into the evening sun


to looking away from it
This strip of beach is far wider than it looks from up on the the hill


A good view of Portland on the horizon




I really like the way the countryside meets the shore line and one can see the sheep grazing so close to the sea





We have walked a couple of miles already
and although we are tired after a morning walking around the Swannery and afternoon around the tropical gardens,  we want to walk as far as we can here even though it is heavy going on large shingle and not flat


The strip of beach continues into Weymouth 8 miles away but during Summer months we are not allowed to walk any further than the red sign ahead so as not to disturb the nesting birds who often lay their eggs on the beach


We are now at the other side of the Swannery and the white patch upper left top are the colony of swans


so we turn around



walking back towards the sun and the exit walk board
this has been a very pleasant walk



Friday 26 July 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVER Amongst Things I Love

Hard to believe that my Grandson  Oliver is 7 years old today


Here he is seen arriving at Legoland where he is going to spend his birthday (photo thanks to facebook)


Last Sunday I was able to join in the fun at his birthday party
a joint party between Oliver (on the right) and his friend Max.
Nineteen children enjoyed a professional entertainer (who was very good) and a disco
Oliver will be coming to stay with us next week and wants time with Grandma and Granddad alone as it will be the last school holiday before Bekah starts school
He will be coming again after his family holiday at the end of August


Little Miss Rebekah, now aged 4, was up on the stage trying to organise the entertainer as soon as he arrived



I do love these latest roses we have planted and have decided to reorganise the centre of my garden by digging out the shrubs and planting a new rose garden this Autumn
How many times have I said, "This is it - no more changes"
Well I guess that is the thing about gardening!



Have to say that I loved this sunset last week too
Glad to say that it has cooled down a little after a three week heatwave
with temperatures in the 90's last week I have to say it was too much
Only 79f today but forecast to be 88f again middle of next week 


Thursday 25 July 2013

Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset

The Swannery was certainly a most interesting place to visit
Established by Benedictine Monks who built a monastery at Abbotsbury during the 1040's a.d.
The Monks farmed the swans to produce food. 

The birds are all free-flying and this is a sanctuary and not a zoo and is the only place in the world where one is able to walk through the heart of a colony of nesting mute swans




What are you doing down there old girl!


Each family (Swans mate for life) has their own compound until the young are ready to fend for themselves


Here it is feeding time and the public are able to help with the feeding


The Canada Geese come and join in at feeding time and enjoy the party





Lots of nesting going on in the reeds








Solace



a good way to get around


Hope you enjoyed this interesting site
These photos are taken on Alan's pocket digital - I had actually forgotten my camera - can you believe that.
At this point Alan's battery had run out as he had not charged it up so before continuing our day (visiting the Sub-Tropical Gardens and Chesil Beach) we decided to drive back to the cottage (30 minutes each way) to retrieve my camera and I am glad that we did