Lots of traffic problems along the way - again - so detoured around Worthing and ended up on the beach in Lancing where we spent a very pleasant hour or so eating lunch and watching lots of children enjoying the sea at high tide - the stuff that British summer holidays are made of, shame that Molly wasn't with us, she'd have loved it!
I feel that I've really 'engaged' with pebbly beaches and breakwaters/groynes on this trip. I'd hated them as a child and was pleased that holidays of my childhood were spent in North Devon with miles of rolling sands at Putsborough and Woolacombe and fabulous foaming surf to play in and what is now known as 'belly boarding' but was then referred to as 'surfing'. On this trip though I've grown to love the sound of the tide crashing on the pebbles and shingles and enjoyed the surprise as the tide has pulled out to reveal rock pools and sand, seaweed and shellfish. I've also appreciated the need for the groynes in protecting our precious coastline. All this and within only an hour or two's drive of SW London - we're so lucky!
Moving on, we parked at Goring and enjoyed a gentle stroll along the path beside the beach, indulged in an ice cream and jumped back in the car to move onto Ferring. We didn't get down to the beach at Ferring but instead happened upon Ferring Country Centre - New Horizons - offering employment and training opportunities to young adults with learning disabilities. It's obviously a great favourite with young children and their parents with its small farm and excellent cafe with homemade cakes.
Our last visit of the day was to Bognor Regis. Driving into the town we came face to face with Butlins, which certainly dominates your arrival into Bognor, Nick was very interested to see the complex although unsure of whether he'd like to stay there. He's heard a lot about Butlins at Bognor as LaSER prepares for Funtastic! our 3rd Brownie residential adventure there for over 4,000 Brownies. Our first foray into a large scale Brownie event at Butlins was Funtasia, followed by Funtenary in Girlguiding's Centenary year and next January we'll be celebrating the Big Brownie Birthday (100 years) with another of our much sought after events.
Bognor was chilly and quiet at the end of the day, so it was just a quick dash to the beach and then back to the campsite for BBQ'd sausages, chocolate bananas and a bottle of red. A thought struck me, but too late, mulled wine would be a very pleasant drink around the bucket BBQ in the chill of the evening as we watched for the Perseids meteor shower! Fabulous sighting at 9.30pm ish, wish I'd been able to catch it on camera but it was far to fast for me!
Toasting marshmallows at the end of the day!
No comments:
Post a Comment