Trip to the Beach

Once again we boarded the (packed) Friday evening train to the Isle of Wight for a weekend out of the city and by the beach.  We ate fish and chips, threw rocks at the sea and visited a local competition that seemed mostly to involve daffodils of various varieties and random crafts but also had kids poems and cakes.  Lovely.

First stop was Freshwater, near Yarmouth.

This small hut is right by the pier, selling beverages and snacks to those of us who were too polite to stuff their faces at lunch.  This is soon to be developed into some sort of modern shopping centre and accommodation for holiday makers, which seems a shame as it's lovely how it is but that's progress I suppose.

Skipping stones...

Staring out to sea - check, hands in pockets - check, nonchalant stance - check...

The sun was so bright that my iPhone camera couldn't cope and made it look like some sort of dark alternate reality.  It was THAT sunny.

On Sunday after a lovely roast lunch and apple crumble we drove (not me obviously, I spent the trip rubbernecking the countryside and cliff top views) down the coast to Ventnor and had a wander along the sea front.

I have a minor obsession with beach huts and one day, one will be mine...  Not this one though, I want one of the ones that comes in a row, with electrics for the kettle to make tea.  The older I get, the more I see tea making facilities as a necessity, not an optional extra.  I'll sit outside in a deck chair, with my wind breaker, which my parents would NEVER buy and be utterly British, sitting on the beach in ALL weathers, albeit in a 1950s sort of way.

The bandstand.  How Victorian seaside this this?! It's my perfect idea of the seaside, quaint and unspoilt.

A little bit of glitz at the Gaiety amusement arcade, again very retro, I approve.

We attempted to find some interesting rock pools to poke about in but had to settle for some whelks on a rock.  We later thought we spotted some teenage boys looking through rock pools and were quite jealous...until we realised they were just bending down to light their cigarettes.  Hmmm....

The Spyglass Inn, truly, amazingly tacky but with spectacular views from the outside seating.  Having a coke and a bag of crisps huddled outside a pub after being on the beach took me back to my childhood.  

The weekend wouldn't be complete without some sort of travel issues though.  This time they blamed the moon.  It was close, the tides were weird and the ferry was late.  The man who asked if they would be holding the train (for 30mins) in order to allow us to connect gets a gold star for sheer audacity.