Tag Archives: pier

Southend trip

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It’s been incredibly and unusually hot this summer so with a week off work I decided to take a trip down to the coast, the nearest being Southend on Sea. It was a humid and overcast day but I decided to make the most of my time. Here are a few pictures I took.

I walked along the longest pleasure pier in the world which is always a must for me. I enjoyed the stronger breeze as I reached the end which was a bonus. Walking back to shore I then walked along the beach and enjoyed the cold water, helping me to cool down.

There was some cool artwork around, I loved how they made the bollards next to the roads more creative and colourful.

I think my favourite were these umbrellas hanging inside the nearby shopping mall

I had a relaxing and cool visit and as the sun became lower in the sky I made my way home.

Family day out to Southend

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Summer in London has not been great this year weather wise. It’s been fairly cool and overcast most days, so when the sun came out bright and hot towards the end of summer we decided to make the most of it. The nearest coast to us is Southend on Sea so my family and I made decided to take a trip.

While we waited for others to arrive we wandered around the shops. I saw these mask shaped earrings that I thought were interesting.

When everyone had arrived we had a quick lunch and then made our way towards the pier, which is said to be the longest pleasure pier in the world at 1.33 miles long. The sky was bright and the sea was a beautiful blue and with a cool breeze we all set off.

At the end of the pier we all treated ourselves to ice creams and slushies, and taking in the beautiful blue sea, skies and sun.

After a rest, we sent my mum and the kids on the train back to shore and the rest of us walked. With the sun now low in the sky and the tide going out, the light cast some lovely silhouettes and shadows on the water.

We were pretty tired after that and after a quick visit to the gift shop we headed home for an even bigger family gathering and much needed dinner.

Windy Southend

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I had a few days off after Eid so I decided to take a trip down to the coast. The easiest coast for me to get to is Southend-on-Sea, and on this particular day it was grey and windy but not wet like it had been all week.

The first thing I did was walk along what Southend boasts as having the longest pleasure pier in the world, at 1.33 miles. I always enjoy the long walk to the end where there are a few souvenir shops and a restaurant.

At the end of the pier I walked around and then went in to one of the shops to look around and warm up as it was really windy out on the sea.

After having enough of being blown about at the end of the pier I walked back down to the shore to grab some lunch. Having had a sit down I was ready to venture out again. I made my way to the sea front, which it seemed I had all to myself! I found some really pretty shells as I made my way up the pebbly beach.

There wasn’t much else to do at the sea front, so feeling windswept I made my way back to the station, doing some window shopping as I went. I did come across some cool street along the way.

I always enjoy my trips to Southend, I love the long pier to walk along, and being by the coast always feels relaxing, although less so on this visit as the blustery wind and grey skies made the coast seem more dramatic than usual.

Scotland Trip – part 3

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After having spent the morning at a market and a museum we decided to spend the rest of the day at Loch Lomond, which is a well known beauty spot in Scotland. One little village which sits on the loch is Luss so we started there.

It was a grey, overcast day but we decided to make the most of it. Due to the mishaps of the morning we arrived a at Luss in the late afternoon so we decided to go into the shops first as they would close soon. They had a strange but interesting fairy house and a giant toadstool nearby.

As we arrived so late we missed the chance to take a ride on a speed boat.

We instead decided to take out a pedal boat which were still available to hire. It was harder than it looked but the slower pace allowed us to take in the scenery around us. The lake was huge and the distant hills seemed to go on for miles.

After the boat trip we decided to go to some other notable points around the lake. One tucked away spot was where there was a waterfall. We took a beaten down path through the woodland and followed the sound of roaring water.

The waterfall looked amazing, but I didn’t get a chance to try any fancy photography tricks as the air was filled with tiny little midges which were flying into our faces! There was also an iron tunnel nearby which led to a closer view of the waterfall.

Having spent a while exploring the area and getting tired of waving our hands around our faces we moved onto the next, hopefully midge free spot. Driving further around the loch we found a walkway that stretched out over the water which was very peaceful.

This last stop we made was to a viewing tower over looking the loch. There were also benches to sit on and lots of wildflowers around to admire.

Climbing to the top it was now dusk. If the weather had been clear we would have a seen a beautiful sunset over the lake. I was a bit disappointed but not too much as the view was still pretty amazing.

After spending some time at the top and taking in the view and the quiet we decided to start the long journey back to the hotel, along dark, winding, narrow roads to get some rest and some food. Although the day didn’t quite go as planned we still enjoyed it and managed to explore some of what Scotland has to offer.

Southend

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We’ve had some unexpected warmer weather recently so to make the most of it I made a trip to the nearest coast; Southend. My last visit was a few years ago so I was keen to see what had changed. I love being by the sea, I find it so calming and it’s always a welcome change of scenery.

When I arrived it was still a little hazy and misty so the sea wasn’t quite as clear as I expected. Looking across the fairground rides the sea looked welcoming. Walking down to sea level, the first thing I did was head towards the longest pleasure pier in the world at 1.34 miles long. Walking along the pier is a must for me and I wanted to do this before it got busy.

Walking along the pier there were benches where you could rest. I loved that each one I came across had a pretty seaside themed silhouette scene on the backrest.

Eventually I reached the top of the pier where there surprisingly, some colourfully decorated beach huts. I thought they looked great, especially as the sun had now come out through the clouds and made the colours pop. I think my favourite was the rainbow one with the giant silver ball on the roof.

There was also a restaurant and a RNLI Lifeboat base and giftshop, so I bought a few souvenirs for my sisters.

After taking in the view and soaking in the warm, bright sun at the top of the pier I decided I should head back to the coast and get some lunch. There’s a train that runs along the pier too but I decided to walk back as I was in no rush.

Having had lunch I decided to take a walk along the beach and take in the view from the coast end to the pier. The beach is a pebbly one and there were lots of seashells and oyster shells scattered throughout. I picked a few up before finding a spot to rest. By late afternoon the wind was feeling cooler so I headed back to the station. On my way back I found some really cool street art, which I stopped to look at and admire.

The train home was quick and easy and I left Southend feeling refreshed. I hope to visit again soon and would definitely recommend a visit.

Bournemouth Family Trip

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At the end of Summer I went to Bournemouth for a few days with my family, it was initially meant to be a several days away for a few of us, but in the end it was 15 of us in our cars heading to the coast.

On the day we got to Bournemouth and once we were settled into our hotel rooms, we decided to make the most of the rest of the day and headed to the beachfront. Although it was late summer it was still pretty warm, especially as we have had an incredibly hot summer this year in the UK.

We all spent time splashing around in the sea, relaxing on the beach and then when it became too cold we started our way back to our room to freshen up and then go to dinner. I found it incredibly refreshing to be by the sea and away from the city landscape.

The next day we split up into smaller groups, with my group first going to the aquarium. I didn’t really take many photos here as the lighting wasn’t great, and with the thick glass it was difficult, so I just enjoyed my young nieces’ excitement at the various fish and sea creatures they saw and tried to guess the names of, and walked steadily through the exhibits taking in the sights, sounds and smells.

After the aquarium we decided to go to the gardens that were nearby. There are Lower, Central and Upper Gardens, which seem to stretch on for miles, with changing flora and fauna to create various textures as you walk through.

After lunch we had planned to do some more activities but it rained for the rest of the day. It didn’t stop me though; I asked my sister, her husband and her daughter to pick me up and we made our way to another beach close by called Boscome. It was still raining steadily and it was quite windy too on the seafront, but I thought it felt refreshing and a change from the sun. I was also really pleased to find some colourful beach huts, which I have been on the look out for whenever I go to the coast.

We didn’t stay too long, as it was getting cold and quiet late. After my sister dropped me back at my hotel I rested before getting ready for dinner and then to watch the fireworks on the pier.

On the third day we packed our bags and checked out, ready to leave Bournemouth, but before we did we made a detour to Durdle Door, which is along the Jurassic Coast, and is a World Heritage Site. I’ve been go Durdle Door a few years ago and loved it, so I definitely wanted to visit again. There’s a really steep rocky path that leads from the car park to the coast edge, and then a steep set of stairs that lead to the beach. On my last visit you had to walk strategically on rocks to get down and then back up again, thankfully since then they’ve carved out steps that make it much easier.

The view from the top was amazing, and we were lucky to have some fantastic, sunny weather too, making the blues of the sea and sky really striking.

Once on the beach we soaked in the sun and the sea breeze while walking along the pebbly beach.

We didn’t stay too long, before making our climb back up to the car and heading towards another place nearby called Lulworth Cove. This is also along the Jurassic Coast and seemed to have a lot of boats sitting in the arc made naturally by the sea.

After sitting on the white pebbled beach and relaxing for a while, we made our way back to the car, visiting the gift shop along the way and started our very long journey home.

The trip to Bournemouth was great, I really liked that there was a lot to see and do, and most of it didn’t cost very much or was completely free. We had some really good weather and I loved walking along the various seafronts, and exploring the seemingly endless gardens. I would go back again some day as I’m sure there’s much more to do than what we covered in the few days that we were there.

Brighton – part 2

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The Royal Pavilion is one of the most famous sights at Brighton, but you can’t come all the way to the coast without making it to the sea, and that was the next stop on my trip earlier this year.

It was a beautiful, sunny, day and although not the warmest, the deep blue sea sparkled against the largely cloudless sky. First off my friend and I headed to the pier where there were traditional rides and a stripy helter skelter.

We then walked along the very pebbly beach, which was quite a work out and just soaked in the view and the sun as well as just enjoying the stiff breeze against our faces. Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with delicious ice creams and colourful slushies.

One of the things we looked out for on the coast was the bandstand and when we came across it we could see why it was considered so iconic. It was right on the seafront and the Victorian style was stunning against the sea and sky.

Something else I unexpectedly saw nearby was the shell of a pier. Looking into the details, the West Pier had burnt down in 2003 and the remains were left and have since become one of the most photographed landmarks in Brighton, and it’s not hard to see why. Juxtaposed against the old was Brighton’s newest attraction; a moving viewing platform. I didn’t have time to go on myself, but I can imagine the views were amazing.

After spending some more time just walking along the seafront, we slowly started making our way back through the town centre and towards the station, to head home. We were really lucky to have such great weather for the day out in Brighton; there was plenty to keep my friend and I interested and there were some really beautiful views and buildings to photograph. I would very much recommend a visit to anyone who is interested.

Southend escape

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Summer in the UK this year hasn’t been too great, we had some hotter weather in July but since then its been cooler and wetter, so in light of this I wanted to make the most of any sunny days we did have and as I’ve been wanting to go to coast for a while, I picked the nearest, most easiest one to get to and went down for the day.
Southend on Sea isn’t one of the most prettiest beaches in the South East of England but it has lots of amusements and a long stretch of sand to enjoy. The view upon arriving was lovely; clear blue skies and a warm, bright day.

Southend

Southend has the longest pier in the world and I thought this would be a good place to start. The pier is 1.3 miles long and you can either walk down or take the tram that runs back and forth. I decided to walk and see if I needed a ride back if I was too tired. The view along the pier was beautiful, and I really enjoyed the walk, although it was a bit cooler with the sea breeze becoming stronger as I got further out. There were also lots of benches along the way in case you wanted to stop for a rest or just enjoy the lovely view.

On my walk up I saw several fishermen with their rods, I didn’t see any of them catch any fish but I’m sure they must have caught some later.

The ‘reward’ for getting to the end of the pier was a restaurant if you wanted a nice lunch and a refreshing drink, a viewing platform and the Lifeguard station.

After a taking in the view and visiting the gift shop I decided to walk back, I wasn’t tired and knew I would enjoy the walk over taking a tram ride. As I walked, I passed the fishermen still patiently waiting for a catch and watched as the coastline got closer and closer.

Once back on mainland I stopped for a quick lunch before heading down to the beach. As I walked along the sand I stopped to watch the waves and dip my toes in the too cold-for-a-swim water. There were other people out too but it wasn’t busy which was nice. The sand at Southend is a mixture of sand, pebbles and seashells. There were lots strewn along the water’s edge, washed up and left behind by the endless tides. I was chuffed to spot an unopened oyster shell which seemed to still have oyster inside.

Further up I spotted some colourful boats sitting on the deck in the bright sun.

In the late afternoon, I dusted off the sand from my jeans and out of my shoes and strolled back to the train station and home. I don’t have the opportunity to go the coast very often but I always find it so calming and relaxing. Being by the sea on a warm, sunny day with a cool breeze seems to give me peace of mind and the beautiful, sparkling water is the coolness my eyes long for and just what I need after a trying time in the city.