A Few Ramblings…
Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
Overnight stay in Bournemouth – 11-12th April 2013
We enjoyed an excellent, if chilly, overnight stay down in Bournemouth.
I decided to take a couple of days off to spend with the family during the Easter holidays, culminating in a surprise night away in Bournemouth. We hadn’t even mentioned to the girls that I was having time off work, let alone where we were going!
Accordingly, Sarah and I packed bags and stowed them in the boot of the car on Wednesday evening.
On Thursday morning we were able to head off soon after 9am and the girls realised fairly soon into the journey that we were heading for Bournemouth.
We arrived in a somewhat bracing Bournemouth to scenes of change near the pier. Surprisingly, it had been over a year since our last visit and there seemed to be several instances of work being carried out. The old iMax cinema which had closed in 2005, had all but been demolished. The building is being cleared to reopen the sea views and create an open air space used to host outdoor events. There was further refurbishment work being carried out in the Winter Gardens.
First view of the pier
Plenty of space on the beach
New development by the pier
Heading back from the surf
We went down to the beach and enjoyed a walk along the pier, eating our picnic lunch while watching surfers tackling some impressive waves beside the pier.
Surfers at play
Looking back to the town
Afterwards, we walked down to the end of the pier and the girls chose various rides from those on offer.
Holly
Emily
Rebekah on the helter-skelter
Looking up the pier from the top of the helter-skelter
We walked down onto the beach for a while and the girls enjoyed playing on the sand. Afterwards we walked through the Winter Gardens into town to defrost with a hot drink in Marks and Spencer.
Another surfer
A sea of grey
The girls running back down the pier
Few signs of summer
Harry Ramsden’s
Mist in the air
Holly getting perilously close to the sea
Incoming tide
Holly after getting slightly wet legs!
Too cold and windy for the balloon to be aloft
Siamese twins
Emily about to do battle with a gingerbread man
Millionaire shortbread and hot chocolate
Retro Marks and Spencer images
Busy times for the teacake eaters
The sun had appeared during our time in the town centre and we had a walk along the sea-front before heading back to the car at around 4pm.
Palm on the beach
Bournemouth pier in the April sunshine
Not quite open for business yet
Blue sky and sea
Rebekah wanted to see where we had stayed when we were last in Bournemouth and this proved to be the ideal time for our surprise for the girls. We were able to drive to where the hotels are located on West Cliff and turn into the car park of one of them.
Predictably the girls had similar amounts of surprise and delight when it transpired that we would be spending the night in Bournemouth!
We checked in to the Mount Stuart Hotel and were told that we would be the only guests at breakfast so we could choose what time we wanted it!
Our room was typical of the hotels in Bournemouth: slightly passed its best, in need of a lick of paint and with somewhat elderly furniture. The main room contained three beds – a double and two singles. A further single bed was in an adjoining room which had had its door removed in an effort to incorporate it into the main room. There was a small ensuite bathroom which contained a toilet, sink and shower. The floor in various places was some way off being level, but it all added to the character of the building. It was perfectly serviceable for our requirements and we unpacked and got ready to go out for dinner.
We decided to head down to Harry Ramsden’s for dinner and enjoyed freshly cooked fish and chips before walking back to the hotel in the evening sunshine.
Harry Ramsden’s
Emily
Rebekah
Old lighting
Cod and chips
Holly
Holly with Tony
After a reasonable night’s sleep, we trooped downstairs to enjoy breakfast – served from a small bar in the hotel. Cereals were followed by a tasty, freshly cooked English breakfast.
Once we had cleared up and packed the car, it was time to head down to the beach again.
Part of our communal room
Blue sky above the pier
Looking down the beach
Waves coming ashore
Breakwater in the sea
The pier
All the family beside the sea
Emily in need of a trim
Holly and Rebekah playing
Sand castles
We managed to endure the chilly wind for some time while the girls played on the beach. Eventually we headed into town to refuel at Greggs before a final visit to the beach as the weather closed in, ahead of the return trip home.
Lego men in the foyer of Beales
Holly and Rebekah
Holly
Rebekah
The threatening rain moves closer
It had been a brief, but enjoyable break.
A walk in the Cliveden woods – 6th April 2013
Given that they’re so close to us, it’s surprising that this was our first visit to enjoy a walk in the woods close to Cliveden.
The car park is about half a mile up the road from the main entrance to Cliveden and the woodland connects the two, with excellent view at points overlooking the Thames.
It seems that there are three different circular trails that lead from the car park – we chose one of the easy ones.
There are a number of animal sculptures which the girls enjoyed playing on, as well as the natural wildlife to enjoy.
We’ll certainly return to see the woods during different seasons.
Click on any of the photos below to open up a slideshow.
A Few Ramblings... 