Tags
beach, Brancaster, sand, sand patterns, seaside, seaweed, shells
To mark my birthday I usually ask that we go for a walk together. The weather at the beginning of September is often warm and hazy and we always see plenty of dragonflies, which pleases me. This year, to ring the changes, I decided to ask for a family trip to the seaside which was acceded to with enthusiasm. So much enthusiasm that we went to Dunwich and Southwold as a taster and hors d’oeuvre to the main course. I then remembered that Mum loves the sea and hasn’t seen it for two or three years and so felt guilty. I arranged to take her to Dunwich Heath the day after my birthday treat.
I left the choice of beach to Richard as he had kindly offered to drive us there. He plumped for Brancaster on the north Norfolk coast which is about an hour and three-quarters drive away. He said we should have lunch in Fakenham on the way and I agreed!
This was our first view of the beach with the sea some distance away. The sun was shining brightly but there was a strong north-westerly breeze blowing so as usual I was pleased I had brought my jacket.
This effect was caused by the wind on the sand.
You can also see the sand blowing across the beach on this picture.
It was a lovely afternoon.
Even when the sun disappeared behind a cloud and the tide began to come in it was still a good afternoon.
I love the patterns on the sand.
A warm pool in which I saw tiny fish and shrimps.
I wonder if the limpets were living on the crab shell before it died. The shell at the top of the photo is a cockle shell.
Once the tide starts to turn it is advisable to get as close to the sand dunes as possible as quickly as you can. The water races in and if you are stranded on a sand bank it is not very pleasant! There is a ship-wreck on one of the sand banks which attracts a lot of people and the channels of water are warm to paddle in. It is easy to lose your sense of time here. Three children have died on this beach in the last ten years.
I cannot identify this bird. It may be a female wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe). It behaved like one, running about on the sand and through the grass catching insects. I just couldn’t get near enough to it.
I found some Sea Buckthorn with berries.
Altogether, a perfect day!
Thanks for visiting!
tootlepedal said:
Not crowded out with visitors then. Happy birthday a bit belatedly.
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you. We had a struggle trying to find somewhere to sit!
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Cynthia Reyes said:
Happy belated birthday, Clare. It’s so like you to take your mother out the following day. I like your pictures. Who knew a beach could yield up so many interesting pix? Happy birthweek, month and year.
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you Cynthia! My mother was happy to visit the sea locally with just me rather than going a long distance and getting over-tired.
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Julie said:
We’ve been to Brancaster beach for my birthday a few years ago and the sea was as far out as in your photos Clare, we seemed to walk and walk before we could dip our toes in the water. And many years ago we stayed at the little caravan site there, it was our first holiday together, your post has just brought back some lovely memories. Looks as if you had a lovely birthday, triple trips to the coast. I love your sand and shell photos, I could spend endless hours looking down there is always to so much to discover.
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you Julie! I’m glad it brought back good memories. I much prefer beaches that have interesting things to find.
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Gallivanta said:
What could be better for a birthday than beaches. Many happy returns to birthdays and beaches. 🙂 I hardly ever think of Britain in terms of beaches, which is silly of me, considering Britain’s island nature.
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clarepooley33 said:
I can understand that! When most people think of beaches they imagine sun and warmth – tropical, Mediterranean or other beaches nearer to the Equator than us. We have some wonderful beaches around our coast but for most of the year we have to wrap up warmly when visiting them! Thank-you for the birthday greeting!
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Gallivanta said:
And you have the wind-blown stinging sand that we get here, too.
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clarepooley33 said:
Oh yes!
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Jill Weatherholt said:
Happy Belated Birthday, Clare! A day at the beach is my kind of birthday. Your photos are beautiful. I’ve never seen a such an expansive beach.
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you Jill! I love these beaches very much.
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quietsolopursuits said:
Add another belated Happy Birthday Clare from me. What a great day at the beach, I loved the patterns in the sand and the wildlife as well.
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you very much Jerry!
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New Hampshire Garden Solutions said:
If that beach was here there would be so many people on it that you couldn’t see the sand. That’s the way our Hampton Beach is all summer long. Our tides don’t take the water out anywhere near that far though. Amazing that they come in so fast.
I like the photos of it, and the blowing sands.
Happy Birthday!
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you Allen! It is busier during the school summer holidays though not as crowded as beaches nearer to towns get. We like to visit when most of the visitors have left!
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New Hampshire Garden Solutions said:
I don’t blame you!
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clarepooley33 said:
😀
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dobetteralways said:
Looks so lovely there!
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clarepooley33 said:
It is! It was a little windy and not very warm the day we went but so peaceful and beautiful.
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greytabby1 said:
Clare, How lovely this was to visit such a beautiful beach and a very happy belated birthday too! It really is stunning there and I can’t believe the expanse of sand…it seems to go on forever. Really beautiful! Its so lovely to learn about a different part of England that I am not familiar with. Glad you had such a lovely day!
Kate
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clarepooley33 said:
Thank-you Kate. Some of East Anglia’s beaches are very sandy and extensive but also windy and cold at times!
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Draws Shoots and Leaves said:
Lovely photos as usual. We are so lucky to have the north Norfolk coast so accessible to us and so unspoilt. Interested to see the Sea Buckthorn as I would not have been able to identify it myself, I believe the berries are edible. Did you try them?
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clarepooley33 said:
Thanks Sue! No I didn’t try them but I have heard that they are edible too. I follow a blog written by a woman from Canada http://floweryprose.com/ who has brought out a Kindle book of Sea Buckthorn recipes!
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Jane said:
Happy belated birthday, Clare! I usually ask for the children to do a special walk with me somewhere on my birthday too. It’s one of the few times of the year we are all together. Thank you for this lovely collection of beach shots! I really enjoy the sand patterns, rocks, shells, seaweed, driftwood and other oddities I find on the beach and it’s nice to feel the sand between my toes. 🙂
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clarepooley33 said:
Thanks so much Jane! We all find the beach so relaxing! If my youngest daughter is having a lot of trouble with her anxiety we take a trip to the sea and she feels better very quickly. 🙂
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Jane said:
Anxiety can be very crippling and it’s hard to watch a loved one experience it. I’ve had my own issues in the past and I know that my walks and visits to the sea help too. x
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clarepooley33 said:
Many people can’t understand why my daughter can’t do certain things and think she is making a fuss about nothing. This attitude only makes her worse as she becomes embarrassed as well.
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cindy knoke said:
I love the vast spaces and the details in the sand….
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank you very much, Cindy. It’s one of my favourite beaches though it can be very windswept and cold at any time of the year!
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