to the sea, to the sea

I’m really not a winter kind of gal. I love Christmas, and I’m quite partial to soups and stews, but I can’t stand the endless dreariness, the drizzle-soaked days and the darkness that creeps in without fail by 4pm. I miss the sunshine, the outdoors and the open spaces; gentle breezes and balmy evenings spent watering the plants. I miss nature. So we did what anyone else would do in January – packed the car with blankets, tea and biscuits, donned a gazillion woolly layers and set off to the most beautiful beach on the South Coast.

It was cold. And by cold, I mean finger-numbing, bone-chillingly freezing; the wind whipped viciously across our faces, leaving our cheeks blush-red and eyes streaming. We found a patch of shelter on the porch of a beach hut, hoping that the owners wouldn’t mind us camping out for a few minutes, and poured steaming tea into plastic beakers, arming the littlests with straws and encouraging them to simply sit for a few minutes.

We passed the time wandering, running, whooping; aside from a few dog walkers and some fairly intrepid kite-surfers braving the icy waves, we were the only people for miles. We picked a good day for our expedition; after a while the sun appeared, dancing on the water enticingly, but doing nothing to thaw our frozen faces. Eventually, the familiar winter-drag set in; the beach in the colder months just doesn’t hold the same kind of endless appeal as it does in the Summer. Beach-combing finds nestled deep in my pockets, flasks packed into backpacks, we set off back towards the car, hungry for lunch and further adventures.

(All photos taken on my iPhone and edited with the simply fabulous VSCO Cam app.)

15 Comments

  1. claire
    January 27, 2014 / 9:05 pm

    And you had the beach almost entirely to yourselves!!! Lovely!Claire xx | somewhere… beyond the sea

  2. Polly Davies
    January 27, 2014 / 9:17 pm

    oooh these photos are perfect. I love the beach, even in winter…. I'm in need of a trip soon!

  3. Erika Lee @ A Tiny Rocket
    January 27, 2014 / 9:29 pm

    It has been so cold this year, hasn't it? I'm ready for spring too.PS your kiddo is pretty adorable

  4. fritha strickland
    January 27, 2014 / 9:55 pm

    those beach huts are simply stunning! wonderful photography as always! xx

  5. Gill Crawshaw
    January 27, 2014 / 10:13 pm

    Ah, so lovely! Where on the South Coast were you? My parents live down in Bournemouth and it's so nice down there. We were thinking of moving but it's too far a commute for our jobs. We'll have to make do with visits…

  6. Lori | Wild and Grizzly
    January 27, 2014 / 10:37 pm

    Lovely pics! A girl after my own heart with christmas and stews but not the dreary days of January, but the call of the sea is oh so great x

  7. Mim
    January 28, 2014 / 9:18 am

    I think I'm with you on winter; it has some fun elements but the cold, wet and lack of light can do one!It looks like you all had a great time at the beach 🙂

  8. Lemon
    January 28, 2014 / 1:37 pm

    Looks like a lovely beach. I am also with you on not being much of a winter fan. I live by the sea and it's nice to go for a walk when the sun is shining and everyone is wrapped up but you can't beat a summers day in my eyes! Katy x

  9. Jess @ Along Came Cherry
    January 28, 2014 / 8:22 pm

    Gorgeous pics! I hate Winter too, well especially this part of Winter. I love the cups you are drinking tea out of! x

  10. Circus Queen
    January 29, 2014 / 10:57 pm

    For someone who doesn't love winter, you make winter look good!

  11. LandGirl1980
    February 1, 2014 / 12:04 am

    Fantastic photos 🙂 I can almost feel the freeze on my chops. I am a BIG fan of going to the beach in Winter. Love, love love it 🙂

  12. Jenni
    February 1, 2014 / 9:46 pm

    This actually looks like a lot of fun, such a beautiful beach and the tea and layers look wonderfully cosy.

  13. Globalmouse
    February 2, 2014 / 8:39 pm

    Absolutely gorgeous photos. I loved this!

  14. KatGotTheCream
    February 11, 2014 / 3:52 pm

    Completely with you on winter but these photos still make me want to head to the coast (just for the sight of cheery beach huts). Might have to book a trip to Norfolk pronto. Lovely post my dear! Also, I fear i am already out of touch as I haven't even tried VSCO app.

  15. abigailemily
    February 18, 2014 / 9:22 am

    sounds like the best adventure! I actually think I prefer beaches in winter, especially if you have a flask of tea to keep you warm!

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