Thursday 25 February 2010

LYME REGIS

Thank you SO much for all the birthday wishes. It made me really happy to read them along with the wise words about turning fifty. I liked the Scattered Gardener's advice to 'embrace your inner crone'. Love it! Be assured I'm planning to do just that.

I spent the day very happily with family and friends. We had Sunday lunch which lasted well into the evening and ended with us crying with laughter. Great day.

Did all of you who partake in half term have a lovely time? We took a little break in a village just outside Lyme Regis in Dorset. Son was in Spain with the school, so it was just the three of us.

Here is the harbour at Lyme:



And here are the very colourful beach huts:






The cottage we stayed in had a thatched roof and a lovely feel about it. The kitchen full of china in blues and white, stripes and spots. There were lovely patchwork quilts on the beds and a very welcome pile of Country Living magazines on the bedside table:


The cottage was directly opposite the church. I mean, this is how close we were:



(That's my daughter twirling around).

This was the view from our bedroom window. Sorry about the quality of the pic. Don't know how that happened. Let's call it 'atmospheric':




My brother (who's a bit squeamish) said he would have turned around and gone back home, but being opposite a churchyard didn't bother me. The neighbours were quiet and the only time we were disturbed was during the bell-ringers' practice evening. It was LOUD!

As my daughter and I are monkey fans, we took a trip to nearby Monkey World:






The monkeys are all rescue animals. They have fantastic playgrounds to amuse themselves on:





This image is a hands-on exhibit to help the visually impaired get an idea how the monkeys look. I think it's a great idea and have only seen this once before, in Edinburgh castle where there was a hands-on replica of the Scottish crown (much nicer than the English one):

The resemblance to Roddy McDowall is amazing, don't you think?

Lyme Regis is world famous for being a Jurassic coastline and therefore very popular with fossil hunters. We spent a happy couple of hours searching for fossils:

The gray section of cliffs that runs across this next picture was actually in the middle of a landslide as I took the photo. It's a regular occurrence and many new discoveries are exposed after this happens:





The fossils here are so common, some which are on larger rocks have been left on the beach for all to see:







We had a really lovely time. Just what we needed. There were also some lovely shops in the High Street. Of course we did the charity shops, found a shop which sold hand-made hats (purchases were made!) and also a shop which, although wasn't a branch of Cath Kidston, sold so much of her stuff, it might as well have been. I managed to find that CK blue and white polka dot dressing gown that is sold out on the Internet. Did I buy? Of course I did!

Happy days, everyone!

Blessings,

Andi xx










6 comments:

  1. What a quaint little place, it must have been lovely to hear the bells ring (I have a thing for church bells) all your photos were great including the "atmospheric" one. xxx

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  2. The cottage sounds delightful, what an idyllic little place to spend a few days.

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  3. What a lovely cottage,just the sort we like to stay in.I went to Lyme regis a few years back,but it was heaving...it was August bank holiday.Would love to go back out of season.Do remember there being a very good antique/collectables shop there,near the cobb.

    Bellaboo :o)

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  4. Looks wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it! Suzie. xxx

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  5. That looked like a lovely half term. I don't think I've ever been to Lyme Regis The cottage sounded delightful.
    x

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  6. I went to lyme Regis for the first time ever last year - and I absolutley loved it - seems like you and the family did too!

    I can definitely see myself living there...or maybe I've seen 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' too may times! ;-)

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