To The Sea @ Heysham

Me and the Sea, the Sea and Me, we are very good friends. And like all good friendships there is sweet sorrow when we are parted. I think of our friendship often, and cannot stay away for too long or else a sadness sets in. A sort of melancholy which can only be lifted by a reunion.

The last time the Sea and Me got to hang out together was on my Birthday last year, the 12th October. So more than a third of a year ago, cripes no wonder I've been pining like a love-sick teenager! No wonder I've been feeling slightly deranged and desperate for a reunion, it's been far too long!

So last week sometime, I decide I can take the separation no longer and I hatch a plan. I have a little looky on the internet and try to figure out where I can persuade my family to go which won't involve hour upon hour of car travel and won't deliver the type of kiss-me-quick rundown tacky English seaside resort that I am not keen on. And I hit upon the little village of Heysham.

From internet-information it looks like just the thing :: quirky, quaint, ancient, small village shops, a large expanse of beach, an ancient ruined church, no amusement arcades, no candy floss. I can ignore the fact that there is a huge, ugly power station nearby. I can ignore the fact that there are huge, ugly commercial shipping docks nearby. I can ignore the fact that it is only a hop and a skip down the road from Morecambe (which I have visited before and found depressing)

So on Sunday the first day of March, ten am and we set off. We estimate one hour and twenty minutes to drive to Heysham. It rains as we drive, it is grey, cold and not very nice looking as the rain spatters on the windscreen. Yet miraculously, as we get nearer to the coast the sky clears and sunshine appears as if it has been ordered. We cheer, well I do any road, J and the Little People are quite non-plussed about the whole trip but I am jubilant and quite over excited.

There is always going to be a slightly tense moment when one arrives at an unknown destination with such high hopes. Will it be OK? Will it provide us with a top-notch family day out? Will it delight, will it provide joy and happiness? Will it make us some Good Memories?

I am delighted to report that yes, Heysham did all of the above.

It was fabulous! A near deserted, picturesque, charming little village. A loooooooong sea front with a promenade stretching as far as the eye could see. And  a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge stretch of sandy beach, also pretty much deserted except for one or two couples and a dog.

Onto the sands we go, it's breezy and fresh, chilly even, but bright and energising, and oh just perfect! I can't tell you how happy I am to be beside the sea again.

The boys go off to search the rockpools for fish and crabs. Us girls are slower, scouring the sands for shells.

I am so blissed out. I turn my face up to the sun, out to the distant horizon, along the shoreline, down to the ripply sands. I hear the cry of gulls, the lap of waves and the shouts of my children as they run, discover, share, enjoy.

The tide comes in fast in Morecambe Bay. It literally races in like a horse. So when J notices quite suddenly that the tide is indeed racing towards us at quite an alarming rate, our playtime on the beach is cut short. But no matter, it's pretty much lunch time anyways.

Now usually we are a family of picnickers. We set off on any outing with a bulging rucksack containing all the food and drink we might possibly need for the day, with the exception of ice cream. But for this trip we decided to Splash Out and instead of slightly squashed sandwiches and an apple, we go for the Pub Lunch option. Such luxury! Luckily for us, Heysham has a most delightful pub, an exceptionally old (many hundreds of years) building, with low beamed ceilings and a large open fire. And very, very good food. It was quite simply a delicious lunch.

After the pub, we set out to explore a bit of Heysham Village. We walk up past St Peters Church perched precariously on the cliff top, it's grounds smothered with purple crocus.

The path winds up through some trees and emerges out on the open cliff where the ancient ruins of St Patrick's Chapel look out to sea.

I love cliff top scenery. Love the yellow of the gorse flowers against the blue of sea and sky. Love the way the grass always seems so green and springy on cliff tops, love the open-ness and breeziness, the views of the horizon, the expanse of it all.

There is a little wooden bench up here, so J and I sit a while with a flask of coffee and some chocolate and watch as our Little People explore. They run, they shout, they hide and seek amongst the chapel ruins. Its joyful to watch, it expands my heart, makes me feel full-to-bursting.

From the cliff tops we meander down through a small woodland. I love the light here, the play of sunshine and shadows. And I love the fresh greens of newly emerging bluebell shoots and mossy rocks.

 

Down from the little wood and back to the village, we stroll around the lanes....

....admire the little rows of cottages....

....the beautifully planted and decorated seaside gardens....

 

....ancient buildings and beautifully coloured front doors.

Heysham is turning out to be everything I hoped it would be, and I find myself delighted by it all.

Even the benches are quirky and charming in Heysham.

Yes, there is great spirit here in Heysham. You can feel it in every nook and cranny. In the wide open seascape and the intimate little lanes. In the ancient buildings and the quirky details.

We shall be returning soon, I can already hear it calling to me. And the Little People demand it too. There's trouble persuading them it's time to go home, they simply don't want to leave. They clutch their found shells and ask quite matter of factly if there's a hotel where we could stay, so we can wait for the tide to race back out again and return to the sands for more.

Soon, we will surely be back again soon.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[PinkCat]

Mr P and I really like Heysham too. We had a holiday in Lancs with my parents last year and had a good drive along the coastline. We thought Heysham looked lovely and quaint. I agree, it's a real contrast to Morecombe which seems like a ghost town now.

Bolton-Le-Sands is another lovely spot in that area and well worth a visit. Mr P had a sweet great-auntie who lived there and we had many lovely trips to visit her. Always a good bracing walk by the sea before a great big salad tea...or if it was winter a lovely homemade pie.

Thanks for 'taking' us on your trip. The bracing sea air has done my cold the world of good! x

[LYnne]

What a lovely day out you all had. I've heard of Heysham before but didn't know anything about it. It looks a lovely place.
We live a long way from the sea here in Sweden whereas from our home in Northuimberland we were only a couple of miles away. I always like to visit the sea. But I think I'll find it a bit of a trek to get to it from here!

[Helen]

It looks as though you had a brilliant day, what a lovely place, and the weather was beautiful too. I know just what you mean when you talk of your relationship with the sea. I have it too. I love, love, love, the coast and get the craving to just be there - you have to get there at all costs, don't you - almost like, whatever it takes, I need the sea NOW!Lcky you to have been able to satisfy your craving at the lovely Heysham. Helen x

[Dee]

What a simply delightful little town.
Makes me want to go off exploring around where I live, although I am sure there will not be anything quite like that :)

[Judy]

I was not disappointed...your pictures are beautiful. Thanks so much for the trip to the sea.

[Shelley in SC]

This was worth getting up early for . . . smile! The picture you took from the bench, while eating chocolate and drinking coffee, was food for the soul this morning. Such amazing heart-hurting natural beauty!

[Marie]

Looks like a fabulous day. It makes me wish I wasn't stuck in the office all day!

xMx

[Nina - Tabiboo]

Hello Lucy,

Heysham looks absolutely gorgeous, it's so lovely to see a different part of the coast. Even though we only live a ten minute walk away from our stretch of coast we never bore of it and take any opportunity to wander on down there!

Have you tried 'Country Living's' sister publication 'Coast'if you love the coast you might like this.

Thank you for popping by and saying 'Hello' yesterday, it was such a lovely suprise.

ta, ta for now,

Nina x

[Cat]

Oh Lucy - thanks for taking us with you on your seaside trip. As I guessed, pure bliss. *Sigh* - can't wait for our trip to the sea this summer. Happy days.

[noelle]

hi lucy, looks like you had a great time at the sea! luckily for me i live right here by the sea in St.Ives and monday we went just a bit further towards Lands End to mousehole(mouzle) another favourite place. pics on my blog. It is a lovely place full of quaint little cottages, galleries full of arts and crafts from local artists. absolutely beautiful!!!!! you'd love it!

[jeane]

cant believe my luck, im first here today to comment, kekeke.
woWWWW, luv the scenery very much, it is so relaxing, bet who wouldnt want to go back again.