Dorset :: March 2024 (part 2)

At the start of March I spent a few days down in Dorset, renting a holiday apartment in Weymouth so that I could visit my Dad, but also take some time to recharge and enjoy a short holiday. I travelled with a good friend and we had such a lovely time - you can read  Part 1 of my Dorset tales in my previous blog post ((here)).

Staying in Weymouth was really great, I LoVeD being so close to the sea and our first floor apartment was in a fantastic location with floor to ceiling windows and views out across the harbour. 

I am an early-to-bed-early-to-rise person and when I'm on holiday my body clock remains pretty consistent. In early March the skies were just starting to lighten around 6am and I was very happy to naturally wake up at this time in the morning to enjoy the early daylight. I promised myself that if the weather was clear in the mornings, then I would make the effort and get myself outside onto the beach to catch the sun rise over the sea. It's one of my all time favourite things to do, so on Sunday morning when I woke up to a very crisp and clear sky, I was up and out the door at 6.40am when the moon was still hanging above the rooftops. 

I strolled around the harbour and straight down onto the sandy beach....

....where it was still and quiet and oh-so-tranquil.

At five minutes to seven, the sun peeped over the horizon and I strolled along the shoreline watching and waiting for the Full Rise.

Ahhh, there it is, at 7:06, the promise of a gloriously sunshiny day ahead. I was soooo happy that I kept my promise to myself and gave myself the gift of a seaside sunrise. What a joy!

I spent a while idling on the beach, then eventually made my way up to the esplanade to slowly meander back to the apartment. That rather grand building in the above photo is the Royal Hotel which opened in 1899. I really do love the slightly faded grandeur of seaside resorts, there is something so charming about these old buildings with their many decades of history.

One thing I didn't know until this recent visit is that Weymouth has its very own microclimate. Because it is situated in an east facing bay, it's much warmer and drier than the surrounding areas. Don't be fooled by that tropical looking palm tree (although isn't it impressive?) - on this morning the temperature was only slightly above freezing, so very chilly indeed.

Spring had definitely arrived on the south coast at the start of March, and despite the cold air, the glorious sunlight and delicate blossom more than made up for the chill.

I enjoyed exploring some of the smaller side streets at this early hour before many people were about, loving the quaint and olde worlde feel of the old buildings and bowed windows. In the summer months, these little streets are absolutely jam packed with hoards of holiday makers, so it was really lovely to get the chance to see it out of season.

A bit later on Sunday morning, and here we are back at our local café again, enjoying the sun on our faces as we took in the harbour views over a delicious frothy coffee. Absolute pleasure, right there. It's almost ten o'clock now so we must drink up because we have somewhere to be and people to meet and we can't be late....

....we have a date at this very lovely little place right at the end of the Esplanade. This is the charming Alexandra Hotel, and this gorgeous, light-filled room was soon to be bursting at the seams with an excited crowd of yarn lovers.

WOW, just look!!! This was a very last minute get together organised by the "Friends of Attic24 : Dorset" Facebook group. They meet in various locations in West Dorset, and on this occasion very kindly worked the gathering around my visit to Weymouth. I think this was by far the biggest turn out with around thirty of us all chatting and hooking and enjoying some Attic spirit. I had been a teensy bit nervous before hand because I really don't like being the centre of attention at all, but everyone was soooooo lovely and the atmosphere was incredibly bouncy and uplifting  which made it very easy for me to relax and enjoy the morning.

Just outside the hotel there is a small fairground with a few rides aimed at young children. This old fashioned carousel caught my eye because of all the glorious colours, look......

.....isn't it beautiful??

Inside the hotel there was a spontaneous idea which sprang to life like wild fire - what about we all take a ride on the carousel, and what about if we all take our crochet blankets with us and add even more colour to the whole proceedings? A good idea??? Shall we???? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Load, Ride, Play!!!

Oh, it was BRILLIANT!!!

Such good spirits..... 

....and a lot of fun for me to see my crochet designs out in the wild in such an unexpected way. Love love love love love.

What a wonderful, uplifting, slightly emotional and very happy time I had with my Dorset crochet gang. I loved it, and felt so grateful to be surrounded by so much friendship and good vibes. HUGE thanks to the lovely Sandra (wearing the bright pink tee and sitting front right) for organising and rallying us all to the Alexandra, truly a very memorable time.

I thought I would show you a map ↑↑ just in case you have no idea about Weymouth and Dorset and were curious. You can see it's down on the south-west coast of England, and how the curve of the coast puts Weymouth bay in an east facing direction even though it's on the south coast. You can see the Isle of Portland connected by a very narrow causeway, and the long thin stretch of chesil beach to the west which is separated from the land by water. It's a wonderful coastline, and in the future I'd really like to spend longer down there, with time to explore Portland. I've been there before in years gone by, as a child and also once or twice with J, but I'd love to go back and really spend some time walking and exploring.

On Sunday afternoon after the crochet meet was over, my friend and I decided to take a walk around the coast. The weather was really bright and gorgeous still, and the blues of the sea and sky were breath taking.

We walked for a few miles following the South West coast path, stopping off  at this near deserted beach called Castle Cove.

On the horizon you can see the Isle of Portland stretching out - I feel it calling to me for some reason, like I need to make the journey to go there? I get these strong feelings from time to time, like my soul is being pulled to be somewhere. 

It was such a lovely walk, we made it as far as Sandsfoot Castle and gardens which has a very popular little café with a super-sunny terrace and outdoor seating. What a treat to be able to enjoy this sea view with an afternoon cup of tea and biscuits before slowly re-tracing our steps and walking the 2.5 miles back again.

It was 5.30pm by the time we arrived back at the harbourside, the sun had just set and the early evening light was beautifully calm and tranquil. 

A very busy and long day, and my heart was full.

Monday morning, and almost time to pack up and begin our long journey back north again. I decided to take one last walk along the beach even though it was quite grey and cloudy out, I just couldn't resist the pull of the shoreline when it was right there just minutes away from my bed. 

I made it onto the beach for 7.30am....

....and spent a while beachcombing and ambling along, lost in my own thoughts for a while. The day before had felt like an Enormous Day with a lot of high energy expenditure, and as an introverted soul I always feel the need to recalibrate and reset after a big social event. The sea worked its magic and I slowly felt the return of my inner calm. It's such a lovely thing to be able to take solo time when I need it and I am thankful for these pockets of quiet time I can create in my days when I need them.

 We had to leave our lovely cosy apartment by 10, so we spent the morning exploring some of the historic parts of Weymouth over on the other side of the harbour. Lots of old buildings and small cobbled streets and up on the headland the impressive Nothe fort. I have some childhood memories here - my grandparents really liked Weymouth and I remember often coming with them to picnic in the Nothe Gardens in my summer holidays.

It was a chilly, overcast end to my time in Dorset, like the weather was making my goodbye easier. One last stroll round the harbour and a coffee with a beautiful boaty view before it was time to slowly make our way homewards on the train. 

It was a really good holiday this one, and more than anything I'm really happy (and relieved) that I was able to feel like I was on holiday in Dorset for the first time in years. Thank you for coming along with me, and an especially big thank you to those of you who left a comment on my last post {Dorset part 1}. You are so kind to share your own stories with me, it has helped me feel very supported and understood as I navigate this rather sad journey with my Dad. Thank you so, so much for that.

Dorset Spring 2024 - it was wonderful.

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Comments

[Jan]

Hi Lucy , I’m new to your blog. Everything you have written here sounded so familiar to me ! I am from Poole originally but live in Lancashire. My lovely dad also has dementia and is in a care home in Poole and I regularly do the 600 mile round trip to spend time with him, and luckily still have our family home to stay in when I do. We spent many happy summers in Weymouth as my grandparents lived there! Sending much love you you and you dad xx

[Arif Bahrudin]

I appreciate you sharing this blog post. Thanks Again. Cool.
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[Ann Duke]

Beautiful photos Lucy....I can see another theme for a blanket maybe.
So sad with your dad, but your acceptance of how he is now is so right. The biggest thing is that he is now SAFE! And cared for in all his most basic needs and you can visit and just be with him to enjoy moments, without the worry of everything as a carer.
Sending love, light & strength xx

[Julie]

If this comment is posted in the wrong place then sorry, I wasn't sure how else to get in touch. I've bought a granny square book from Amazon which when it came was quite clearly made from copies. It contains how to make your summer, harmony,and Leo squares. All taken from your patterns , words and photos. This I assume infringes copyright law. The book is Granny Square Crochet. I just thought you should know.

Julie,

[Crocheting Wombat]

Hi Lucy, what a fabulous post. I love love love the pictures on the carousel. Could you tell me the name of the blanket in the second carousel picture..looks like a granny square pattern..... ?
Thank you x

[Carole Caple]

It was lovely to meet you when you visited Weymouth. I was also quite nervous but everyone was so nice and friendly that I soon forgot about being shy and quiet.
I'm looking forward to making even more of your creations now.

[Gwen]

The journey of life, with all it's twists and turns. Definitely not for sissies. Glad you had some time to recharge! Lovely sea photos.

[Wendy Bassett]

Thank you for a lovely trip down memory lane, Lucy. Having been born in Yeovil, most of my summer weekends were spent on the Dorset coast. We could go to Weymouth on the train 🙂 🚂 but West Bay was my parents' favourite.

[Charlotte]

So pleased you were able to really appreciate the glory of Dorset and share your holiday with friends, too. The crochet carousel photos were a brilliant idea, saturated with wonderful colours and just exuding 'FUN!'...wish I was there! Cx

[Debbi Robertson]

It's always such a treat to find something new from you, Lucy! I've been eagerly anticipating "Dorset, part 2" and it was as fun to read as I figured. Your words and your beautiful photographs have provided the perfect start to my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to put it together and then share with us.

[Kate Buckley]

What stunning photographs, Weymouth is certainly going on my list of places to visit. I'm glad you managed to have a good time in spite of the sadness of your dad's situation.

[gina in alabama]

For some reason, I am feeling ... Carousel Blanket!!! I love seeing your pics of Thomas Hardy country. I have a few of his lesser well-known novels left to read. I save them for days when nothing else appeals.

[Lizette]

What a lovely pictures and i like the way you share your thoughts. I like crochet too and thats how i found your blog a few years ago. I am from the Netherlands and read your posts now and than. My brother in law lives in Dorset (Bournemouth) sincealmost 10 years and we are going to visit him next month. Its been 5 years since we were there, and i would love to visit Weymouth too but i dont think we will have time for that... The most West point of the Southern beach where i have been is Durdle door/Lulworth cove. I should go and see the sunrise at the beach one day, in the Netherlands the sun goes down in the sea :) Greetings!

[Kate]

Hi Lucy, just came back from our first ever trip to Portland yesterday! If you go don't miss Touts quarry.. like a treasure hunt for sculpture. Our 20-something kids loved it.
We also visited e-bike cafe on your recommendation.. excellent! (Our AirBnB was beautiful, called Stonemasons house, really characterful.)
Happy Easter hols! x

[Jacqui]

Oh that meet lookrd so lovely he he and on the carousel what fun.
Beautiful photo's

[Angela]

How absolutely lovely Weymouth looks with the lovely old and colourful buildings! That's one of the things I just love about England, is the history and old architecture! I feel like my soul belongs in England but sadly I'm over on the other side of the world!🌏 However we will keep having trips over to satisfy my yearnings! We've only been once so far but there should be another coming up in the near future 😊

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful trip with us. Whenever you share your comings and goings I always feel like I've just had a wonderful holiday in England even if it was just 5 minutes!😂

I'm also so glad that you are feeling like you can relax, have fun and actually have a holiday in Dorset now!

Wishing you all the best Lucy! From me! 🦋🌻💕🌸🌺🌼🪻🌷💐