“You Can’t Keep A Good Brit Down”

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. REPEAT IF REQUIRED

This morning we drove to New Milton to buy Jackie a bag to carry her overnight stay requirements for our trip to Bicester tomorrow. We then continued to Friars Cliff where we brunched in the Beach Hut Café.

Beach huts

There are two rows of beach huts there – one on the promenade above the beach level, and the other further down. These colourful buildings brighten such areas.

Dog walker at Friars CliffThis dog walker had probably made his way from Avon beach, curving away in the distance..

Silhouettes and shadows

Long shadows were evident even just before midday.

Clouds, sea, gull

A gull perched on a post catching what warmth there was from the sun piercing the clouds.

dog on beach

Dogs frolicked

Walkers and dog on beach

and their owners

Dog walkers on beach

crossed each other’s paths

Dog walkers on beach

on the sand.

Beach huts, women outside one

At one end of the lower level of beach huts

Women at beach hut

sat a couple of women, so well insulated from the chill air that Jackie cried “You can’t keep a good Brit down”, which they appreciated.

Gulls in shallows

On the way home .we diverted to Mudeford

Mudeford harbour

where gulls paddled in the shallows at low tide.

Boats, one overturned

Of the several boats

Beached boat, another overturned

tethered or grounded

Boats, one overturned

in the harbour one was overturned.

Rowing boat and yachts

Others fronted the moored yachts

Sky, Mudeford, boat

and the quayside buildings.

Twig on sand

Branches were spectacles on the sand.

Starlings on crab pots

On the sea front’,

Starlings, crab pots, buoys

having missed the boat that was stocking crabs on the van for Brixham,

Starling on crab pot

hopeful

Starling on crab pot

young starlings,

Starlings on crab pots

gathered

Starling on crab pot

for possible treats;

they would have enjoyed the great slabs of Spanish omelette that Jackie conjured from the seemingly entire contents of a greengrocer’s stall bound by the massed clutches of multiple brooding hens. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the malbec.

 

 

68 comments

  1. Like that quote by Jackie! 🙂 Yepp, “you can’t keep a good Brit down!”
    Lovely, candid shots from your outing, Derrick. Wishing you an easy drive to and a good time in Bicester!

  2. There’s no such thing as a Brit, we are either English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh; 4 distinct countries,
    I get most annoyed, upset, even angry if anyone has the temerity to call or refer to me as a Brit.
    ,
    I am English. I am NOT a Scot, or an Irishman. I wouldn’t object to being a Welshman as I do enjoy singing.

    Just as an Irishman or Scot would be insulted to be referred to as an Englishman!

    Thank you for spoiling my day!

      1. Yes I am a Brit and proud of my heritage, So many people are combinations of the 4 countries in these sceptred isles that I am sure they would take issue with your statement Brian.

      2. Where was she born? That is what she is, well thats the way I look at it.

        I mean lets face it if she was born in France she would be French not a ‘Brit’ it wouldnt make any difference what her parents of grand parents are/were.
        All my children are Australian. Their father may be a pom their grandfather was a pom but they’re not ‘brits’ by any stretch of the imagination

          1. Then they really are English, just like their granddaddy, to my mind.
            Their birth certificates will look pretty much like yours and mine I’d imagine and when the time comes to apply for a passport they should have no problems getting a UK passport;

          2. They’ll appreciate the English/UKs passports when the time comes. I know my children were very happy to have a Pommy father when the time came to start their world travels.

      3. “If I was born in a stable it wouldn’t make me a horse.” as the Duke of Wellington replied when someone referred to him being Irish just because he was born there. 🙂

  3. I wonder how many readers would get the pronunciation of ‘Mudeford’ correct first time!?
    PS I’m very happy to be a Londoner, English, British and European. They aren’t mutually exclusive to me. But, hey, each to their own petty prejudices. For one thing, despite the name I am in no way French!! I have mine all neatly packaged!!

  4. That was an exceptional seaside sojourn. The beach huts look like a flattened rainbow; the framing is exceptional. Boats in various states have bared their souls to your camera. The ‘good Brits’ chilling out on the patio of their abode have responded well to Jackie’s greeting. What does the prohibition of our canine friends from visiting the beach between May 01 to September 30 mean?

    1. I think the dog ban is because that is the peak visitor period and owners are often not particular about excreta and animals shaking water all over strangers. In fact, it is often ignored. Thanks very much, Uma.

  5. I do love those beach huts–just the look of them and the fact people put enough supplies in you could almost live in one. It looks quite cold!!! And the birds perched on the fisherman’s netting are charming. Thanks for the tour of your day.

  6. You certainly can’t! Do give plenty of waves to Oxfordshire from me tomorrow and travel safely. We are all over yellow alerts for ice and snow here and my mother (in Oxon) said it is bitterly cold there too. One more thing …. Jackies tortilla sounds epic! Toodlepip

    1. Epic it was, Osyth. We are going on on Saturday to meet Louisa and her family in Melton Mowbray. They will drive down from Nottingham where the delight in snow. Thanks a lot.

  7. Oh, you plucky Brits! Wonderful collection of photos. Can’t really choose a favorite, but I am always a sucker for frolicking dogs.

  8. Achingly long shadows for midday! Great photos – and love Jackie’s comment! 🙂
    I’ve missed a few posts but will try and ‘catch up’! 🙂 Your photos and commentary draw me back!

  9. Hello! You two have the nicest adventures. What a completely fabulous area. Every photo has such character, I now feel as though I really did visit. The beach huts are charming! I’d have a hard time deciding on what colour to make mine. Looks like it was a day to bundle up but the draw of the water, birds and sand makes it worth the while. I hope the birds finally got rewarded for their patients, I love watching the birds. Tootles to you and your ‘culinary queen’ 😀 (that made me laugh) xB

  10. Been a very long time that I have heard, read or seen pictures of Beach huts Derrick, I recall seeing very old family postcards depicting these Huts, ones I saw always were comic and showed elderly buxom ladies or humorous comic beach scenes.
    Enjoyed your post mate.
    Ian

  11. I just loved the pictures of the sea and all the miscellaneous accessories you find around the beach. Are you near an area called pebble beach near seven sisters? The seven sisters is the formation of a cliff overlooking the sea and there is seven sections to it. These clips must be 100 feet high and I have a fellow Instagram or who lives there and she posts pictures on a regular basis of her view by the sea and include the seven sisters. She might be along the channel. I’m not explaining myself properly because I’m not familiar with a lot of your terms in the area so I apologize for that. I think she lives in an area called Sussex, if that helps. Let me know because I would like to let her know about you. I think she would enjoy your writing And photos.

  12. Your starling photos and the one of gray, black and white photo with the quayside buildings in the background were awesome, Derrick! Those birds with tiny speckled feathers entranced me!
    Jackie’s words were clever and a quick, positive response! ?

Leave a Reply