Corfe Castle Village Christmas Lights

Monday 29th December 2014

It was a definite effort this evening, leaving the warmth of the house for the freezing cold frosty conditions in the village of Corfe Castle but we did it!  The Christmas lights in Corfe Castle are always brilliant but this year there seemed to be even more so we had a wander around and tried to take photos. These photos show that we could have done with a tripod (not something we possess!) as we couldn't keep still enough.  The cottages looked really cosy and welcoming on such a cold night with their Christmas decorations and lights but we didn't walk far, it was just too cold.

The centre of Corfe Castle Village facing the Bankes Arms.

Corfe Castle lit up in the background behind the Greyhound pub.

The castle from another spot, eerie.

Back in the centre of the village, facing the National Trust shop with the Nativity scene in front of the Christmas tree.

The Nativity, it's been something of a tradition to stop off in Corfe and have a look at this for many years now!

The National Trust Shop.

Then it was back  to get warmed up and for a drink of hot chocolate (worth going out for!), incidentally it was -5C when we got back to Swanage at just before 8pm, brrrrrr.

Studland Beach

Monday 29th December 2014

It was a cold bright and sunny day so having earned a break we chose to have a 4.5 mile walk along Studland Beach and back to the Middle Beach car park.  This was obviously a good idea, walking off the Christmas excesses, as many other people had chosen to do the same thing, most with dogs.  

Looking back towards Old Harry Rocks,

and as a speck in the distance!

A lull in people!

A closer look at Old Harry Rocks.

We turned round and headed back into the sun.

Oh go on then..........if I must!!!  & leggy shadows.

More shadows, looking towards Bournemouth in the distance.

Back near the car park there was a thatcher making a fantastic job of a new thatch

The sun was beginning to set,

and this friendly robin decided to come INTO the car and search for food.

A lovely walk, it was just a shame there were so many people about!

Christmas Lights and Shop Windows in Swanage

Wednesday 24th December 2014

With most of the preparations for Christmas done and with a few minutes to spare I am just posting a few photos of Christmas in Swanage.  Over the last couple of months we have got to know Swanage very well and at this time of year it is lovely, quiet and cold rather than crowded and hot (or rainy) as it is in the summer!  The shopkeepers make a fantastic effort with their shop windows and as I did last year I have taken photos of a few.  

The Christmas tree, next to the station.

Lights in Station Road.

Happy Christmas!

Family Christmas Walk and Picnic 2014

Saturday 20th December 2014

Our family met up today for what is now an annual Christmas walk and picnic which also included duck races and welly wanging.  We had three fairly chaotic duck races followed by lunch and hot drinks then on to welly wanging (throwing a welly boot as far as possible).  I have to say I was rubbish at this, I let go of the welly too late and threw it backwards, there's always one........

The racers, pose for their PR shots.

And they're off.

No ducks were hurt or lost during these races, all were accounted for and rescued at the end!

The racers in their finishing positions, right to left!  Mine funnily enough came last (far left!)

Welly wanging.  

A good time was had by all (I think!), eventually the cold took hold and we had to abandon the three legged and egg and spoon races.  Simple things and all that!!!!

Worth Matravers and Winspit

Friday 19th December 2014

We had a pleasant but fairly muddy walk today from the village of Worth Matravers in Dorset out to the coast at Winspit.  It was unusually warm today so the sheepskin gloves were very much over the top and surplus to requirements.  We've had a bit of rain lately but I didn't think it would be enough to make it soggy and muddy underfoot, how wrong can I have been!  We walked the mile or so down to the quarry on the coast at Winspit, where there were quite large waves rolling in and crashing on the rocks below.

The duck pond at Worth Matravers............

.........with three rather lovely residents.

Just along the lane we bumped into this friendly festive little robin.

The impressive disused quarry at Winspit, for info look here

The quarry buildings taken into the bright sun.

In amongst the rocks of the quarry was this carved head, very creepy I thought.

The waves were quite epic (for this part of the coast anyway) but as usual the photo doesn't really show how large they were.

Looking towards Durlston in the distance.

Nice, I'm happy with this one, nothing else to say about it!

Looking back at the quarry.

We then walked on along the coast a bit before turning inland and squelching our way through fields of mud.  For the first time in a long while we did some geocaching, we successfully found four caches on our route of just over 3 miles.  Then it was back to Worth Matravers, a lovely village, where we once more admired the ducks, well, it would have been rude not to!

Gunwharf Quays - Christmas Lights

Sunday 7th December 2014

This post is not in any way nature related but it is an observation!  We had little choice but to visit Gunwharf Quays last Friday evening as we are running out of free evenings to be able to Christmas shop!    We were there  just after 5pm and left around 8 and I was very pleasantly surprised by how quiet and relaxed it was.  The Christmas lights were lovely so I took a few pics on my phone, they aren't great but you get the idea - nice!  

Very out of focus tree with the Spinnaker Tower sneaking in top right!

Old Harry Rocks

Monday 1st December 2014

It's been a while since we've been out walking so it was good to get out today and wow was it windy and cold! We walked from Studland to Old Harry Rocks, it was dull and grey but I'm sure on a clear blue day the views across to Sandbanks and Bournemouth are fantastic. 

Proof that it was windy!!!

Old Harry Rocks.

According to the information board in the car park, Old Harry rocks are chalk stacks made from compressed remains of tiny sea creatures.  The stacks may be names after Harry Paye, a Poole pirate.  He led raids along the coast of France and Spain in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, capturing ships loaded with wine, olive oil and jewels.  This headland marks the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and is the youngest in geological time. For info on the Jurassic coast see http://jurassiccoast.org/

And Old Harry Rocks from the other side!

Looking towards Durlston Head at The Pinnacles.

Studland, the South Beach.

Back in the car park is the Studland New Hygienic Bathing Machine!

, not something you see everyday!  Used by the National Trust for membership enquiries