GRUMPY SISTERS' INK

Since leaving Brighton, the weather has not much improved, though it is warm enough. We haven't had to resort to thermals just yet. The trip down was smooth and uneventful as you may know. The country lanes still defying the onslaught of traffic, the bus coming within inches of ancient cottages as it negotiated the villages designed for slow horse and cart and for traffic not for the motorised vehicle! After settling into the cottage, tucked behind the cream shop (also sells beach side souvenirs) cheek by jowel with other like cottages - we walked the high street, getting in some vital ingredients like tea and milk and sussing out what else was happening in downtown Beer. Little boats were hauled up on the stones, brave souls sitting on deck chairs or out on the sidewalk by the two beach cafes. No be swimming, though the sea was smooth and flat. A little disappointed to find the cottage did not have wifi, but we went Over to the pub that did have wifi and used their network as well as enjoying a great evening meal and glass of wine. The are us known as the Jurassic Coast. It is England's first and only World Heritage site. It offers a unique insight into Earth Sciences- the rocks that make up the site record 185 million years of the Earth's history. The website gives a much fuller idea of the history we are walking around. Seaton is a walk away, but bit up to begin with. This day we trekked over, accompanied by a chorus of crows.....they could be rooks or ravens, so we have to do a bit of research to finalise our naming. Then a walk along the beach as the road along the cliff top is no more....a rather larvae and slide has taken it away and out in danger the cliff top houses whose garden fences now teeter on the edge. The cliff here is crumbly and probe to falls. The beach walk took a bit longer as we stopped to fossick in the stones, wondering at the different compositions especially one that looked like amber or at least had that look. While the tourist information office was rue destination, this was closed so we took the opportunity for the Seaton Tram experience, after a cup of coffee and an Internet fix at the cafe. The tram was a lot if fun even though it was drizzling by now. We were sitting upstairs but didn't mind getting a bit damp. The line passed through a wetlands reserve and we were able to see many wetland birds as well as man rabbits as we clicketty clacked through. Colyton was the destination, a small village, that required a stroll through. Then back on the tram with our friendly and humorous driver, chugging back to Seaton. After this much history and nature we were brought back to reality with the need to get in some supplies, as there was nothing in the cottage. For a small seaside town it has one ginormous Tesco supermarket and across the road, a sizeable co op supermarket! Well, we got a bit carried away and our plans of carting the shopping back on the bus evaporated, and we damned the expense of a taxi.....worth it though, home in a flash! So a return visit to the tourist information centre the following day, details of a fossil walk to hand and a bus to Branscombe west along the coast. Still a minor adrenalin rush when the bus barrels along the lanes, once or twice having to back up to let something pass in a drive way or little lane. Deposited beside the Masons's Arms, highly recommended by a certain family member, we chose not lunch. There was a vintage motorcycle rally going on in the streets and the quiet was punctuated by the throb a clutter of their engines. Having refuelled majestically we set off, first to explore the village, then to find the path by St Winifred's church. This took us up to the ridge then we descended from the cliff top to the estuary then up again....we opted for the under cliff walk. Through the caravan park perched in the edge if the cliff, overhung by other cliffs, then following a winding stony path with views the east and west under menacing cliffs where seagulls wheeled in and out of their nest, past elemental stone structures formed by wind and weather, up to the cliff top and down back to Beer. Suffice to say we had an early night after that!! Sorry photos will follow later...use your imagination!!