Tag beaches

Falmouth

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I recently went on a trip to Falmouth (Cornwall), Tobermory (Isle of Mull, Scotland), Stornoway (Isle of Lewis, Scotland), Torshavn (Faroe Islands), Akureyri (Iceland), Isafjordur (Iceland), Reykjavik (Iceland), and finally Dublin (Ireland). It was a fabulous and fun trip interspersed with funny and exciting events which I plan to share here (rather than just boring facts about the places) through a series of blog posts. So here goes…

Falmouth

The beautiful Cornish coastline welcomed us as we cruised towards the River Fal. I had forgotten what a beautiful, lovely area Cornwall is. Falmouth is the gateway to the River Fal and is known for art galleries and maritime heritage. The area also has some fantastic beaches, shops, pubs, restaurants and known for natural beauty and ideal for walks and family activities. As well as all of the above, it has the world’s largest natural deep-water harbour and is the country’s first and last port.

We spent a wonderful day exploring the harbour, independent galleries, shops and of course, pubs. Of course, we spotted a world famous pasty shop and had to have one. It was delicious!

View of Falmouth (the arty pic. lol)

BEERWOLF BOOKS

This pub had been recommended to us and I can see why. It is a pub with a book shop inside, which is my idea of bliss. People were reading, playing chess, and drinking some amazing beer and perusing the books.

After visiting the above, we had a quick look around the local art gallery, some more interesting shops and galleries and then into another cool pub with copious amounts of beer. By this time I was feeling jaded so settled for a coffee. We gleefully spotted an empty table outside and plonked ourselves down. It was then, I spotted a tiny canvas bag by our table. I was just starting to have thoughts about it being a bomb, when a bloke appeared grumbling under his breath and so we quickly made noises about how we didn’t realise it was his table. We truly didn’t. He then gave us permission to sit there anyway. Jolly nice of him. Looking back, I think he left his bag there to reserve the table and then went and got a drink because he wasn’t in the bar when we were getting our drinks. Flipping hipsters.

I turned away to watch the even happier people in the cool cafe opposite only to see two aging hippies proudly showing off their hairy armpits. Oh joy.

We finished our drinks and walked back through the town towards the beaches and took some great photos of the pretty coastline. An enjoyable start to the holiday and here is a picturesque view of Falmouth during the evening back on the ship. The next stop was Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland.

Falmouth

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Broadstairs…

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The summer is drawing to a close and it is always a good idea to squeeze a few mini breaks in as you can while the glorious weather remains.  Sometimes it is a worthy notion to explore a place you haven’t visited for a while and so Broadstairs became the obvious choice.

The drive through Kent takes about an hour and a half, especially if you attempt the journey during August.  But it is worth it.  Parking is ok for a start and then the day improves as soon as the first glimpse of the beach is spotted.  Broadstairs has seven sandy beaches and bays and the views are spectacular.

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Viking beach has everything for everybody, including beach huts, deck chairs, windbreaks, rides for children, cafes, a harbour and an impressive cliff top promenade that encompasses a band stand, café and park area.  As you saunter along the promenade you will come across cafes, pubs, art shows, gift shops and of course, Dicken’s House Museum.  This was the home of Mary Pearson Strong, who inspired the character Betsey Trotwood in Dickens’ novel, David Copperfield, one of my all-time favourite novels.

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The quaint buildings are a wonderful sight to behold and to be honest, I had forgotten how charming Broadstairs is with the distinctive architecture, independent shops, restaurants, pubs and nostalgic magnetism.

Also, the community spirit seems very much alive.  It has a great music scene (folk festival during a week in August), food and Dickens events during the year.

I really enjoyed a walk along the promenade looking at the enticing surroundings, then visiting the town and lunch in a café with a wishing well in it!  The food was yummy too.  After lunch wandered down to the beach and enjoyed the sun.

So what are the advantages of a day out in Broadstairs?

  • 7 sandy and safe beaches
  • Array of eateries
  • History (Dickens’ Museum etc.)
  • Quirky town (gift shops/pubs/restaurants)
  • Community (Friendly and has many events and festivals)

Really enjoyed the day out and feel Broadstairs is a celebration of a great day out enjoying some sea air.  No wonder it is known as the jewel in the Thanet crown.