Author Topic: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble  (Read 2310 times)

Mel

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TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« on: 22:53:14, 14/06/20 »
Woke up this morning with a real feeling of foreboding that I just couldn’t shake.  You know that feeling you get when you’re told sudden, awful, shocking news?  That feeling.  Except I’ve not had any sudden, awful, shocking news. 
 
After checking with family and friends that everything is okay, I check the news to make sure there’s not been some earthquake, volcanic eruption, or other natural disaster killing loads of people, I’m still puzzled as to why I’m feeling like this. Even checked my bank balances to make sure nobody had been in and pillaged them overnight.  Nope.
 
I did a bit of yoga to chill me out a bit.  I did a bit of housework to undo that.  Designed my garage window replacement – still not 100 percent happy with the design so my doodlings continue. 
 
Nope, still got that sense of foreboding. 
 
I decided to check the tide times and go for a mooch on the beach to look for more sea glass and small flat pebbles for another stained glass creation.
 
As I headed to Withernsea I noticed I couldn’t see the tops of the wind turbines at Burton Pidsea.  The closer to the coast I got, the less the visibility got.  A sea-roke was rolling in pretty quickly.  I decided to drive more cautiously in case my feeling of impending doom was connected to something that would happen to me. 
 
I had a little drive around Withernsea to see what was what and where I could park.  Anywhere apparently but Withernsea’s still closed.  This dashed my hopes of an apres-walk fish and chip supper.
 
Out of the car and I headed “up” the prom with the idea of going to the last set of steps down to the beach.
 
Along the prom there are a few info boards:
 
 
 
 
 
My views of Flamborough Head robbed by the fog:
 
 
 
I headed down the last steps and onto the beach to head back.
 
Mandatory pic of the groynes doing their thing:
 
 
 
Not that impressive at low tide really!
 
One good thing about a sea-roke is that you can’t see the offshore windfarm  O0
 
 
 
View looking at my journey ahead:
 
 
 
I kept spotting a sea monster dipping in and out of the fog:
 
 
 
Staring out to sea in the fog gives you snow-blindness!
 
This made me smile:
 
 
 
As did this:
 
 
 
As is often the case walking along this beach, sometimes the sand is high enough over the groynes in certain places to just walk over them, other times, it’s not and you have to go up and down the pebbles and steps to get round them.  Today, it was the latter.  My legs got a good work out! 
 
At the final set of steps before civilisation is abandoned I had a decision to make.  Go up to the promenade and walk back or carry on along the beach knowing there’s no steps up the cliffs from this point on.
 
 
 
I carried on along the beach.  Low tide had just happened so I had about 3 or 4 hours before the sea would reach the cliffs again. Though it can get a bit hairy as some of the little coves can get cut off, even when high tide still has a way to go.  I’m always mindful of this when I head up this bit of beach as a clamber up the muddy cliffs really is not fun if you get caught out (there’s a knack to it, that’s for sure).
 
Arty-farty pic of some bladderwort:
 
 
 
I used to love popping this stuff as a kid.


The cliffs, though not high, are no fun to climb up when the tide’s lapping at your ankles:
 
 
 
Visibility seems to be improving:
 
 
 
… not!
 
My camera’s struggling to focus on anything!
 
The sea monster again:
 
 
 
It looks much closer now and I could actually hear it.  I do believe it is dredging shingle from the sea-bed.  Not sure I agree with this practice… marine ecology and all that.
 
Pretty soon it disappeared off into the fog again and just being able to hear it seemed eerie.
 
Obviously some low tide rich pickings to be had:
 
 
 
I decided to walk as far as the first pillbox.  Once upon a time this was up on the cliffs.  It’s now a fair old way from them!  Sometimes you can get near it and even have a bit of a poke around in it.  Not today though.  The ever changing sands had created a nice moat:
 
 
 
I decided to turn back here.  Although I wasn’t doing this walk for the views (good job really!) I was mindful that some of the sandpools were filling up with water again meaning the tide had turned.  You can hear the difference too with the sound of the waves.
 
This is what I’d have to clamber up if I got stuck:
 
 
 
Doesn’t look bad does it?  It’s boulder clay and slippery as  :-X
 
These cliffs are the reason the sea is the colour it is. Further up, towards Flamborough way where the cliffs are chalk, the sea can be a milky white.
 
I reached the steps again and headed up them onto the prom.
 
Another info thingy:
 
 
 
My car’s parked near pier towers so I knew I was nearly done.
 
I’m not quite sure what measuring tools they use round here but this is definitely NOT 2 metres!:
 
 
 
Giant random iron crab.  Fog’s in again too!
 
 
 
Especially for pdstsp, here is Teddys Nightclub now:
 
 
 
Gone.  The blue hoarding around the site has some interesting pics of Withernsea’s history. Sadly there’s a load of graffiti on the pictures which spoils things.
 
A final view across Valley Gardens towards “muggies” the row of amusement arcades that “mug” you of your hard earned cash.  It seems strange seeing them closed.  They’re normally all lit up and noisy.  Quite sad really.



 
I got back to the car and emptied my pocketful of “treasure” out.  Got a decent amount of clear sea glass, one opaque pebble but I may have to return that as I think it will be too thick, and a couple of normal pebbles with interesting patterns on them.  I say pebbles, none of them are bigger than a 2p or thicker than a quarter of an inch apart from the opaque one.
 
Beachcombing is definitely the thing to do when the mist is down.
 
I still have that sense of foreboding though.


I'm now going to crawl under a pebble until the feeling has passed.


Thanks for reading  :)


 
 

richardh1905

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #1 on: 08:17:00, 15/06/20 »
A very atmospheric walk, Mel - the pebble flowers made me smile too!


Dredging close to the shore doesn't seem like a very smart idea on a section of coast that is eroding so quickly.
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rural roamer

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #2 on: 08:29:06, 15/06/20 »
Nice report and pics Mel. I was a bit worried for you when you carried on along the beach bearing in mind your sense of foreboding.  :-\ But then I thought you must be ok as you’d written the trip report  ;D  I’m visiting my mum in Felixstowe this afternoon so may have a little stroll along the prom, though it’s been pretty busy there by all accounts.

pdstsp

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #3 on: 09:59:11, 15/06/20 »
"At the final set of steps before civilisation is abandoned I had a decision to make.  Go up to the promenade and walk back"


Surely you had already abandoned civilisation just by entering With?


Thanks for the picture of Teddies - had a couple of cracking nights in there in the 80s, spent with a similar feeling of dread as you were feeling  :)


Hope the dread has gone, Mel, my elder daughter used to get this quite often, though she doesn't mention it any more so hopefully it has passed.

andybr

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #4 on: 11:01:58, 15/06/20 »
A very atmospheric walk, Mel - the pebble flowers made me smile too!


Dredging close to the shore doesn't seem like a very smart idea on a section of coast that is eroding so quickly.


If it erodes much quicker the lighthouse will soon be on the coast  :) . Withernsea is a strange place. The last time we were there we were walking down the prom into town when a small boat sped up and on to the beach and the passengers jumped out and ran inland as quickly as they could. A few minutes later a couple of vans full of armed police officers appeared. They ran down the beach, checked out the boat and then left. We never found out anything else about the incident and most people just seemed to ignore it. We live by the sea and are used to the more dubious seaside occupations but this was particularly surreal.

Dovegirl

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #5 on: 11:27:07, 15/06/20 »
Good TR Mel    :)    Looks very atmospheric. I think coastal walking has a fascination whatever the weather.

pleb

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #6 on: 13:44:50, 15/06/20 »
Sea-roke? You made that up, didnt you?  :-\
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

GnP

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #7 on: 14:16:15, 15/06/20 »
A very misty report there Mel . Liking the pebbles and piles of stones ..Lovely
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

Ridge

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #8 on: 18:30:08, 15/06/20 »
Nice atmospheric report Mel.
Pleased nothing came of your sense of foreboding.

April

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #9 on: 19:57:11, 15/06/20 »
Nice report Mel, love the moody, misty shots  O0

I sometimes get that feeling of dread too, it isn't nice  :( Hope you are feeling better now.

I have never heard of sea roke either  :)
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karl h

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #10 on: 21:14:03, 15/06/20 »
Another lovely and interesting Melliemooch O0
Those piles of stones reminded me of a family holiday to Lyme Regis where they had a grumpy professional stone stacker who was trying to charge people for taking photo's of his creations. I seem to remember he wasn't having much luck and received a few comments back  ;D

beefy

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #11 on: 22:51:15, 15/06/20 »
Nice one mel O0
Sea monsters are going on the banned list  :D
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

barewirewalker

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #12 on: 12:21:05, 16/06/20 »
Nice report Mel, love a sea-shore wander, sadly my nearest bit of coast is out of bounds as the Welsh border is in the way. I have a folder of over a 100 photos from one such walk, no landscapes nearly all closeups, of the kind you call 'arty-farty', yet the lighting for them was fantastic and this walk taught me to look closer for subject matter, you may have a bare landscape but close underfoot so much interest.

When we finished, I measured over eight miles all in bare feet of aimless wandering. Love your bladderwrack shot, having sat through endless presentations, when I was on a county council committee with stereotype Powerpoint slides, I so wished that the boring old pharts and phartesses would have taken arty-farty shots in their spare time to give the presentations a bit design.
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Mel

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #13 on: 18:09:57, 16/06/20 »
A very atmospheric walk, Mel - the pebble flowers made me smile too!

Dredging close to the shore doesn't seem like a very smart idea on a section of coast that is eroding so quickly.


Cheers.  I agree about the dredging.  You never know though, it could have been some sort of coastal/marine management thing going on  :-\


Nice report and pics Mel. I was a bit worried for you when you carried on along the beach bearing in mind your sense of foreboding.  :-\ But then I thought you must be ok as you’d written the trip report  ;D  I’m visiting my mum in Felixstowe this afternoon so may have a little stroll along the prom, though it’s been pretty busy there by all accounts.


Cheers RR.  Hope you enjoyed your stroll along the prom  :)


"At the final set of steps before civilisation is abandoned I had a decision to make.  Go up to the promenade and walk back"

Surely you had already abandoned civilisation just by entering With?

Thanks for the picture of Teddies - had a couple of cracking nights in there in the 80s, spent with a similar feeling of dread as you were feeling  :)

Hope the dread has gone, Mel, my elder daughter used to get this quite often, though she doesn't mention it any more so hopefully it has passed.


Haha! You've got a point about abandoning civilisation entering With  ;D


I've got some pics somewhere of the inside of Teddys.  I also seem to remember my mum finding the pics and playing up holy hell with me... I guess I was under-age and had probably lied to her about my whereabouts.  Think I was grounded for a month or so  ;D


If it erodes much quicker the lighthouse will soon be on the coast  :) . Withernsea is a strange place. The last time we were there we were walking down the prom into town when a small boat sped up and on to the beach and the passengers jumped out and ran inland as quickly as they could. A few minutes later a couple of vans full of armed police officers appeared. They ran down the beach, checked out the boat and then left. We never found out anything else about the incident and most people just seemed to ignore it. We live by the sea and are used to the more dubious seaside occupations but this was particularly surreal.


Ain't that the truth about the lighthouse  :D


The boat/police thing might have been a training exercise ... could explain everyone's lack of interest  ???


Good TR Mel    :)    Looks very atmospheric. I think coastal walking has a fascination whatever the weather.


Cheers Dovegirl.  Yes, coastal and beach walking guarantees a different walk each time  :)


Sea-roke? You made that up, didnt you?  :-\


Nope.  But your question did make me google it... apparently it's a local/East Yorkshire dialect thing  :)


A very misty report there Mel . Liking the pebbles and piles of stones ..Lovely


Cheers G&P  :)


Nice atmospheric report Mel.
Pleased nothing came of your sense of foreboding.


Cheers Ridge.  Same here.


Nice report Mel, love the moody, misty shots  O0

I sometimes get that feeling of dread too, it isn't nice  :( Hope you are feeling better now.

I have never heard of sea roke either  :)


Cheers April.  I still have the feeling though  :(


Another lovely and interesting Melliemooch O0 
Those piles of stones reminded me of a family holiday to Lyme Regis where they had a grumpy professional stone stacker who was trying to charge people for taking photo's of his creations. I seem to remember he wasn't having much luck and received a few comments back  ;D


What a good idea.  I'm going to charge everyone for the privilege of looking at my pics of piles of stones.  I reckon I'll be able to retire next week  :D


Nice one mel O0 
Sea monsters are going on the banned list  :D


Cheers beefy.  Though hold off on the banned sea monsters.  It might have been a friendly one.


Nice report Mel, love a sea-shore wander, sadly my nearest bit of coast is out of bounds as the Welsh border is in the way. I have a folder of over a 100 photos from one such walk, no landscapes nearly all closeups, of the kind you call 'arty-farty', yet the lighting for them was fantastic and this walk taught me to look closer for subject matter, you may have a bare landscape but close underfoot so much interest.

When we finished, I measured over eight miles all in bare feet of aimless wandering. Love your bladderwrack shot, having sat through endless presentations, when I was on a county council committee with stereotype Powerpoint slides, I so wished that the boring old pharts and phartesses would have taken arty-farty shots in their spare time to give the presentations a bit design.


Cheers BWW.  I was concentrating on under-foot wanderings looking for pebbles and sea glass.  I wasn't bare-footed though!




vghikers

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Re: TR: Withernsea - beachcombing bimble
« Reply #14 on: 18:23:28, 16/06/20 »
What a grey day!. Plenty of interest in the walk though and I like the fossil posts.  O0

 

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