RSPB Arne

 

For various reasons I suffer at times badly with anxiety, which is massively heightened in environments

with a lot of people.

Yet stood at the welcome desk of RSPB Arne where Juliet created me welcoming me to the site, 

she had an incredible ability to put me at ease.

She asked about my trusty crochet bag that I made and be so interested to learn about the blogs I write. 

I found myself happily chatting away and sharing the information on the mindful TikTok I create of me 

crafting in as many places as I can and sharing my passion for the outdoors.

 

So thank you Juliet for making the trip a much more relaxed and great day out with all the tips you gave me

of  area's to go. Although I did not even manage half of where I wanted to go, so shall have to have a revisit.

 

Part of my reason for wanting to visit was due to watching BBC Springwatch 2024 Everything you need to know for many years.

 

They chose RSPB Arne as a base for a year and it just looked incredible. 

 

 

I do love to have a variety of pictures not just all colour as sometimes seeing things in black and white I find just highlights the details more.

 

I loved the moss growing on this tree stump.  To me it just looked like a minature forest somewhere in Canada!

 

Foxglove's are such elequant flowers I think. 

One of the routes Juliet suggested was going to the Shoreline.  

I am so glad I did as what a place.Round Island Cottages I love the names of the three cottages.  Pier, Curlew or Sandpiper Cottage.

 
Brownsea island National Trust ferry to the island is from Poole harbour booking information, at time of me writing this Adults £14.50 and child £6.

 

This is where I sat and ate my packed lunch I had made.  It would have been lovely to just sit for a couple of hours and soak up the location.

However I had an hour's drive back to campsite and the site shut at 4.  So I  made my way round past the dragonfly pond.  

Oh my goodness aren't dragonflies just the most incredible insects to watch.

 

 Then it was on through the Big Wood which was welcome shade.

All around the site I used the Merlin bird identifying app.  

Such a brilliant free app, I can not rate it highly enough to just listen to the birds and watch it identify them. 

 

I of course had to stop off again at Hive beach, but this time turned right to just sit and enjoy the beach.

 

It was eye opening to see the recent erosion that had happened to the cliff face and more worrying that not 50 yards from the cliff face two people where just lying sun bathing and if the cliff face eroded, they may have been in real danger. 

 

I wanted to try and give a sense of scale so show how high the cliff is.   

 

Although the beach is almost all shingle, there are a few bigger rocks and I just loved this one that looked like a heart. 

 

One of the things I love about the sea apart from the rythmical sound is just watching as the waves crash in.  If you look closely at the gap before the wave breaks you can see the calmness of the water beneath.  

 

I also love to look on Google maps to get a bearing of what the area is in the distance and save the image to compare to what I am looking at.

So before heading back, just a few more rounds on the sock!

Barrington Court National Trust

On my way back home from my trip to Dorset I stopped off at  Barrington Court.  A National Trust property I had not been to before.

Originally built in the 16th Centurary, but sadly left to become partly derelict until Colonel Arthur Lyle bought it in 1920's.  

Colonel Lyle was the grandson to the sugar empire Tate and Lyle.  Undertaking the huge restoration project using salvaged panelling, fireplaces and staircases. 

 

Unfortunately the house is shut for the foreseeable future while they carry out resortation work. 

 

The garden's are made up of differnt area's some of which were originally designed by  Gert

I loved this painting, by Cherryl Fountain of the kitchen garden.

It is not the "normal" type of painting that you see in a National Trust of this calibre but I thought it was just perfect. 

I find it hard to ever relax, but just standing there watching this damselfly laying its eggs was just mesmerising.

Trip to Hive Beach and West Bay in Dorset.

 

Day two of my break I wanted to leave the van at the campsite and head out for a walk.  

The warden on the site was so helpful and printed off a great clear map, pointing out the landmarks to watch out for.  So off I headed to West Bay. 

I do love noticing the small details, like this sign above someone's front door.

  

It's been quite a while since I last visited a harbour.  

I do find them great places to "people watch" and just take in the views. 

These moveable sauna's seem to be becoming ever increasingly popular.  I mean what a view to enjoy one in!

It is so nice to know that West Bay is still an active working fishing harbour, aswell as for general boats.

 

I will cherish this short time I spent on the coast path watching the magical display of the paraglider's.

Just the sound of the waves below and the peace and calm of them flying above was truly magical. 

I did of course find a lovely little spot to sit and do a little crochet.  

Although not for long as it was rather warm!

It was very warm, so it was only right I treated myself to an ice cream I felt!

I then walked back to Hive beach and just sat and enjoyed the early evening views.

 

I finished a square I was working on.

 

 

So I moved on to some socks I was working on.  I mean you must always have a project on the go! 

I was really happy when I looked at my Strava to see how far I had walked.

 

It has been a long time since I walked this distance and loved every minute of it. 

 I did treat myself to one beautiful print which was just perfect in so many ways. 

 

It now has pride of place in my bedroom, along with a unique picture I brought back from my last visit to Yarndale in Skipton.