28th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A playful little breeze curls its way up the cliff face and winds along the paths. It sets the leaves on the bushes dancing and the dried grasses bending and nodding. This is the time of year when the Green seems to be holding its breath. Everything has grown to full height, the grass has been cut, the days are long and warm but here we measure the time in visitor numbers and, apart from weekends and half terms, they have not arrived yet. It is still a time when we have the town to ourselves. Crows and pigeons are in threes as parents escort their fvourite offspring around with them to learn the ways of the world. Younger siblings are left to fend for themselves and parents of juvenile gulls will have nothing to do with them once they are fledged. Except that the youngster will follow them around peeping plaintively. Greenfinches are back in voice and have added a cheerful little warble at the end of their wheezing notes.

From 28th June 2022

The boisterous breeze makes the leaves of the holm oaks rattle and hiss. The little waves race into the shore and throw themselves excitedly on the sand. The thistles stand tall with their purple punkish haircuts. There is just enough sun to b able to see the shadows of the gulls as they cross and recross the green. A greenfinch churrs. One of the language schools is having some sort of games day and the air is filled with dozens of voices and a patchwork of languages. The language schools are an important and welcome source of income although the students can occasionally forget their cans and bottles when they get together in the shelter of an evening. Pigeons coo. #bournemouth

From 28th June 2021

The strong sunlight dapples down through the tree branches making an intricate filligree pattern on the soft grass. The heat rises up from the carpet of pine needles with a delicious resiny scent. The sea is almost flat calm and silver blue reflecting the blue sky. The pigeons coo softly. The weather forecast says cloudy and showery all day. Hmm.

Later

Despite what the weather forecasters promised, the afternoon was made of hot sun boring down from a clear blue sky. But now the grey clouds have rolled across leaving a bright band on the horizon which casts a dull yellow light over the wrinkled sea. The evening breeze has a stuffy feel to it and there is a hush around the Green as though everyone is waiting for something to happen. Thunder grumbles away in the distance. Time to go in.

From 28th June 2011

Lovely sunny day but a bit breezy. Postpone swimming until either a) the breeze drops or b) it pours with rain and I can retire indoors

From 28th June 2010

I wondered why it was so quiet. They have shut the road because of a burst water main. Lovely summer evening.

27th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

The dawn sky is overcast and flat. But looking closer the cloud cover is made up of a myriad of different textures, bubble and streaks of different shades. Overhead there is a broad band of mackerel sky while to the west there are streaks and washes of a brighter white. The colour is provided in single objects, the bright yellow of and Evening Primrose, an emergency flare which obviously brightened up someone’s evening. A birthday balloon, a traffic cone and a beautifully arranged collection of bottles. In the fresh morning air there aronly one or two joggers. A stooping young man in a loose, dark coat and long dark hair. A branch has split off one of the sweet chestnuts either through being swung on or purely from the weight of summer foliage. Pigeons seem to like to be in threes today and little bands of juvenile gulls swoop and swirl as they try out their new flying skills.

From 27th June 2022

Despite the earlier deluges which have left dark puddles at the side of the paths, the warm sun and blustering breeze have dried out the grass sufficiently for pinickers to have spread their blankets to enjoy the afternoon warmth. The sea practises to deceive, While it makes a low growly, roaring sound the waves are only about waist high. All mouth and no trousers. A scruffy juvenile magpie is experimenting with the world to see what's under here. And here. And there. Trying to understand where food comes from. An efficiently athletic looking runner is doing what looks like some unspeakable painful stretches with his leg on the clifftop rail. I fear he is not going to remain an elite athlete for long with that torture. A builder from a nearby site holds three cans of coke in one enormous hand,. It's all a question of scale, I guess. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #June #summer

From 27th June 2019

he sticky heat of earlier in the day has been whisked aside by a fresh, almost chill, breeze. It has harried the sea into a continuous sibilant hiss. But it also means the air is crystal sharp and clear. From the cliff top I can see all three lights to the East. The bright pinprick of Hurst Spit, the comforting red glow of the Needles and the firework flare of St Catherine's. Between them are the vertical red strings that make up the TV transmitters at Rowridge and Chillerton on the Isle of Wight while to the South a small cargo ship rides at anchor and a smaller craft busies itself guarding an undersea cable..

26th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

Puffy white clouds and a little breeze. The day is warm. The bay is thrilled by the choppy little waves racing up and down. The beach is largely empty on this monday morning and is raked clean and flat by the tractors and litter rakes. On the cliff top the sweet pea flowers are turning to seed pods. The waste bins are full before the waste collectors make their rounds but are remarkably neat and tidy. The blackberries are red and full. On the promenade something I’ve never noticed before - a door hidden behind the beach huts and leading to a stone tunnel carved into the West Cliff itself. Where does it lead? Presumably some forgotten smugglers’ lair. Out in the bay the Dutch sailing ship Ide Min lies at anchor along with a couple of general cargo vessels. The Ide Min is an attempt to bring wind power back to cargo and pasenger work. The Condor Ferry sets off for the Channel Islands in a flurry of spray.

From 26th June 2022

The soft evening light filters through the branches of the pines casting abstract patterns on the carpets of dried needles below. As sunset approaches the white rocks of Old Harry are lit up with a bright warm glow and little boats are caught in the illumination. Tonight the red hull of the fishery protection vessel Malin Sentinel stands out like a child's collage on the crumpled silver blue and bottle green bay. The evening huddle of gulls is made up of mostly juvenile Herring Gulls. They swoop and circle uncertainly. There is a strong wind but it is still warm under a canopy of blue streaked with high Stratus clouds. Pigeons coo from every side. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer ##june #sunset #malinsentinel

From 26th June 2021

The choppy little waves land with a satisfying bumb and sploosh on the beach. The ragged white sheets of cloud begin to tear apart and the south easterly drops. Suddenly it is warm enough for swimming. How pleasant, watching down through the translucent green water at the tiny network of ripples the sun makes dance on the sand beneath.

25th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A blue sky morning edged with mist on the horizon and decorated with broad bands of mackerel from time to time. A fresh breeze keeps the temperature bearable. On the beach the glassy green waves tumble in on the sand and the delighted little screams of bathers fill the air. One of the delights of the West Cliff is the little glimpses you get of the bay as you pass through the trees and then come to the steps down to the beach. The mallows are tall and at their best. In the hedge rows honeysuckle, bindweed and cleavers smother everything else. The day is broad and lazy.

From 25th June 2022

There is always a dip between the flowers of early summer and the High Summer Flora. Many of the early flowers have gone to seed with only mallows, cats ears, thistles and evening primroses making any sort of showing. It is the same with bird song and everything falls relatively quiet as most are busy fledging families. Many juvenile robins hopping on the path as well as young crows and magpies. The sky mirrors this liminal time. Overhead we have a clear blue with the sun shining down strongly and a few white fair weather clouds. But to the west are big piles of grey cumulus and to the East are layers and slabs of stratus. The sea is an inviting green blue but there is a strong wind whipping the surf up for the dudes with their boards. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #june

From 25th June 2021

The chalk stacks of Old Harry are lit up in a brilliant peachy light from the last rays of the sun. A few purple and orange clouds line the horizon with a lemony flavour to the pale blue sky. The wind has dropped but it still feels chilly. Voices carry with crystal clarity from the little groups that dot the West Cliff in the evening air. The sound of the punt punt punt of a football follows me indoors.

From 25th June 2010

An exciting new sensation... Trod on a weever fish on Bournemouth beach. Ouch that smarts.

24th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

The early morning clouds and mist are beginning to burn off by late morning. But then it’s replaced by a solid white haar that creeps across the bay, slides up the cliff and writhes its way among the tree tops. But the day is sweltering and on the green, half clothed bodies lie everywhere. More sensible people slide their collapsible chairs into the shade. A jenny wren sings loudly from the depths of the ivy that clothes the trunk of a pine tree. The round seedheads of crow garlic are more apparent than their seeds were. Two crows weave through the trees uttering deep gutteral noises. A lizard darts across the hot tarmac on the path right in front of my shoe.

From 24th June 2022

In a matter of a minute or two the pattering raindrops turn into a torrent. Puddles form quickly and the leafy branches of the sweet chestnuts are borne down with the weight of the rain. A fisherman sitting at the tide's edge with two rods cast out into the surf, turns his collar up, unmoving. The blue green bay is corrugated and a bold breeze presses in from the South East. Along the fence posts a family of crows sit hunched against the deluge. The youngsters looking dishevelled and bored in the way that juveniles of all species do. A blackbird flutes from within a bush. Pigeons coo. However hard they try, weather forecasters almost never get the forecast right. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #June #summer #rain #weather #forecast

From 24th June 2021

A quilted grey sky to the east. A chilly breeze but the sun manages to peep through warmly from time to time. It's a quiet morning, even the little waves are only making a brief slapping sound on the beach where a clock face of twelve yoga practitioners are welcoming the dawn. The birds are mostly in little families of adults and juveniles hunting for breakfast. Blackbirds, goldfinches and tits. It is the time for the bigger, blowsier flowers, ragwort and mallow in profusion. Long trails of blackberries reach out hungrily from the fence and across the path. A robin sings and a pigeon coos.

From 24th June 2012

They're late going home from the club tonight. never mind, the wind whirls their voices away to be lost altogether in the roar of the surf

23rd June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A hazy sky smeared with high white clouds. A fresh breeze keeps the sea sparkling and dancing and the dry grass on the clifftop bending before it. On the beach a circle of keep fitters jump up and down and do press ups. It is still hot and uncomfortable. A small white dog chases a pigeon that considers its position for a long time before languidly taking off. A trolley from Lidls has somehow managed to wander onto the West Cliff and is grazing in the long grass in the shade of a grove of trees and bushes. People stop as they always do at the top of the steps and take photos of the beach and sea below. Today, the clifftop flowers seem extra brightly coloured. The sweet peas, thistles, mallows. The blackberries are alive with bees and hover flies and skippers. A white throat sings from one of the bushes. The silence under the trees is broken by a chorus of blackbirds.

From 23rd June 2022

A quilted grey sky and occasional watery but warm sun. A smart little breeze. Dainty waves with lacey edges like a tea table set with delicate doilies. On the bay several small boats crowded with day fishers looking like some children's cartoon. The tractor pulling the litter picking rake on the beach approaches a lady who has already set out her towel. But she is not going to move and the leviathan has to describe a wide circle around her leaving her, presumably, sitting among the cartons and plastic debris on her own little island. On the clifftop, the teasels are very nearly flowering and the pink sweet peas have spread a good distance along amid the long grass. A few domestic pigeons have joined our flock of wood pigeons on the grass. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #June #summer

From 23rd June 2021

The bottle green sea is choppy and the little waves are being driven onto the beach by a brisk breeze. Just the day for flying a big yellow kite from the beach. The blue sky is smudged with big billows of cloud that blot out the sun from time to time bringing a sudden chill to the sunbathers. But in the sheltered places the day is warm enough. Last years fircones are raining down onto the grass making room for a new crop. Although on some pine cones will cling on for several years before giving. The new families of squirrels are having a field day with this bounty.

From 23rd June 2013

We went out on the West Cliff to look at the Supermoon. The air thick with the scent of resin from the pines and bats flickering in and out of the branches. The moon like a big white dinner plate at the end of the long silver path across the darkening sea.

From 23rd June 2009

Beyond the glossy leaved sweet chestnuts and the self-satisfied summer oaks; through the pines heavy with resinous scent; down the bank alive with fat black wood ants building their citadels from sand and pine needles; the grecian blue water of the harbour was fringed with sea lavender and thrift.

22nd June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

The sky is blue but the big pillowy clouds of white and grey are slow moving in the almost still air. From time to time the sun disappears altogether but the day remains hot and humid. The light has a peculiar, second hand quality to it. A slight mist hangs across the horizon. A little flotilla of navy Ribs scurry across rhe water in the disance. The sea is practically mirror smooth and the fisherman lies back in his boat as he trails out his lines. The scent of new cut grass hangs in the air where the mowers have been at work, although there is plenty of long grass left under the trees. Here, most of those sitting out, have retreated with their collapsible chairs. The pigeons are doing their best but they almost seem weary of their cooing. Last night a fox crossed the Green in the dark barking as it went.

From 22nd June 2022

From the beach, the West Cliff appears as a patchwork of light and dark greens of various kinds interspersed with the pale yellow of the naked sandy rock stained orange here and there from the chalybeate springs. Only the tops of some apartment blocks indicate that there is civilization nearby. The choppy sea glitters and dances in the bright sun. White gulls appear almost transparent and aethereal as the glide high across the brilliant blue welkin. On the clifftop itself, the dapples of light on the paths are deep and reassuring. A small breeeze keeps the air fresh. On a gate a greenfinch squares up to a grey wagtail. This is a newcomer. A beautiful slender bird, similar in shape and size to the pied wagtail but with a head and neck of black and grey with bright white stripes. But most noticeable is the bright sunshine yellow belly and breast. Every tree seems to contain a pigeon that fill the air with their summer cooing. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #June #summer

From 22nd June 2021

The chilly breeze is strong enough to push the long grasses over and rattles the leaves of the ilex trees. In the shelter of the pines it is warm enough especially when the sun forces through the heaps of grey clouds. The sea is noisy, making a continuous rushing sound but the waves are small and innocuous. Sow thistles line the paths and yarrow and hawksbeards are growing taller than usual on the grassy margins especially round the bases of the litter bins. on the side of the West Cliff away from the sea the sound of lawnmowers from the hotels and flats are loud in the air.

From 22nd June 2016

The fret coils its way in across the bay, across the cliffs and into the streets of the town. Rain falls in large thundery drops. The setting sun casts a weird spectral glow through the fog. A wood pigeon, alone on a bare branch, coos in an odd counterpoint to the mournful, dead ships' foghorns in the harbour.

21st June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A sullen grey sky to greet the solstice and a sharp little breeze that corrugates the steely sea into ridges and furrows. Later the cloud coagulatets into slate grey masses that hurry across the sky so that the sun appears against a whispy blue heaven for a few moments and then is gone again. But the clifftop still breathes a thick warmth from the bushes and greenery. Honeysuckle is draped across the verges. People in collapsible chairs with dogs at their feet enjoy what sun they can.

From 21st June 2022

A pale, high sky, a gentle breeze and a pleasant warmth echoes along the West Cliff with visions of a Midsummer Magic. Fringing the Green The Young Ladies' Hotel and the Hydro are still there, but studios and flats now. The large gentlemen's residences are replaced with apartments. One hotel remains. The old codgers in bath chairs are now old codgers in electric wheelchairs. Young mothers amble with space age buggies instead of high baby carriages pushed by nannies. I can see sun worshipping girls in bikinis attired in white muslin with high collars and parasols. Their swains in boaters and tennis whites. A group of youngsters with bluetooth speakers are overlaid by girls in pedal pushers and pony tails with a battery powered Dansette. The distant boom boom of drum and bass floating up from the sands was once a military band with red jackets and brass buttons flashing in the sun. Boom Boom. The past melds with the present. And what seems permanent is transitory and only an illusion of permanence. The trees are new arrivals. That grove of pines over there has grown up to replace that woodland walk where there is now open grass. Living things have their life span and pass onwards. Even the sand on the beach has been replaced. The cliffs shored up where once they were bare and crumbling. And the sea... The sea is always there. Always changing. Always the same. #Bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #midsummer #June

From 21st June 2021

It has been raining since first thing and has now settled into a steady drizzle. The heavy head of the trees are wagging in the breeze in green leafy disbelief at the weather for midsummer's day. The sea is flat but with an oily swell. Two or three groups of walkers in waterproofs are the only signs of life on the flat sands. But in the shelter of the pines a tall clump of purple toadflax while the bushes are smothered in honeysuckle.

From 21st June 2016

Although Jenny Wren is the most numerous bird of the British Isles you may never have spotted one. She skulks about in the leaf litter under bushes but occasionally you may catch sight of one out the corner of your eye darting close to the ground across the road. You've probably heard her pretty song coming from the heart of a thicket. Her singing is remarkably powerful for such a tiny creature so you may not associate it with her. The place you probably will see her is when she is angry and defending her territory against cats or other predators. She will take position on an exposed gatepost, tail cocked aggressively, giving her feisty chick-a-chick alarm call.

20th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

After the torrential downpours of last night, the morning has set to a fine drizzle. The bark of the pine trees is black from where the rain has driven into them. The sky is a flat, light grey and the sea is nearly motionless. By late morning the sun has struggled through and the day is warm. The rain has flattened the long grass into a wet thatch but the greenery is refreshed. Honeysuckle has appeared and is draped over all the hedgerows. Where the gorse had browned and withered over the past weeks there is now a mass of sharp new pale green prickles.

From 20th June 2022

Little curls of heat waft up the cliff face and along the paths where they are sheltered by the tall green bracken. Blackberries are hard and green but will soon be ripening. A white fishing boat hurries across the little waves trailing a white wake and a cloud of gulls.Sun worshippers lie out flat on the short grass under the clear blue sky. The more circumspect have brought out folding chairs and sit in the shade of the trees. A small breeze is enough to keep the air fresh. Fat bees are almost too lazy to buzz. There is desultory bird song from the bushes. The sound of a worker hammering on a roof nearby echoes and re-echoes through the tranquil afternoon air. #Bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June

From 20th June 2021

The leaves are glossy and dripping from the rain. On some, little drops form tiny jewels that run down making diamond chains. A grey mist gives everything a slight air of mystery. But the mallows are out in full pinkish purplish bloom providing a joyful aspect to the day. It is still warm and the sea is sluggish. A summer Sunday on the West Cliff.

19th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A woman whistles at her sausage dog. The sausage dog is much more interested in rummaging through the short grass at the paths edge. As I walk away the whistling fades into the distance. A Pigeon sits on the steps as I approach. A woman in white appears coming in the opposite direction. The pigeon seems hypnotised; undecided which way to go. It looks from one to the other and one to the other. Eventually when we arewith toouching distance it squirts off to the side. Jarvis the Council litteer man is clearing up meticulously dog end by dog end. I point out yesterday’s confetti and he laughs. Even he isn’t going to pick up every scrap of that. Everybody is affable todayand exchange greetings. A fresh little breeze and chunky grey cloud cover makes things bearable. After lunch the clouds begin to move apart and more of the blue sky becomes visible. The sea is rumpled like an unmade bed.

From 19th June 2022

The air is dry and the unbroken grey sky provides a dull, shadowless light. The sea is not so much angry as more slightly annoyed by the swirling, gusty wind. The beach is nearly empty except for a few hardy folk huddling behind wind breaks. Under the pines it is breathlessly quiet. Many of them are swathed in ivy scrambling upwards thick and green, confidently gripping onto the deep furrows in the bark. A family of magpies are having the usual sunday afternoon squabbles. The white, bowed heads of the tall grasses nod and whisper together. Among them, ragworts and big, purple thistles are establishing themselves. Charlock thrives, always looking as if it is almost dead. The fences are festooned with big white bindweed flowers. #Bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June  Just beginning to patter with rain. It always rains on June 19th.

From 19th June 2021

It always rains on June 19th.

18th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A soft, shadowless day. The air is fresh and there is no sun in the milky, hazy sky. Sounds carry a long way but people are oddly muted. Summer continues. Plants have reached as high as they can. Hazel nuts are fat and finished on the bushes but still green. A pigeon takes off from beneath a holm oak tree and throws up a cloud of dried leaves with its wing beats. Under another tree, the dried leaves are a strange pink colour. On getting nearer we can see they are confetti. Later I see a giant pink rabbit which may have been part of the celebration. The sea sighs softly and after midday a fine drizzle begins which turns occasionally to cooling raindrops.

From 18th June 2022

Lumpy and grey for most of the day but warm enough for the visitors to begin to crowd the beach. Then little gusts of wind and occasional patters of rain though not enough to put the swimmers off. As the afternoon progresses the wind backs to North and still the sun burst through from time to time. Magpies rattle at each other in the treetops where the sound of the wind is continuous. Little shivers of delight spread out across the waveless green bay. Now the wind is strong. Twigs and leaves begin to litter the path and a large branch of sweet chestnut sags and snaps under the burden of summer leaves. A few hardy beach goers remain but the Green is deserted. Greenfinches chortle from the depths of the bushes. More drops of rain. We await developments. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June

From 18th June 2021

After the oppressive heat of the last few days the thunderstorms we were promised have not materialised. But it has been raining steadily for several hours and with a strongish breeze everything feels fresher. Puddles have formed everywhere many of them covered with a flourescent yellow green film that looks as though someone has spilt a can of Duluxe around the place. It is in fact the pollen from the pine trees that has been washed out of the air demonstrating what sufferers of hay fever and asthma have been putting up with recently. The grey green sea rolls lazily onto the flat, empty beach. The short grass has greened up appreciably and the leaves of the trees are glossy and polished. Branches of sweet chestnuts hang down to breaking point under the weight of water on their big, flat leaves.

17th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A Poragey sky keeps the sun hidden and shadows on the path are only grey and ill-defined. But it is very warm and the ground radiates heat upwards. The acanthus has started to produce flowers and keeps up with its common name of bears’ paws. At the other end of the scale, tiny five petalled mauve wood sorrel hides in the long grass. A heavy duty off shore racer snarls across the bay. In the old pine tree, two willow warblers play kiss chase whilst a blackbird flutes from the topmost branch. This year’s fashion leader on the West Cliff Green is wearing brilliant Hawaiian shirts. Others are playing frisbee or just snoozing in the shade.

From 17th June 2022

By mid morning the high, thin cloud is beginning to pull apart but there is still a blue heat haze across the bay and the Purbeck Hills. The sea, blue, green and silver ruffles onto the flat sands. Distant children's voices carry on the still air up the cliff from the beach. The flowers are a mass of yellow, cats ears, ragwort, medick. A sweet pea which appears every year in the same place struggles up through the long grass with its gaudy pink flowers. The long brown seed heads of the docks sag over under the weight. Crows stand on the fence post their beaks wide open as if gasping for air. Living things seem to be beaten to a standstill by the heat. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #June #summer

From 17th June 2021

A humid and oppressive afternoon despite occasional drizzly showers. The sun ocasionally appearing like polished steel from behind the duvet of grey cloud. The sea manages to summon up the energy to collapse on the sand with a definite thump. Many flowering plants are well over but the blackberry bushes are in full bloom. Different types and species produce flowers ranging in colour from bright white to purplish pink. Some are folded up and cup like and some flat like a saucer. A breeze springs up pushing the drizzle along and makes a refreshing change.

From 17th June 2020

Thunder storms over Cherbourg and the Cotentin Peninsula. They probably will sheer off towards Portsmouth but there are one or two sporadic outbursts over Brittany which may join together and head this side of the Isle of Wight. I shall definitely be wearing my rubber suit when swimming later.

16th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

Blackberries are already fat and green. Not long before every visitor will be able to grab a hand full as the saunter round in the sunshine. The water in the bay is transparent with a silver sheen. Old Harry shines bright white through the windows of the cliff top shelter. The litter pickers are doing a great job starting the day afresh. The summer crop of orange tents are beginning to spring up in the shady places. It seems that if you scribble over the notice forbidding such practice with yellow marker it will cancel the £100 fine. Blackbirds are tuning up for the day. Pigeons coo lazily.

From 16th June 2022

Under a hot, milky sky The big tractor comes to mow the green. The orange three gang mower roars and hums That it is towing.  Counterpointing the squabbling of the gulls. The driver is careful and takes it slow The tractor dips and lurches over the bumps And places where trees used to grow, Old friends, long gone in winter storms Now remembered by the clumps of darker green. The mower leaves three neat swathes Already drying to hay in the sun. The scent of the mowing is heavy And mixes with the diesel from the tractor. The long grasses nod their heads Dusty and heavy with ripe seed Their job is done and the mower sends their bounty into the air for another time. Magpies fossick among the hay. Pigeons gorge among the stalks Filling their crops to bursting And helping with the scattering. After the mowing is the sowing. Now small herbs and flowers  Can feel the light. Timid small birds can make use of the dried grass Another cycle begins. After the mowing, the growing. #westcliffgreen #bournemouth #June #summer

From 16th June 2021

A misty morning first thing. The sun is reluctant to make an appearance. Flowering plants are keeping themselves to themselves. Robins are filling the morning air. They seem to take any chance that's offered to sing. A family of (grey) squirrels are snuffling about in the dead leaves finding tasty morsels for breakfast. A young crow has to work harder and pursues its parent under the trees until the the older bird gives up and lets the youth have something from its beak. The sea is calm but oddly restless.

15th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

The bay mirrors the huge arch of the intensely blue sky. The West Cliff rises 30 metres above the white sands and the necklace of beach huts along the sea front. The water is transparent and barely rippled. Long grass is white and rests in swathes. Ox-eye daisies push up and grin cheerfully beside the steps that lead down to the beach. The early morning seems to hold its breath waiting for the readers to take their places on the benches in the shade and the sun worshippers to braise steadily in the sun. A blackbird sings and pigeons coo.

From 15th June 2022

The morning begins with the sound of mowers from the gardens of the appartment blocks and hotels. Almost no breeze but the air is still clean and fresh. Thin white clouds patchwork small areas of the blue sky. Just enough to stop the day becoming too hot. Hot air radiates off the bracken which is well over head height in places. Ragwort and Bristly ox Tongue are today's flowers. A juvenile robin, lacking the red breast as yet and with streaked brown feathers tries out a few notes of song in a high pitched uncertain voice. Sunbathers lie out on the grass from first thing in the morning until evening. The sea is transparent green and small crabs and shells can be seen on the sand down through the sun wavering depths. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June

From 15th June 2021

A grey morning until the sun broke through at ten. Warm enough for a swim, though. On the cliff I can't help noticing new flowers every day. Today was Rough Hawkbit, a tallish dandelion like yellow flower which has taken advantage of the patches of poor grass to spring up in profusion. A tiny round leafed cranesbill shelters at the edge of the tall bracken and here and there some foxgloves already bursting into bloom.

From 15th June 2018

The driver of the big white Mercedes is heavy built, sharp suited. He leans nonchalently against the car smoking. His passenger returns down the steps after a few minutes inside the block opposite. They get in without exchanging words and the Mercedes glides away. I can't help wondering what so many similar visitors find to do in the apartment with the lights that stay on all night.

From 15th June 2011

It looked as though the weather was lifting an hour ago. But now the cloud has come down and the horizon is blotted out. I probably won't be swimming today.

14th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

It’s a day of the deliciously dark places. Where you can wander in the dream-like spaces of bottle green shadows. Where paths lead tantalisingly in and out of the pools of brightness. Where you can spot the ruffled blue waters of the bay between the branches of the trees with names that belong in this day - Corsican Pine, Monterey Pine, Cedar of Lebanon. Old Harry pin pricks on the straight blue horizon if you look hard enough. Even the Scots Pines bask in the heat. Where the paths are hot and the heat moves and swirls at the behest of the little breeze that threads its way through the branches. A robin sings. Blackbirds flute drowsily and pigeons coo.

From 14th June 2022

Already the morning is hot. A little breeze stirs the air enough to keep it comfortable. Under the pines the shadows are deep and cool. People have sought secret places there to practise yoga or set up selfie cameras or just to lie and enjoy. A pigeon whirrs away under the branches. The sea is blue up to the blue horizon. The little waves sparkle and hush rhymically onto the flat sands. Where there is tarmac it radiates heat upwards. The apartments and hotels have woken up but now gone back to dozing with shutters and blinds closed. The banks of grass are peppered with the bright yellow of catsears. June in Bournemouth #westcliffgreen #bournemouth #june #summer

From 14th June 2016

On the landward side of the cliff a blackbird fills the still June evening with his song. He sits at the high point of a still bare bush. His song includes a flutey cadenza with a range from single high notes to a throaty warble that reminds me of Edith Piaf. A yaffle hunts for ants under the bush and a purposeful band of wood pigeons hunt the new mown turf for supper. As I climb the steps to my front door, from a hundred yards away I can still hear Edith singing to the fading light.

From 14th June 2010

The full, green trees are sharply etched against a pale blue sky.  Their green is washed in a warm apricot light from the rising sun.  The tree tops move restlessly in a sharp summer breeze.

13th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

The sun glitters off the little ripples on the waters of the bay. The bay reflects the clear blue of the sky and the water itself is transparent. A tiny, warm breeze is all that’s needed to send the ripples into shivers and shimmering explosions of delight. Speedboats scratch white lines across the blue. Sunbathers and book readers are everywhere on the West Cliff Green. Small brown butterflies, probably skippers, skip about the long grass stems. Crows stand, beaks open in the heat. Pigeons coo and a robin sings from a bush. In the shade of the sycamore tree a Dartford warbler makes its chirring sound whilst flicking its tail in a confident little dance.

From 13th June 2022

The greens are bright green. The reds and yellows of beachgoers' wear are jolly and vibrant. The sky is blue apart from a few puffy fair weather louds and he sea is glassy smooth. The wind is fresh but not cold. A summer's morning. But by lunch time the clouds have thickened up and it feels chilly. And then, in the way things are, the skies clear again and there is a pristine blue sky and the sun is hot whle the breeze prevents it all feeling too oppressive. the indigo sea is as furrowed as W.H. Auden's face with white whiskers above the wave tops. A family of magpies swoop and glide above the grass on the clifftop. When landing they extend their fingers and flare their wings to hit their target with precision exactly like a pilot landing a plane on a short runway. #westcliffgreen #bournemouth #summer #June

From 13th June 2021

A pigeon rattles his wings as he startles up into the fresh dawn air. The pale straw coloured beams of the rising sun are so intense that for some way I cannot see to follow the path. The sky is cloudless and the blue reflects off the mirror smooth bay. The tide is a long way out and groups of gulls paddle in the wet sand at the edge of the barely moving water. I look for the deer I saw last night but there is no sign which either means she has found a safe place to lie up or has found a way out of here. A blackbird sings. The pigeon has found somewhere to sit and relax and begins his crooning.

Later

Although it's been a hot day with an entirely cloudless sky, the air is still fresh and cool this evening. The last rays of sun pick out the polar bear on the Isle of Wight and the chalk stacks of Old Harry in a crisp orange light. There is the slightest mist on the horizon so the sunset is calm and without any of the evening fireworks that occurs when there are banks of clouds .

12th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A smokey, hazy horizon but the sky is blue and the sun is hot. A little breeze keeps the air fresh. Although this is still the middle of June it feels like high summer already. The blackberries are a mass of purple, pink and white flowers. They are attended by thousands of bumble bees, honey bees and hover flies. A constant buzz fills the air. Honey suckle has straggled through the brambles and has opened its strange long trumpet shaped flowers. Nettles reach up to above head height and catch the afternoon sun in the clearings beneath the trees. A young man stands in the shade of the trees reading and further along another young man sits on a bench reading. Books are obviously a Thing this summer.

From 12th June 2022

After a day in which the day seemed to prefer to wear the grey coat of June, the evening sky is picture perfect. The syrupy sun is so strong that it projects shadows black and hard as if they were snipped round with scissors. The sea is ruffled slate blue and the wind is almost kindly. Blackbirds fill the evening air with song. The carol a song that can last all day. It is made up of short phrases which never repeat. An extraordinary feat of creativity. The many greens of the bushes and trees in the evening light are sharp and vibrant. Someone has pitched a tent and lit a barbecue. This way they are eligible for the full force of the council as both are expressly forbidden and there are notices giving the tariff. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June

From 12th June 2021

A deer on the West Cliff. Clearly unsure of where to go.

From 12th June 2012

A rain blurred horizon smearing grey with grey. On the West Cliff the bright green bushes bob and weave like pensioners gossiping over a game of cards.

11th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A teady, soft rain started at dawn and continued for most of the morning. The grey sea is almost flat calm. Rivulets run down the paths carying the pale yellow pollen from the pines and make a lake under the sycamore tree into which the drops from the branches make extravagent patterns. Moisture drips in shiny drops from the fronds of bracken. Little waves kneel at the tide’s edge and nod a crisp little line of surf on the sand. One or two visitors have made their little camps on the basis that the sun might come out later. A couple of cyclists have hauled their cycles into the cliff top shelter and have fallen asleep out of the rain. A fat pigeon wades in one of the puddles as if puzzled as to what this phenomenon might be. The annual display of vivid pink sweet peas has sprung up amid the long grasses.

From 11th June 2022

A hot sunny day but with a steady, strong wind. This evening the golden light slants through the trees and among the pines all is still. The song of blackbirds and robins fill the air. The choppy blue sea is pushing big broken waves onto the shore but the sound is rhythmic and restful. Dried leaves of holm oak rattle along the path in the breeze. The sky is milky white but the patchwork fields of Ballard Down show up through the haze. Picnickers are still enjoying the evening and a cohort of gulls swirl around hoping for something juicy. The tall thistles are breaking into feathery purple flowers. #bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June

From 11th June 2021

A uniform grey sky and a fresh breeze just on this side of chilly. A soft green sea. The first bird singing this morning was the blackbird as the gulls seem to be busy elsewhee. What's exciting at this time of year is the new flowers that can be seen every day. Today I spotted alkanet, red campion and the white trumpets of the hedge bindweed. Just a few in the hedge bottoms at the moment but very soon they will smother everything in profusion. And among the tall grasses which are beginning to die back the funny, dancing heads of quaking grass shivering in the breeze.

From 11th June 2009

he rising sun splashes the sea with a pale intensity so that your face is warm while the back of your neck prickles with an off shore breeze. A fisherman in a stained yellow bib sculls out to his boat moored in the bay. Distant gulls wail like lost souls

10th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A hazy, misty, grey shadowless day. The colour palette is curiously muted. It is warm but the sun appears only occasionally from the the broken clouds. The sea and sky blend together and the slight swell, folds over into neat, well behaved waves on the beach. There are plenty of families on the sands but it is not crowded. An elderly gentleman with silver white hair stumps by leaning heavily on a stick. “Lovely walk.” he says. There are a number of sleeping bodies left over from last night. One such is stretched out on a bench and has covered himself in a blue towel. He has removed his shoes and placed them neatly together next to his empty vodka bottle. Further along, another towel has been left draped over the cliff top rail. Talk is subdued and birds are contributing little to the soundscape.

From 10th June 2022

The sun is hot. The wind is strong. The sea is grumpy. The sky is blue. The wind blown sand is as flat as an ironing board. Lines of waves collapse theatrically yards offshore. The spray fills the air even on the cliff top. Gulls and crows wander around as if uncertain what to do with themselves. The green fronds of bracken reach out across the path like raggedy hands. After tea dog walkers park their cars badly saying that they'll only be a minute. But I am not a traffic warden so cannot comment. Half an hour later the car is still there skewed across the pavement and double yellow lines. #Bournemouth #westcliffgreen #summer #June

From 10th June 2021

The clouds are grey and low with a stiffish breeze from the West. The beach is flat and almost empty. But the veiled sun peeps through from time to time and the afternoon is warm enough. An odd sort of year continues. Flowers are bursting out in strange clusters and groups. Nothing rare but sudden banks of a small pink oxalis and swathes of borages and forget-me-nots. Bushes are covered in the sticky, clingy strands of goosegrass. (What farmers call cleavers or kleiders which bung up combines when trying to go about their lawful business of bringing in the harvest. )

9th June from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

Veils of warmth as you pass along the West Cliff Green paths. Not curtains, still less blankets of heat but pleasantly warm. The sky is washed with thin white clouds. The sea is grumbling from a fresh breeze. Gulls raft out on the bay; no doubt they have found a shoal of fish to follow. Little boats, sails set, scud across the waters. Only occasionally do individuals break away to fly up on the cliffs mewing for others to join them. Fox gloves stand out bright pink against the dark blue of the builders’ hoardings. Elsewhere the long grass is turning white in the sun.

From 9th June 2022

A grey lumpy sky all day. A buffeting breeze and a choppy, green sea. The flat sands are virtually deserted save where someone is feeding the gulls which form an excited mob. There is an odd quiet about the West Cliff, except when you tune your ears to it there is an underlying murmur made up of sea and wind, pigeons, crows, small birds and jays. A distant gull gives a mournful cry out in the bay. squirrels scamper along the branches of the pine trees, their claws making a scratch, scratch sound. Teasel plants are now growing tall through the blackberry tangle and the yarrow forms drifts of white like foam on the long grass. #westcliffgreen #bournemouth #summer #June

From 9th June 2017

Something unexpected: Stepping outside for my evening constitutional on the West Cliff. The sound of the surf on the sands below. They cry of the gulls wheeling overhead and a thick sweet childhood scent of new mown grass. Thank you Bournemouth Council for that unexpected delight.