24th September from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth

A broken biscuit sky and a snappy wind gives way to a bright sunshiney afterrnoon. And with the light reflected off the mirror sea it becomes extremely hot. But by late afternoon, the clouds have ordered themselves into a more conventional arrangement and it feels cold once more. Whatever the weather, the trees of the West Cliff are there to give shelter and solace to the world-weary. When Bournemouth was created, the rather industrial landscape of gravel workings and alum mines was planted over with pine trees whose resinous odour was intended to add to the health giving properties of the sea air. On the West Cliff a large, circular walk of pines was planted. That has long gone to be replaced by the short grass but more trees were planted in the early twentieth century and they have formed a much less formal environment where the delicate tracery of branches against the sky is as breath taking as in any cathedral.

From 24th September 2021

The sun pulling itself up into the clear dawn air makes such a glare off the water that I can hardly see the path ahead and have to shade my eyes to stop bumping into early morning joggers and strollers. A heavy dew shines and shimmers off the blackberry leaves. A crow makes its position known from its vantage point at the top of a pine tree. A wren sings lustily from a gorse bush. As the day builds, the warmth grows and a fine autumn day is promised.

From 24th September 2013

Beautiful afternoon on the beach. As warm as it's been all summer. Was that the last swim of the year? No, we still have October to go.