Clacton revisited

We had a week at Clacton this time in what is called an accessible caravan. It has a ramp upto the door, a wet room and larger beds in bigger rooms suitable for a wheelchair. Although DB doesn't use a wheelchair, he has a mobility scooter, finds steps difficult is used to a wet room and needs space to move about.  It was the site we stayed on 2 years ago when we rented a normal caravan privately. This year was more comfortable.

I used the out door pool a couple of times and it was freezing. Then the only day we had rain I swum in the indoor pool which was empty except for me most of the time and lovely and warm.  The sea was mainly too choppy except for the rainy day when I walked to the beach with a raincoat on about 5pm and when I got there the sun came out, it was hot and the sea was like a millpond. I did have a paddle though.

Smelling the roses on the way.

A beautiful evening and hardly a soul about. The pier in the distance.

It's strange how we have a connection with Clacton because I tend to go for more rural locations. It started in 1949  before I was born when the little girl who eventually married BIL went to Clacton for her summer holiday with her family and stayed at the same site we were on. They went every year after that until the dad retired and he and the mum moved to Clacton where he got a part time job at the same holiday park. By then SIL had married BIL who was in the navy. When the third baby was on the way and BIL was off on his ship for a long tour, SIL moved to Clacton to be near her mum and dad. BIL left the navy and they settled there. We would visit so began our association with the place. Then DB's parents bought a guest house which they ran for some years and we had small children then so more visiting. DB's parents have been dead for years but we still visit the rest of the family which includes nieces and great nephews.

This association will get even greater soon as DD is moving there in a few weeks into a residential park home. So I will go back with her when she moves to help her settle. Then even more reason for visiting.

I will share more pictures of our week there in another post.

Afternoon tea

Yesterday DD and I thought we would like to go to the local community farm for afternoon tea but as both of us have fluctuating health, we didn't want to book in advance. As we decided to go DD saw on the internet that the tickets had all sold out.

Never mind we thought, on Sunday we will go to the 40's event at the Epping and Ongar heritage steam railway. But Sunday dawned with both of us feeling under the weather so we stayed home both feeling disappointed.

Still later on there was an event in a nearby village in aid of the Essex Air Ambulance. It was Vintage tea parties and we didn't need to book so off we went.

I had the delicious cream tea of two home made scones with cream and jam. DD had coffee and walnut cake which was washed down with plenty of tea with the pot being replenished freely. The tables were beautifully and simply decorated and very pretty bunting around the walls. It was so lovely to have a tea pot and delicate bone china cups. Apart from the cream tea and various cakes there was also afternoon tea with a selection of savory and sweet items. Perhaps we will have that next time as they seem to do this from time to time. It was quiet when we got there with just a few tables taken but got busy as we were leaving so that suited us too.

Greyhound walk

Sunday was the one good day weather wise here. Which was good as it was the Great Global Greyhound Walk.

It is the first time we have done this one but as DD has poor health, we just did the short walk around the field. We took the one dog Poppy as Paddy is too old now for this so I borrowed a dog from the kennels. We went back for tea and cake in aid of the Retired Greyhound charity. I was nearly tempted to buy some greyhound earrings but decided I wouldn't wear them so let them be. DD met another greyhound owner she has spoken to on FB but never met so that was nice. 

Not very good photos as there was a lot of excited movement in the yard pre walk.

The name the dog raffle and items for sale.

DD with the dogs.

The start of the woodland walk where the majority went.

It was amazing we had such good weather when the day before and every day since has been mostly wet and miserable. The global walk is just that and has venues all over the place. This was nice and near for us at Waltham Abbey 20 minutes driving through beautiful countryside.

Evening walk

After a morning indoors catching up with phone calls and paperwork then an afternoon at a funeral, I felt the need for a walk.  I hadn't seen the swan family since they hatched and DD said the five cygnets had reduced to four.

Across the meadow.

Mum and family

Dad having a feed on his own

Back to the river

A peaceful place to unwind.

Open Gardens

I have been perusing the Essex National Gardens schemes booklet for some outings. Not much near here but noticed there were 4 gardens open at Waltham Abbey about 10 miles away. It's a lovely drive anyway and I'm familiar with the area so at last minute decided to go on my own as nobody else was available or wanted to go.

The first one was medium sized and had masses of chimney pots in the front garden for sale.

The next one was bigger with a woodland walk and served refreshments. The woodland walk was a real surprise as it ran along the side of the road beside the main garden and it didn't seem that there would be enough room for it.

Couldn't refuse the tea and lemon cream cake. Delicious!

Garden number 3 was tiny and they had won awards for it. Trouble was there were lots of people there and in the small space it was difficult to look at everything properly. I like to sit in a corner and just look but I felt I had to get up to let others in. It was lovely though.

The final garden seemed small but there was more tucked away at the bottom. The pond ran into a little stream and then into a large fish pond where it was pumped back again. 

So a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon. I quite enjoyed being on my own because I could take my time and linger where I wanted. The gardens cost £6 for all of them and the tea and cake was £4 and all for charity so well worth it. 

Dobb's Weir

Decided to take a sandwich and coffee with me this morning so I could stop for a little picnic on the way home. I managed to get the last space in the car park as I have a small car so was able to use the space with a huge tree behind it.

I haven't been here for ages and was surprised to see that the little old cafe that used to be there has been upgraded to a swish new one. On a hot Saturday lunch time it was packed but that didn't bother me as I sat on a bench by the river with my pack up.

There was a boat moored in front of me and as I looked up from my lunch I was surprised to see that it was a Sea Master cruiser. DB used to build them when we were first married. He was a cabinet maker and did all the woodwork inside. I have only ever seen one once before on the rivers around here.

This is the Sea Master. I had taken the first photo to show the river then I noticed the name on the boat so took the second one showing it.

The normal canal boat shown here.

As I sat there a couple with a little boy came along with a boat which they proceeded to inflate on the tow path next to me. The mum came and sat with me and we had a chat. They had only recently purchased it so were trying it out. She said it was a bit of a faff getting it all ready. I thought it was worth it because after the original outlay they have free entertainment for a long while. It was nice to see parents getting their child out into the fresh air. He was really enjoying helping his dad inflate it.

I enjoyed my little picnic and spent nothing as the carpark and loos were free and picnic brought from home.