2010:365:228 Holidays are for ...

... a paddle at the seaside.

At six o’clock it was beautifully sunny with a few cirrus clouds and an occasional vapour trail streaking across the bright morning sky. 

 Off we set, with coffee in a thermos, to Murlough (the sand dunes near Newcastle). 

 At that hour there were few others around and Eliot happily tried to chase rabbits and tired himself out running up and down the hills.

 The Board Walk makes the journey to the four miles of sandy shoreline an easy saunter and, although I stopped frequently for pictures, we arrived on a totally deserted beach in what felt like a very short time.

In a short distance you travel from heathland with its heathers, 

bracken, wild pansies and lichens to the yellow dunes nearer the shore which are stabilized with marram grass. 

 The little pansy is so small that I thought I’d better put a regular yale lock key beside it just to provide scale.

 It was too good this morning not to take off the shoes and join Eliot in the freezing cold water.  

The feel of the rippled sand and the icy sea brought back memories of younger braver days when we’d simply splash out to play in the shallow waters around this part of the coast.  Putting your wet and sandy feet back into the shoes was quite a different matter!

 Northern Ireland's highest mountain, Slieve Donard (2,796’/850 m), was looking its best in the early sunlight and we spent a happy half hour playing in the water. 

 I fail to understand why Eliot has to lie down in it! 

 On the way back I wish I’d taken a picture of the four Cocker Spaniels that we stopped to greet – absolutely gorgeous dogs! 

 I need my “bug book” to help me to identify this little fellow.  He (or she) wasn’t spotted until I was doing some close up pictures of the blue buttons and it quite happily posed for the camera for as long as I needed.

 This is a beautiful part of the world and it is good to be up and about early.  The forecast is for rain during most of the remainder of the week … indoor photographs on those days, I think!

Lord, ever watchful and faithful,

we look to you to be our defence

and we lift up our hearts to know your help;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Celebrating Common Prayer

Monday morning.