A trip to the seaside.....

Yesterday found me in Sunny Huni......aka Hunstanton (and not so sunny as it turned out!) This visit had been planned for several weeks and one which I'd been anticpating with enthusiasm because I havent been on a beach for literally years.

I wasnt to be dissappointed.
My day started as I picked up a friend and her 12 year old son and then a leasurely drive with much laughter, finally arriving and parking up in Hunstanton.

Not long after making our way down to the shore line and savouring those first magical smells of the sea, we found ourselves being cajouled into visiting the Sea Life Sanctuary, a birthday treat for a certain young person, and peering with fascination and intense curiosity into large tanks full of weird and wonderful creatures! We oohed and ahhed over the otters, seals and penguins....well actually the penguins were a bit smelly so the appropriate noises werent very complimentary!

Having had more than enough of the weird and wonderful we eventually made our way back into the day light and sauntered our way along the prom and up in to Hunstanton High Street, casually making our way to a plate of the best fish and chips ever at Fishers of Hunstanton restaurant!

....Now feeling considerably heavier and rather bloated, we finally got our walk along the sand as the sea withdrew on the receding tide. Although it was windy, and there was certainly a nip in the air, it was so invigourating! I hadnt realised how much I missed the sea and the beach, but its very true.
We walked for about a mile, right up to the multi-coloured cliffs,
which are a real sight to see......
"They show an amazing slice of Britain’s history over many million years. Here is the geology - White Chalk from the Upper Cretaceous era forms the top layer, followed by a layer of limestone, known as red chalk from the Lower Cretaceous period formed over a period of 15 million years and finally beneath is grey/green Carstone. As both the red and white chalk contains fossils the beach below is a magnet for keen fossil hunters."
information taken from:
http://www.tournorfolk.co.uk/hunstanton.html)

During our walk on the beach and with lots of splashing in various rock pools along the way, I collected a load of mussel shells......I have the idea of making a wind chime out of them for my bathroom.

You see I've got an old wind chime thats seen better days but I dont really want to throw it way. So I came up with the idea to re-use the small metal chimes off it, varnish my shells and re-hang them, although I will need to source a small metal hoop first. I'll let you know how I get on with it....assuming I ever get started that is!
After an obligatory visit to the fun fair and two rides later, we rounded the day off with a quick visit to Hunstanton Lighthouse, which dates back to 1844 and was in operation until 1922, although the first lighthouse was built on this site in 1666. Next to the lighthouse are the remains of St Edmund's Chapel, which dates back to 1272 and conveniently makes a nice surround to my photograph!

Unfortunately we didnt have enough time to walk up to Old Hunstanton where there are some wonderfully coloured beach huts and some of the best (and blissfully quiet) beaches along this part of the Norfolk coast. It was getting cold, the wind was starting to get the best of us, so we headed home.

I had a lovely time, definitey a day to remember,

and my photo album has already been updated with some great shots!