Recently I wrote a post that was our own version of the National Trust's list of Fifty Things To Do Before You're 11¾, adapting it, as The Boy's birthday was imminent, to Five Things To Do Before You're Three!
About a month ago, we decided it was a glorious day and the tide was out (the Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world after Nova Scotia) so it would be an ideal time to attempt a walk over to a nearby 'island'. I use the inverted commas around it because at low tide it is connected to the mainland by a causeway covered in rockpools, at high tide it's an island. There's nothing on this island apart from a wrecked boat, a swamp and some rather spectacular views of the Bristol Channel and England, it's also only about two hundred yards wide and four hundred yards long, if that. However, an island it is and it was on our list.
The tide was very low when we set off under the midday sun (and wind), giving us at least three hours before it started turning back in again. Plenty of time for us to have our picnic lunch on the beach, explore the rockpools and get to the island and back again. I wasn't convinced The Boy would manage it in all honesty, but it's amazing how little ones can just keep on going if you take it at their pace.
It was an eye-opener for not only The Boy; all the aspects of living on the coast that I assumed everyone knew about, always amaze my husband as he grew up in the heart of England. We discovered mermaid's purses, the difference between wet and dry seaweed, barnacles (Like Captain Barnacle Mummy!), there was a small crab in one rockpool, and salt crystals in a dried-up pool.
And when we got to the island, I realised that I've lived here all my life and never been all the way there before! And the view is spectacular.
[slickr-flickr tag='GoingToTheIsland']
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what a brilliant day out! you do so many amazing things with the Boy. your photos are so lovely too – the landscape you captured is almost as if it were taken on a planet from a sci fi film!!
Looks like an amazing adventure, we live on the coast but sadly we don't get rock pools here, it's very flat and even the sand is starting to grow grass 🙁 x
Just my sort of day, relaxed and enjoying all the beautiful countryside we are lucky enough to have in England. Your photos are amazing as always, I love the one with Mr The Boy pointing something out to The Boy up on the horizon, and the abandoned wellies! Thank you for joining in with Country Kids.
love the barren ness ( if there is such a phrase) of a beach, I always like to imagine Im alone, it looked nice and peaceful and quiet and looks like you all had lots of fun
What a brilliant adventure – I have very fond memories of visiting Holy Island (Lindisfarne) in the North East when I was a little girl with my grandparents.
I always used to secretly wish that the tide would come in so that we couldn't get back across to the mainland.
That looks amazing, and your photos are great. We've never been there but I think I'll have to take the boys. They would love it.
This place looks amazing – what a great find! I wish we lived closer to the coast, there really is a feeling of 'escapism' that you don't get anywhere else in my opinion. I love the photos. 1 question – how do you get them to rotate like that, it's fab?!
What a great place to explore, I'd love to do things like that with Leo but will have to wait until the winter to find somewhere here to do it due to the heat. Lovely photos as always too xx
The sort of days that you cherish when they are so young. Looks like you had a lovely day.
This was such a gorgeous out that I am surprised it is featured here tbh! But it is nice to revisit it and look through those amazing photos . You do such wonderful things with your boy xx
Wow, what an adventure. I would love to do that!
Looks like such a brilliant day out filled with little big adventures!
I love this post, it certainly deserves to be shown off!
Aw, he looks like he had a great time.
I'm a little late and cannot see any pictures – but sounds like a fantastic time.