Weston Super Mare - Somerset - England

My Travel Tales post today is another flashback but nowhere near as far back as some of my recent posts! It is a flashback to my Christmas 2016 trip to Somerset when on Boxing Day we made a trip down memory lane and visited Weston Super Mare somewhere none of us had been for years!

Weston-super-Mare is the biggest, and also one of the oldest resorts on the Somerset coast.

These resorts grew out of tiny fishing villages two hundred years ago, when the fashion in holidays and health cures changed from ‘taking the waters’ at inland spa towns like Bath, to sea bathing.

‘Weston-super-Mare’ sounds very grand, but it’s just medieval Latin for ‘Weston-on-Sea’, and that’s the most important thing about it.

The wonderful sweep of Weston Bay, with views over to Wales and down to Exmoor. It is a perfect huge space for many activities as it boasts the second highest tidal rise in the world and that’s why Weston-super-Mare has its piers.

Originally steamboat jetties, but then it was found that people just liked to walk out to sea on them just for fun. The Grand Pier was rebuilt in 2010 after suffering a fire.

The Pier provided me with interesting photo opportunities, not all shared here but lots of material for my photography blog. Very British and something that probably has not changed much over the years.

I hope you will enjoy your virtual visit today with the photos I have chosen to share.

Decking salvaged from the Grand Pier of  July 2008 has been recycled and used in various projects on the new pier. This includes seating on these land trains.

More Information about Weston-Super-Mare and the surrounding area can found by visiting the following links.

Trip Advisor    Visit Somerset    Wikipedia - Weston Super Mare

Mudeford Quay - Dorset - England

The Bank Holiday on Monday January 2nd 2017 was a glorious day, cold and clear. I was staying with my daughter and husband in Christchurch for New Year Celebrations so decided it was a perfect day to visit one of my favourite places in the area. I have many happy memories of Mudeford that have been made over many years, first with my parents when I was a child, then later with David, continuing when our own family were growing up. Now I am making new ones!

I was last there in the summer and was amazed last week to find it even busier than back then. Everyone was enjoying the fact that the weather was so good, perfect for blowing away those holiday festivity cobwebs.

 I hope you enjoyed the photos I shared today.

More Information about Mudeford and the surrounding area can found by visiting the following links.

Trip Advisor      Dorset For You    Mudeford - About Britain   Visit Dorset

Faces On Friday - Devon - Locals

On my Travels I enjoy taking photos of people, usually to share here. I captured this candid shot of locals chatting in Devon on a trip last year. What fascinates me the most is the length of the man with a beard's fingernails!
Do you think he is a fisherman and the nails help him untangle the nets?

Padstow - Cornwall - England

I visited the charming town of Padstow on Monday 28th of December 2015 and today I am sharing some of the photos I took whilst exploring. Some of you may have also seen my earlier posts here on Travel Tales and my Photography Blog.

Faces on Friday    The National Lobster Hatchery     ABC Wednesday


Traditionally a fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Wadebridge, 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Bodmin and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Newquay.

Padstow is a popular tourist destination. Although some of its former fishing fleet remains, it is mainly a yachting haven on a dramatic coastline with few easily navigable harbours. The influence of restaurateur Rick Stein can be seen in the port, and tourists travel from long distances to eat at his restaurant and cafés.

 I loved the atmosphere in the town with the busy harbour and quaint streets. There are more photos which I will be sharing on the photography blog in the coming weeks.

A lovely video about Padstow - Courtesy of  Padstow Tourist Information and YouTube

With thanks to the following websites, where you can find out more about this beautiful Cornish village.

Padstow Tourist Information     YouTube   Wikipedia - Padstow  Rick Stein - Official Website

Visit Cornwall - Padstow

Faces on Friday - Stone Face - Padstow - Cornwall - England

Those of you that have been following my blogs for some time now, may well recall that this is not the first time I have posted Stone Faces for Faces on Friday. 

There is a collection similar to the one I share here on the railings in Marta where I used to live in Italy! Faces Set In Stone - Marta I have never found out the story behind them. So when I saw this one in Padstow I was again fascinated.

Does anyone know the story behind this one?

I have already shared other photos from Padstow here on Travel Tales earlier this week, from my visit to The National Lobster Hatchery and I will be sharing more that I took whilst exploring this delightful place in a future post.

The National Lobster Hatchery - Padstow - Cornwall - England

The National Lobster Hatchery is a charitable organization located in Padstow, England which was was opened in August 2000 and is situated on South Quay in Padstow, Cornwall. The organisation is a marine Conservation, research and education charity that focuses its efforts on the European lobster. It exists to serve the coastal fishing communities of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The hatchery consists of a visitor centre, shop and conference facility, as well as various culture spaces, laboratories and technical facilities.

When I was on a recent trip to Cornwall I took the opportunity to visit The National Lobster Hatchery ethically I think  this is a brilliant idea and deserves to be supported.  Hence the reason I am sharing some photos and links with you on the blog which I hope you will find interesting.

Location and contact details
Address: South Quay, Padstow PL28 8BL , England

Phone Number: 01841 533877

You can even Adopt A Lobster  Click on the link to the left of the photo to find out more.

With thanks to the following websites, where you can find out more about this fascinating organisation.

Wikipedia - National Lobster Hatchery    Official Website - National Lobster Hatchery   Facebook Page - National Lobster Hatchery