local discovery

 

We do like our holidays in Britain. We've been taking them for years (since we lived in Germany and Belgium, and England was 'abroad' to us), long before it became newly fashionable to enjoy holidays here.

And what a wonderful place it is for a holiday.There's nothing like poking around a new part or county for making excellent local discoveries. This is the joy of holidays close to home (as well as the fact that you can cram the car with everything from wellies to bikinis) - there's so much you overlook in daily life and it's only when you reduce your vision, go local and potter around, that you come across the real diversity, charm, and wealth of Britain in all its eccentric and colourful glory.

We spent the second half of our holiday in an amazing 1840s Gothic Revival house in Kent, in which the enormous ego of the architect could be be seen and almost felt in every room. Ramsgate may not be everybody's idea of a holiday destination, but it has to be said it's full of civic pride and happily close to plenty of interesting places.

These local Discovery apples were sitting proudly outside a traditional greengrocer's in the very traditional town of Sandwich (winding roads full of history, dahlias planted around the church, an art deco cinema, a ladies' linens shop unchanged since goodness-knows-when) and they reminded me how much I love little local discoveries of all types.

Like the cheerful lights along the seafront at Broadstairs, and the jaunty, friendly beach itself.

And Morelli's ice creams in the pink and peach ice cream parlour (all original fittings).

The Albion Bookshop in Broadstairs looks as though a bookslide is imminent; I feel seriously wobbly when I go upstairs to the gallery and have nightmare visions of being trapped under thousands of books when the whole lot suddenly comes away from the walls...

And then there's Margate.

Once home to the now eerily empty and ruined Dreamland and kiss-me-quick antics and a marvellous lido and this formerly smart 1930s shelter on top of a cliff (below). Still full of an amazing mix of Georgian, Victorian and Modern architecture, but looking sad and in dire need of the regeneration planned by English Heritage.

Then, when it rained (and it rained hard), we could make even more local discoveries in our rented home. We found out what it was like to live with Gothic ideas and decor (heavy-going),

and I fantasised about turning the long, elegant pentice, or covered walkway, which led to the front door, into a penthouse for tomatoes and geraniums.

We find there's a lot to be said for shrinking, rather than widening, our horizons when we travel.

Comments

[Teena]

I'll happily second that! Not least that when it's time to come home you can get there in no time with the holiday feeling still in your heart! No delayed bus links or frazzled airports! We are even less adventurous than you! We have yet to holiday outside our county! Even Southwold would be a long trek! (LOVE that pink formica tabletop!!). t.x

[Jean]

You have a way of taking something simple and making it quite extraordinary by looking at it from a different viewpoint. The pentice is beautiful, it opens your imagination wide as to the possibilities of what it could be used for. I have been taking little mini vacations locally and have made a few discoveries myself (not too difficult to do in Southern California) little hidden treasures that I was previously unaware of.

[crazyjane]

is that, by any chance,
Pugin's house? if yes, you lucky woman, was it wonderful? once more you highlight all that is wonderful about the simple things, thank you, hope the new book is going well I have your first two and love them .

[kirsty]

I remember Margate and Dreamland. I used to go there when I was a student nurse with fellow students on the train from Bromley. I didn't know they had closed Dreamland, I bet it does look eerie!

[kathleen]

I did local for my two week vacation this year. I was so relieved not to have to struggle through airports dragging bags etc., I read 10 books, ate what I wanted, took naps, it was wonderful.

[Chrissy]

I want to go home!!
Your pictures and comments remind me how much I miss England (I've been working in France for the last 8 years). I was born in London and knew the Kentish seaside well.
Your photos, as always, are lovely. You have a talent for seeing things at their best. Dear old, cold, wet coast.
PS The weather in central France is no better!

[kmkat]

What are those things on the A-frame in the foreground of the beach photo? Lopsided teeter-totters? Trebuchets for flinging sunbathers far out into the surf? Inquiring minds want to know...

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

Brilliant photos!

[Lorie]

It's amazing, we travel so far to 'vacation' and sometimes adventure and discovery are right under our noses. Your trip sounds nice, and I love all your flower pictures.

[Ruth]

I find your views on "near" vacations refreshing and truthful. Up until recently it is where most of our families trips occurred. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed my jaunts to far-off England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, too.

[Heraldis]

I grew up in Broadstairs in the 70's, it has hardly changed!

The Albion bookshop was owned by my best friends father, and is definitely where my love of books comes from. It's lovely to see a bit of my childhood depicted so beautifully!

The things on the beach are swingboats...

[Sal]

I love my country and the variety that each county has to offer.
As for bookshops like that...wow!I could spend all day in such a place. Fab photos ;-)

[méri]

:) beautiful!

[little red hen]

Your photos are delightful. I could loose myself in that book shop. Actually it looks like you could almost actually get lost in there! Reminds me a little of Bernard Black's bookshop (Black Books, comedy series- love it!)

[little red hen]

lose myself even!!!

[Georgia]

I agree with you. Some of the best family vacations we've had have been close to home (although our home has been in 4 different countries). It's always amazing to actually LOOK around you. To SEE what you take for granted. When I was young it was our family tradtion to go for a Sunday drive. We'd always try to go down different roads and just see what we discovered. I love that, and we try and do it with our kids. What a lovely post.

[Steph VW]

There is a similar bookstore here in Halifax. It is packed to the gunnels with teetering stacks of books both new and old. It has a lovely display of Penguin books that I meant to go back and photograph for you. Hopefully, I'll get back there this weekend.

[Hazel]

I have my suspicions as to where you stayed, and I would love to stay there so much.

It all looks wonderful :)

[ruth singer]

I couldn't agree more. I just spend a few days in North Wales and Shropshire which was glorious. Bookshops, junk shops, hills, sheep and castles. What more does one need?

[Donna]

I am so excited, I am going to whitstable for the last week of the holidays. I have never been to whitstable but am told it is lovely. For years we have had holidays in the UK and they have always been wonderful. One of my ambitions is to do the whole coast line of the UK and I am managing to do it!
In May I visited the Old Town of Hastings and Rye, I loved them. If you get the chance you must go.

[Melanie]

We used to take our holidays in Kent when the children were small - we found a lovely little spot at St Margaret's Bay, near Dover, which like much of the Kent coast, seemed to have hardly changed since its heyday long ago - the art deco cottages on the beach were once the retreat of Ian Fleming and Noel Coward, and we would sit on the pebbly beach in deckchairs surrounded by windbreaks with tea in cups and saucers from the beach kiosk! Although I now enjoy the Australian sun and surf, I look back with great fondness at those quaint old Kent beaches. Just reading Donna's post above - I read a book by Paul Theroux of his tour of the UK coastline, and he had wonderful accounts of these long forgotten ports and resorts.

[Honor]

The combination of colors in that 7th photo is fantastic. Pale blue with bright bright red. I love it.

[Margaret]

my pass time activity is crocheting and embording . this give the time to relax and enjoy what i am doing. I love to look at other peoples work and get many ideas from them. I enjoy looking at your work give me combination that I never thought of putting together. You have such lively colour schemes.