An August Walk

1st August, hop on the first bus out of town…to Hemsby, a popular little resort of wooden chalets set in the sand dunes. Idyllic? I’ll let you be the judge.

Sun, sea and sand, who could ask for more, and the weather is kind; no heatwave today

1st August 2022

It still looks inviting yet two years ago a wooden chalet stood here. See it’s fence and the plants that were its garden

1st August 2022

And this chalet has left its porch behind

1st August 2022

I remember as a child there were at least two more lanes of chalets. But I particularly remember the furthest, most seaward row. The drifting dunes had all but covered them.

This is wind-damage, storm damage, it is not rising sea levels. And this is regular Earth behaviour.

The damage at the next resort, Scratby, isn’t as calamitous. But then the cliffs here are compacted sand, while at Hemsby they’re merely high-rise dunes.

1st August 2022

Next resort, California (I wonder whence that name?) Here we’ve no choice but to walk the beach for the cliff-top path runs out

1st August 2022

Low-level sea defences here in the form of granite blocks brought in from Norway…which the wind- and storm-driven sand is covering. The marram grass helps to stabilise that sand

1st August 2022

Incoming tide flows into a channel it has already carved into the beach. That channel runs some distance parallel to the shore and provides shallow safe water for the children

1st August 2022

Ahead, as behind, the cliffs, complete with evidence of calving. Rainwater draining through the sandy soil carves out fault lines which eventually cause collapse. Inevitable.

1st August 2022

The wind-turbines on Scroby Sands, a sandbar exposed at low tide

1st August 2022

1st August 2022

And we leave the beach for easier walking…

1st August 2022

And to our delight find harebells everywhere

1st August 2022

I hope you enjoyed our walk. Yes, the Norfolk coast has its problems, mostly natural erosion. But it also is beautiful. And while walking the shore I indulged my passion for explosive waves which I’ll show you tomorrow…

About crispina kemp

Spinner of Asaric and Mythic tales
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12 Responses to An August Walk

  1. Beautiful pictures almost like in the tropic seas

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Sadje says:

    Nice walk this week. Quite different from the green scene of last week.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Frank says:

    Beautifui but also sad. I think about the people that lost their homes to mother nature.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Nope, Not Pam says:

    That porch photo s great. Really demonstrates the strength of nature

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Dale says:

    I was half-expecting some reference to the adjective august 😉
    Beautiful walk. And it’s amazing the force of nature…

    Liked by 1 person

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