Mudeford 2015!
I was lucky enough to be invited on a week long holiday to Mudeford, Dorset in Southern England with my parents. We’ve been visiting the area for years so I was insanely excited when I found out we were going back. I intend to live somewhere down there at some point in my life but I definitely need to get saving up if that’s actually going to happen! This year at Mudeford was probably the best I’ve ever had and I know you’ll think I say that every year and you’re right, I do… this time around however was just about perfect. So, what did I get up to during the week? Keep reading to find out! You can also check out my vlog of the trip. Don’t forget to subscribe and give the video a thumbs up if you enjoyed it.
- Saturday 18th July
Today pretty much consisted of travelling for 5 hours… fun times. I’m all for long car journeys where I can just drift off listening to my iPod but there is a limit. Fortunately the drive was easy, with pretty much no hold ups apart from stopping for lunch. As soon as we arrive in the local area, it all feels so familiar; it’s like a home away from home. Other than unpacking and going shopping, we didn’t do a great deal more that day, until the evening when we parked up at Highcliffe near the Quay and just stretched our legs before heading back.
- Sunday 19th July
We woke up to gorgeous weather today, there was quite a strong wind but it was sunny and hot so that was good enough for us! After parking at Steamer Point, we walked through the nature reserve to Highcliffe Castle and stopped for a drink in the stunning grounds. Walking on a bit further, we stopped for a short while to appreciate the spectacular views of the beach and the quay before walking back to Steamer Point for a picnic style lunch. We had decided to spend the rest of the afternoon on the beach but whilst it was still sunny, the wind was picking up and was starting to get strong so my parents decided to stay on the top and sit on the grass. However, I headed down towards the beach and bought myself a stick of rock from the beach shop (of course!). I just spent the next hour or two sat on the beach by myself which was delightful; I could just admire the view (the Isle of Wight, not the lifeguards…) and listen to the sound of the waves crashing. Heaven!
Unfortunately, later that night I discovered that I had gotten burnt all down one side of my body because of the way I was sat on the beach. Oops. Wear sunscreen kids!
For the evening walk, we headed into Christchurch and strolled around the harbour and the gardens. The harbour is stunning anyway but the pretty sunset just added to the splendour!
- Monday 20th July
Sadly the weather was not as good as yesterday so we headed into Christchurch in the morning for a wander round the town and the local shops. For lunch we pulled up near Hengistbury Head and sat in the car as the weather was getting worse by the minute. By 1pm, there was a kind of drizzly, foggy/misty, sea breeze type weather all around, meaning we couldn’t even see the top of Hengistbury Head. My parents decided to drive back to Highcliffe castle to look around the house so they were inside and in the dry. Needless to say, this is not exactly my idea of fun (despite the castle being my dream wedding venue! Haha!) so I set off walking back home and I have to say, it felt very eerie and odd being the only person around. Along the entire 30 minute walk, I saw about two other people. Clearly everyone else was smart enough to stay indoors today!
Thankfully the rain had stopped by the evening meaning we could have a short walk along Mudeford Quay which was again, empty!
- Tuesday 21st July
Today we parked at Steamer Point again but this time walked the opposite way, down towards Avon Beach for a drink in the sun. There was a wind again today but it was nowhere near as bad as the other day and was actually quite refreshing in the blistering heat. We walked up to the end of the quay before returning for another picnic lunch. After sitting on the top for a bit, admiring the views and after much effort trying to convince my parents to go in the sea, I failed…so I headed home.
Boscombe seafront and pier was the location for our evening walk, witnessing a stunning sunset over the beach and the town.
- Wednesday 22nd July
The weather today was quite nice but again pretty windy! We drove to Southampton to walk around Lepe Country Park, which in my opinion is like no other country park I’ve ever been to. To be honest with you, I didn’t find the place that thrilling. The views towards Portsmouth were good- you could see the Spinnaker Tower, but the views otherwise weren’t anything to write home about in my opinion. Needless to say, if you want a good walk, it’s the place to be! We seemed to be walking for ages! You walk for a small while on grass but then next thing you know you’re walking on shingle which was bloody hard work, especially with the brutal wind in our faces! We sat for a short while on the “beach”, or at least my parents sat while I threw rocks into the sea… because why not?
After tea, we headed to my favourite place in the entire world- Bournemouth. We started off on the pier, walking to the end, admiring the views, before heading into the amusements to make some serious dough on the 2p machines! (Ahem…) We then headed up to the gardens and saw the big balloon, before going back on ourselves and walking alongside the beach until it started to get dark. It breaks my heart every time we leave Bournemouth and this time was no different.
- Thursday 23rd July
The sun was out today and it was nice weather but the day was slightly different as I decided to let my parents have some time on their own, so they headed into Christchurch and had a boat ride out the harbour and back again, whilst I headed down towards Mudeford Quay. After having a drink at the café and then proceeding to walk alongside the beach, I went home to get changed into something more comfortable as I knew what was in store for me in the afternoon. I walked back to the quay and caught a small ferry by myself over to Hengistbury Head, where I met my parents. In order to meet them, I had to trek up what seemed like a billion steps to get to the top. I have lost so much fitness over the past year and it’s safe to say, this definitely confirmed just how much of a lack of fitness I now have. This needs to change. Again, the views from the top are stunning though, so I guess the panting and sweating was worth it… maybe.
For tea, we drove to Christchurch for a meal out at the Harvester which was lovely but I definitely ate way too much and was about to burst by the time we left! Best thing about Harvester? The crispy onion bits on the salad cart- Heaven.
From here, we drove out to Poole and the beach was as gorgeous as ever, but the highlight was looking over towards Old Harry Rocks and Studland Beach, which is where we headed every year before we found Mudeford years ago. It was lovely to have those few moments to reminisce and think about all the fantastic family holidays we had over there whilst growing up. Driving back, we drove near Sandbanks, which is one of the most expensive areas to live in the whole of the UK. We always have a drive past and a bit of a nosey so this year was no exception. All I can say is that those multi-million pound houses make me sure I want to marry rich… haha!
Now, I can’t go into great detail about today but I can say one thing, I made a friend for life and I’m incredibly happy and grateful, but more about that another time!
- Friday 24th July
The last day! (Insert sad looking face here…) I was gutted; the week flew by! It was absolutely tipping it down in traditional British style so we drove to Southampton West Quay shopping centre which actually, wasn’t all that great. We’ve been before but I can’t remember what it was like back then. All I know is that I do not like it now… it was incredibly busy, hot and claustrophobic, resulting in me having a mini panic attack. Marvellous. Thankfully, my dad was there to take my hand and guide me to a quieter area to sit and have some lunch. Overall, not a great experience! For our last evening walk, we headed down to Mudeford Quay for the final time and just walked the length of the quay before eventually heading back to the house to pack for the journey back to Yorkshire the next day. Sadface.
The Flawed Blonde. xoxo
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