We couldn’t resist the lure of the sea, so for day 4 of our time here on the south coast of England, we went to Hordle Cliff. It’s part of the Milford on Sea beaches area and offers amazing views across to the Isle of Wight and The Needles (3 tall stacks of chalk in the sea with a lighthouse, off the coast of the Isle of Wight). Apparently they got their name ‘The Needles’ from a fourth stack that looked like a needle, but it collapsed into the sea in the 1700s!
We packed everything we’d need for the day (including the dog) and loaded up the car. After a slightly sweaty descent onto the beach, we set ourselves up. To get down to the half shingle, half sandy beach, you come down around 3 flights of steep steps, so it’s not suitable for all. But we hoisted our pulley/ cart down between us and the kids helped to take the dog and the always essential huge inflatable ring.
The view was gorgeous and we had a mix of cloud and sun, which was refreshing after the almost stifling heat of the last 3 weeks or so.
I sat with Bramble in the shelter of his tent, and he snored for the next 3 hours. He got the loveliest breeze flowing over him, and I think the sound of the waves lulled him to sleep! It was like white noise for dogs. He didn’t even notice the other dogs running wildly into the waves and back, searching for seaweed to snap at.
Our daughter spent the majority of her time in the water again – I think she is becoming a mermaid. She bought herself a bodyboard in the morning and committed herself to learning how to ride the waves back to shore. Which is great practice because my husband, who is a bit of a water baby himself, is desperate to get them both surfing. We’re hoping to get them some lessons in just under a years time, when we plan to be down in Cornwall for around 6 weeks. I think I’ll skip surfing… the last time I tried was on Fistral Beach in Cornwall, pre-children, and I was so bad that I got hit in the head twice by my own board. Maybe I do need the lessons after all…
Our son has a sore ear, so he skipped the water and spent time drawing, collecting rocks and building a rock scene of The Needles. My husband and I both went into the sea – I know I keep saying it, but it’s crazy warm this year! There were lots of sailboats in the distance and a couple of wakeboarders being whizzed past by speedboats.
Tomorrow we’re going to have a slightly quieter day and do some home education. It’s amazing how keen the kids are to learn when you take away the concept of ‘school’ and frame it as a chance to learn a new skill. I’m sure there will be challenges along the way, but we’ll keep open minds. And wine in the fridge just in case!
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