Horse rider on Sand Bay

Couldn't resist this silhouette of a horse rider on Sand Bay with Steepholm behind. The tide was very far out at this point, but I like the shimmering effect of the light on the wet sand. It makes it look not quite so barren.

Sand Bay

This is a picture of Sand Bay, the beach that is less popular with tourists, but more popular with dogs, horses and runners in Weston. It is the nearest beach to where I live, being only 5 minutes walk away, and is great for taking the kids to, as well as for running along!

Marine Lake Wall

Looking back towards Knightstone Island across the pathway and wall separating the Marine Lake from the sea.

A couple of boys seem determined to get wet...

Solo Football

I saw this lad playing football against the sea wall.  He was totally into the game, didn't notice a thing going on around him.

Back home in Manchester we called this 'Wallie' (wall-ee), the aim was to bounce the ball off the wall and get it into a position where the next in turn could not hit the wall with one kick.  The other popular playground football game was 'Goomer', one goal keeper with the others paired off.  The last pair to score from a full-volley was out.

Anyone fancy a game?

Chips

What could be better? A stroll on the beach and a portion of chips!

Fun Off Knightstone Island

Some brave souls were enjoying the water just off the beach and close to Knightstone Island.

I was surprised just how big those machines are, thought they were way smaller - looked like fun though!

Under the Pier

The Pier- A Work in Progress

I wonder how many scaffolders have ever had to work on a pier like this?  My granddad was a scaffolder, he scaffolded Blackpool Tower apparently... but then he used to tell me he swallowed snooker balls...  ;)

Paint on a Boat at Uphill

You would like to think it will be repainted before it heads back out to sea...

Uphill Sluice

A small part of the huge sluice at Uphill, apparently without the sluice the village will flood a couple of times each year when the tides are particularly high.

Makes you wonder why they didn't build a little higher up?  ;)

Pier Ties

The cross ties supporting the old pier, you have to imagine that all this will be replaced when the new pier is built up top.  Don't you think?

Uphill Cliffs

A boat in the lake at Uphill with the cliffs & church behind.

Future Blogger

He was on the beach... with a camera, gotta be a future WsM blogger I reckon!

Sunset Strip

Ok, it was a little after sunset...

Looking over the Marine Lake to the sea front

A Romantic Night Out

A bit late to catch the light tonight but this was something I had to get - hope they don't mind!

Cover

Support For The Pier

A close up of one of the columns that support the Grand Pier.

Keeping An Eye On Things

This gull has a real bird's eye view sitting pretty on top of a CCTV camera up on the Grand Pier.

Uphill through the Grand Pier

Looking in the same direction as the photo from yesterday, but from just below the (once) Grand Pier.

The Beach towards Uphill

I am not even sure I like this photo.  I think it has potential but I need to go back when the light is more favourable & I am not chasing a 3 year old along the beach trying to prevent her ruining her lovely dress...

Wallflower

No idea what sort of flowers these are...

However they live at the bottom of the street and looked very summery.

Royal Grosvenor Hotel

This is The Royal Grosvenor Hotel next to The Royal Hotel on Weston sea front. It is a typical Georgian(?) building that nestles alongside the Victorian buildings that dominate the town.

My Roadsign

I didn't travel far for todays photo, it is the sign at the bottom of my road...

I am surprised the postman knows where to deliver the letters really, can you see what the road is called?

No, it really isn't 'No Through Road'...

Sillica

A view of Sillica a piece of art installed by the council at Big Lamp Corner in 2006.

It is 26 metres high and is supposed to depict mans links with the sea... or something like that!

Locals call it 'The Carrot', for some reason I always think of it as an onion...

Another Sunset

Another lovely sunset, Steep Holm and Knightstone in the far and mid-distance respectively.

Harmony Poynt

A plain and simple shot of one of the very many guest houses in Weston-super-Mare.

This one has lovely views of a car park... Although to be fair it is very close to the seafront and might well even have views of the sea.

Variation on a theme

Stuck with the same few photos of Uphill Boat Yard until I am mobile enough to go out and get some more photos, I have taken one and updated it thanks to one of Photoshop's filters; in this instance, film grain. Although I am a bit of a purist in terms of thinking that photos should be good at the time of hitting the shutter release, I am also partial to a bit of playing around in Photoshop after - for the effects it can bring more than for correcting bad photos. Does that make me a hypocrite?? ;)

Tree

I really do need to get out and get some more and different photographs!! This is a tree on the edge of the lake in Uphill. I couldn't resist taking it for its superb colours - especially in comparison to the dull day. Isn't nature wonderful?!

Jetsam

I posted some Flotsam & Jetsam a little while ago, well today it is just Jetsam.  

Until recently I didn't realise there was a difference, it seems that Flotsam is 'stuff' that has floated off, Jetsam has been jettisoned from onboard ship & there is another one, Lingham or something similar that has something to do with material from the sea bed, or on the sea bed...  Anyway - look it up on Wikipedia if you have the inclination!

So, it looks like a vodka bottle, you have got to wonder where it came from?  Kids on the beach?  A weary old sea captain sailing along in the dark?  I'll never know - if you recognise this bottle please step forward!

For all the English speakers; type Smirnoff into your mobile phone, with predictive text turned on, and see why vodka can sometimes give you a bad head!

A local crocus!!

Okay, I know that Crocuses (?) grow everywhere, but it's so nice to feel that spring is on its way and to see their beautiful colours, that I couldn't resist taking a photo of this one in my garden.

The Sea Front from the 'Other' Side

Looking up the beach from just below high tide.

What remains of the Grand Pier on the right of the shot running into where it meets the sea front road.

This is the website of the Grand Pier and here are some photos of the pier before, during, and after the fire last year.