10-14 A walk along the sea

The weather was supposed to be nice, so we decided to walk the undercliff road toward Rottingdean (who thinks of these names?) We took the bus, from Patchem Grange, where we’re staying, to Brighton Pier, then walked east along the seafront. We passed the usual assortment of seafront stands of food and bev along with a center for open water swimmers. Here I was, bundled up with jacket and scarf watching people clad in swimsuits headed for the sea. Brrr! We walked to the Marina where there was a mall and a couple of cafes. We walked on and after a few false starts found the undercliff walk.

The cliffs are made of chalk, like the white cliffs of Dover. We timed it right, I think, because we were walking along the seafront about an hour after high tide. It was very dramatic.

The walk was opened in 1933 and is part of the coastal defense against erosion. Along the way we passed little wooden and concrete beach huts. There was a wonderful marker along the way exhorting passersby to consider what was beyond the wall.

The text starts, "Look out to sea! Who lives beneath the waves? The ocean and the chalk seabed here are home to starfish, seahorses, cuttlefish, catsharks, anemones, crabs, lobsters, sea snails, mussels, oysters and many other creatures, as well as seaweeds including kelp. The chalk gullies, habitats and wildlife here are protected as part of our local marine conservation zone." It was a very long walk, around 5 k, but so enjoyable.

I assure you, I had no intention:

Eventually we made our way to Rottingdean and stopped at a pub called The Coach House – very popular and very crowded. We found a table near the window and ordered drinks and lunch. Did I mention they were busy? So busy, apparently, that the wait would turn out to be measured in hours, not minutes. Sitting across the room was a nun. I had a wonderful time watching her. She had the best scowl, which she used frequently. All I could think was that either the morning’s church service was ill-attended or she’d had a couple of pints, let her guard down and was speaking her mind to her dinner companion. Finally Bruce’s sandwich and my deep-fried halloumi arrived and were consumed and we were on our way. We took the bus back to the pier and Bruce headed off to one of the recommended pubs. I strolled to the Lanes for a look at the shops. I found one nice little shop where I bought a sweater but as I walked the lane, I saw that most of the businesses were restaurants, pubs and cafes. There were a few shops here and there, but few places offering locally made things. I wandered some more and found a gelato shop where I enjoyed a cone, then headed back toward the pier. Bruce met me there and we headed for home where we had a quiet night in, catching up on the first two episodes of Ghosts. If you're in the US and have seen the American version of Ghosts, you won't understand why we love it. As happens with many things that cross the pond, the US version can't hold a candle to the original.