A couple of months ago whilst visiting my son for the weekend in Plymouth, I espied this little gem of a beach hut on the old part of the Plymouth sea front. It was built into the slope that characterises the older cliffs-and-concrete ediface that is where Plymouth Hoe meets the sea.
I took a sneaky snap of the cabin because I thought the space and the idea behind it was so delightful. How lovely to take a book and a picnic and on those days when there are no pressing commitments and the sun is shining or even intermittent, and to head off to ones own little sanctuary for the day. My love of beach cabins is perhaps apparent from my banner picture. Perhaps my van is a mobile proxy since I do not live immediately by the sea. I have seen beach cabins all over the country in their colourful lines facing beaches and stretches of rocky shingle adjoining the ocean. I don't know if this is a particularly British phenomenon as I have rarely been to the seaside in other countries. But this one has a very English feel to it.I just had to get a photo as I passed by. I know it was intrusive to do so but I suspect the tenant of the cabin is extremely unlikely to pass by this humble page. And even should he do so, I would explain how uplifted I was to see his little space by the sea and how homely and cheerful he had made it. I also very much approve of his choice of headwear. He must be a splendid fellow indeed!
And the view was, given the glorious early spring weather, quite beautiful. My picture does not do it justice. I am not often covetous but I am deeply envious of this chap's opportunity to sit in comfortable solitude with a cup of tea and look out at Drake's Island and the sea beyond.
5 comments:
Hello Pete:
There is something so very English, perhaps British too, about beach huts. Although we have never owned one they exercise for us the same kind of fascination as they so clearly do for you.
We are of an age when, as children, foreign travel was an absolute luxury and so the seaside and beach huts are for ever resonant of 1950s Britain equipped as they were, possibly still are, with primus stoves and tin kettles.
Those at Brighton, and we suspect Plymouth too, cannot be purchased for anything under about £12,000. Simple pleasures at a price!
A lovely little place to retreat from "The World", indeed!
Having been to beaches on Sicily, on Germany's stretch of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (both on Danish and German beaches), I can only say that I've never seen this type of beach hut anywhere else but in England - Scarborough, namely, where Steve and I used to spend our holiday several times.
We never had one of those huts, but a friend of ours did (and still does) rent one every summer.
Your van is much more than a beach hut, though, isn't it? I seem to remember that you mentioned it can even be slept in, something I don't think is possible for any normally sized adult in a beach hut.
As quaint, attractive, peaceful and luxurious as beach huts are, I have no desire to own one. Maybe I yearn for something far more private, somewhere to hide from the family and wallow in self-pity alone.
Of course, if money were no object, I'd like a camper van, several caravans, a beach hut on every beach I fall in love with, a holiday home in the South of France, and, above all, a yacht.
I entirely agree with you about the charm of beach huts. There is something wonderful about looking out over the sea. One of the most memroable places I ever visited was a house in Spain which had the sea actually around 3 sides of it. Like being on a boat, but not getting sea sick, and I was envious of them being able to sit there on their balcony and have the sea so near.
No, I don't want a yacht. i would be happy with a beach hut. My needs are frugal. I just want to look out over the sea.
These are aparently for rent. I couldnt find out how much for. The ones I saw were due for demolition until someone petitioned the council and some people mucked in and renovated them. How lovely!
Not sure I would like a house with sea on three sides, probably because tides and waves can be a bit fierce on all the seas I am familiar with.
I have an original primus and a tin kettle. I think I will dig them out for nostalgia's sake.
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