2021 in Pictures

2021 in Pictures
2020 can be viewed here
And so to the end of another strange year - something of a roller-coaster with optimism about returning to 'normal' then dimished as infection levels remained stubbornly high and talk of new variants became more prominent and potentially alarming. We consider ourselves to be very fortunate - living in a beautiful part of the country, able to get out and about in the fresh air and avoid large crowds indoors, with supportive friends and neighbours should any difficulties arise. We managed to get away - staying within England this year - and have enjoyed limited numbers of guests when it has been possible/deemed safe by those involved. So here's a flavour in pictures of our year and we look forward to hearing from friends about their escapades during the second year of the pandemic.
The year began in lockdown (again) and it was a wet spring. We had flooding in January and by March many of the Village footpaths were turned into mud baths as everyone took their daily exercise ('allowed' but taken as obligatory). The beach was largely deserted due to the absence of holidaymakers. We took advantage of the library's stock of jigsaw puzzles and enjoyed swapping them and discussing them with other villagers who were visiting the library for the same purpose each week. There was some interest when a seal, often seen in Weymouth, decided that Hive Beach was a comfortable place to rest and relax and he was seen on several occasions both here and on other local beaches over quite a long period. Internally, we had a new log burner installed - delighted that it could fit inside the existing fireplace that we had put in when we first bought the bungalow in 2004. Although it arrived as the weather warmed up, we did try it out a few times and it has proved a great addition this autumn as the temperatures have dropped.
Back in August 2020, we booked a week each at the two Holiday Property Bond centres in the Lake District for May 2021. We planned a week at Braithwaite followed immediately by a week at Merlewood (Grange-over-Sands) never dreaming that the pandemic would still be in full swing. As the date drew closer and it was clear that hotels would not open until just before our second week, we decided to cancel at Braithwaite because we'd have had to complete the long journey (400+ miles) in one go. Fortunately, someone cancelled a week in Shropshire - just outside Craven Arms - and we were able to take up the vacancy. As the hotels opened at the end of that stay, we fitted in a couple of nights in Chester and took the opportunity to satisfy Irene's long-held wish to visit the Zoo as well as the city. We loved Shropshire and the HPB site is surrounded by the countryside of the Shropshire Hills and not far from Ludlow. Although the week was punctuated by thunder storms, we managed several visits and walks and would love to return sometime in the future. We especially enjoyed Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock (inc the Abbey). Berrington Hall and Croft Castle (both NT) were not far away and we enjoyed the ancient trees at the latter - many of which dated back to the Spanish Armada! Clun Castle and the Long Mynd were also within easy reach. Dining was still 'outside only' but pubs had generally created gazebos and the like to enable folk to eat and drink. En route to Chester, we stopped at Wroxeter (Roman remains) on the first day of re-opening after lockdown much to the delight of the staff and volunteers there who could not wait to tell us all about it in great detail! We also took a look at the house in Oswestry (The Wood) where Julian and his sister, Deirdre, used to stay as a family with their Uncle, Aunt and cousins in the 60's when their uncle managed the two cinemas there. At Chester, we admired the distinctive 'Rows' on which the cinema at Uckfield (in Sussex where J's grandparents lived) was modelled. Our friends, Jeff and Judith, had also booked Merlewood and we discovered shortly before travelling were in an adjacent apartments (48 stairs up!). We shared a great week with walks, often overlooking the scenic Morcambe Bay, and boat trips on Coniston Water and Windemere, including a trip on the Lakeside railway. We also visited our old haunt across the estuary, Arnside (which has been the subject of two BBC TV programmes in the first week of December!) and saw the fantastic view from Arnside Knott across the River Kent to the Lake District fells and out into Morcambe Bay.
In June, we welcomed Irene's niece, Ali, huband, Pedro and their 3-year-old daughter, Sophie for a few days by the sea. It's always a good opportunity to build sand castles, visit the Swannery at Abbotsbury and even travel on the 'new' open top bus service to Bridport which especially delighted Sophie!
In July, we enjoyed a short break in Oxford. This was primarily for a reunion of the church youth group of which Julian was a member in the early 70s which had been postponed from March 2020. We also took the opportunity to visit Iffley and Sandford Locks and the delightful Iffley Church. We spent a damp day at Blenheim and stopped off at Cogges Farm, Witney on our way home.
In early September, Julian's cousin, Marilyn, joined us for an extended stay with her characterful dog, Teddy, who always enjoys the walks around the Village each day. This was an excuse to re-visit the Sculpture by the Lakes, near Dorchester, which we had first visited on Irene's birthday in August and had found it to be a very special place. Marilyn was escaping major building work on her new house in Dartmouth which hit a major unforeseen snag. When she returned to Dartmouth to stay with friends (the house being inhabitable at this stage), Teddy stayed with us for simplicity. Marilyn returned for a few days in October but Teddy continued his holiday until early November. Whilst we don't miss his serenade at 6.45 am, we do miss the excuse for lots of walks and his distinctive 'singing' at regular intervals. Irene's former colleage, Fran, also came for a few days in September and provided another excuse for trips and visits around the area.
October brought a spell of torrential rain which caused flooding in the Village to an extent not seen since July 2012. Fortunately, the flood waters abated as quickly as they had risen with the main road only closed for a matter of hours this time and no properties affected. There was some anxiety when the level reached the top of the arches under the road bridge, but, fortunately, went no further. The Village volunteers, including Julian, have been active in clearing drains and the ditch that runs alongside the main road, thus preventing serious flooding other than on exceptional occasions.
With Teddy returned to Dartmouth, we took the opportunity to take a short break in the New Forest in November. Not an area we had previously visited which turned out to be an error since it is both beautiful but also relatively close. Staying in the centre of Lymington gave us access to various hostelries for eating out as well as being on the Solent Way for walks overlooking the Isle of Wight. We took the opportunity to visit Beaulieu and walked to Bucklers Hard and back. We were incredibly fortunate with the weather which was sunny and relatively warm (for November) and the trees were still in their autumn colours. We were thrilled to be able to meet up with Irene's brother and his wife for lunch in Brockenhurst and to walk in different areas of the Forest.
We had (very tentatively) considered travelling to Canada for Christmas to visit Irene's sister who has retired this year and moved to Vancouver Island to be nearer her two sons and their partners. However, increasing levels of Covid have resulted in restrictions and caution on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition, one of the sons has announced his engagement, with the wedding planned for April 2022 in Jamaica (Montego Bay) to which we have been invited! The flights are booked and we hope that everything might be able to go ahead as planned - but who knows? In December 2020, we booked to return to HPB La Gomera (in the Canaries) along with Jeff and Judith for the end of February 2022. We have no idea whether that will take place as infections are increasing and restrictions with them, but we are hopeful of some winter sun if it is safe and possible. Irene continues to volunteer in the village library and is still the Church treasurer. Julian has 'retired' from the local school governing body and the multi-academy trust after 10 and 5 years respectively to hand over to newcomers with more current educational experience. He has given more time to the National Trust, frequently volunteering to provide support in managing the beach car park, with the massive increase in visitors due to 'staycations', as well as the regular conservation group. We resumed bell ringing towards the end of the summer - and were able to ring for two weddings. During and after lockdown we had kept in touch through Zoom (our 'Zoombar' sessions - named after the Doombar drink which is a favourite of many of our team) and eventually had met on the beach one evening a week. The ringing chamber has very little ventilation and the ringers are too close for comfort without masks. At this time last year and through the earlier peaks of the pandemic, infection levels locally were relatively low. However, since the summer, numbers have increased substantially to four times those earlier levels or even greater, to the point where it seems that everyone in the Village now knows at least one person who has tested positive, generally with symptoms, albeit generally mild ones. Our paramedic neighbours point out the success of the vaccination programme in that the only (far fewer) cases they are carrying to hospital appear to be those who have not been vaccinated. Sadly, we were unable to ring the bells for a recent wedding when Julian tested positive with a lateral flow test although the subsequent PCR test and further lateral flow tests proved negative. This Christmas will be again different for everyone and we are aware of friends and neighbours who are avoiding lots of contact in the hope that they will be able to meet up with relatives as planned. We are sad for those who will miss the usual family gatherings. through illness or restrictions on travel. Our key church services will generally be held outside in the churchyard - this has become a well-worn routine in the last year.
We wish everyone a peaceful Christmas, however you are able to celebrate, and a happy and healthy New Year..