It was very windy when we climbed out of the car at Whinnyfold yesterday afternoon, but the sun was shining and the surf was up.  The grandchildren loved it and I managed to get quite a few good pictures.

The way down to the stony beach is by a zigzag path with steps.  I remember reading a story by Bram Stoker, the author of the Dracula novel about this path. (He had a house in the village besdie the steps and knew the area well.)  The hero stood on a misty day at the top of the path as a procession of ghosts of seamen whose boats had been wrecked on the Whinnyfold rocks silently moved up the steps.   I thought I would tell the grandchildren the story, then thought better of it.  Lochlann does take things very much to heart and I suspect he would have had nightmares if I told him about the ghosts.

The waves were crashing over the rocks, and it is easy to appreciate how many boats would have e been wrecked here.  But today it was a source of dramatic seascapes.

For the children the agenda was throwing stones and exploring the beach.   They all seem to love this place and will ask if they can go to the “stony beach”.

Modern day fishermen drag their boats up onto the beach, above the high water mark.  This red boat provided a lovely splash of colour among the grey tones of the beachg.  It was also I great place to photograph children.

Another wonderful place is the “pirates’ house”.  It looks as if it had been a shelter for fishmen, but now locals have turned it into a delightful little hideaway, with widows to look out and spy the rocks and the sea.

The dogs had a wonderful time too.  I have decided that Poppy is a “rockhopper” dog.   There seems to be no rock, or cliff that she doesn’t want to explore. She even made it on to the roof of the Pirates’ House. And Lily does her best to follow on.   When I told Mary I though Poppy was a rockhopper.  Maisie was delighted and shouted “me too!” as she scrambled over the boulders on the shore.