Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: marina

I had a few reservations about my trip to Somerset as I'm basically a mountain person. The Lake District, Highlands of Scotland, Yes ...but Somerset???. As it turned out, I needn't have bothered worrying, as accompanied by my personal guide Sal, I had a fabulous time and absolutely loved the place. Maybe it was helped by the weather and most fabulous sunset on our first night but they weren't the only reasons.

I also loved the quietness and quaintness of Watchet which was our base. Sal said that it hadn't changed since her childhood where she had spent many a happy family holiday. It had lots of little shops, excellent coffee shops and a top deli which we frequented just about every day. Plus it had it's own steam railway which we took advantage of later in the week. Oh and to that you can add the very welcoming pubs and bars, namely Pebbles Tavern and The Esplanade Club. The Star Inn was very quaint and accommodating as well.

Well that's enough praise for one blog! Our first afternoon and evening was spent settling in and just having a discovery walk around the town. After watching the sunset I mentioned earlier, we called in at the local chippy for some delicious and well earned cod and chips.

An arrival drink

Washford River

Watchet Cottages

Bridge over Washford River

Washford River

Watchet Marina

Yankee Jack

Fossil Bay

Watchet Harbour

Fossil Bay

Watchet Marina

Watchet Harbour

Blue Anchor Bay sunset

Cloud over The Bristol Channel

South Beach sunset

Blue Anchor Bay sunset

The Esplanade, Watchet

Blue Anchor Bay sunset

Interesting facts about Whitehaven -

George Washington’s Granny is buried in Whitehaven.
During the American War of Independence, Whitehaven was briefly invaded by American forces. Father of the US Navy John Paul Jones, raided the town in April 1778 . He took the fort, spiked its guns, burned a few coal ships, and made off in his vessel Ranger with three prisoners.
Jonathon Swift Author of Gulliver's Travels who later became Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin was kidnapped by his nurse as an infant and brought to Whitehaven for 3 years and taught to read.
William Wordsworth's uncle Richard lived in Whitehaven and was keeper of Customs for the district and his son was rector at Moresby.
Bounty “mutineer’’ Peter Heywood, who was granted a Royal pardon and escaped the hangman’s rope, once lived in Whitehaven. Peter joined the Bounty which was bound for the South Sea Islands to make scientific observations. Captain Bligh was a strict disciplinarian and as a result there was much discontent among the crew. On arrival at the Friendly Islands this culminated in open mutiny headed by Fletcher Christian, the Master’s Mate.
Whitehaven folk are known as Jam Eaters, supposedly because they can’t afford meat in their sandwiches. This goes back to the mining days of the 18th century.
In the 17th and 18th centuries Whitehaven was involved in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, and the role of British trade in shipping millions of Africans into slavery in the Americas. It grew rich from trade that depended upon slavery: tobacco from Virginia and, most famously, rum and sugar from slave plantations in the Caribbean.

And that's about it...good or bad, that is what Whitehaven is famous for!

Personally I right like the place. The shopping area is pretty run down but the harbour and marina (which have had a lot of money thrown at them over the years) are always busy and a pleasure to walk round. The marina is still being developed, both as a leisure and as a residential area.

Me and Sal paid a quick visit there the other week with our cameras and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours shopping, drinking coffee and taking photographs. The sun was shining which is always a bonus and our drive back to the caravan conveniently went past the Pheasant Inn at Bassenthwaite, which was a double bonus!