3rd November 2014 Brean Down Dash 24

Another nice day but ten degrees colder than the last ride. I think today will be the last day of the year wearing cycling shorts.  Went to Brean Down today, a promentary of land south of Weston. Although only just over a mile from home, because of the estuary of the River Axe, it is actually a 9 mile trip to get to it.

Ice 'n' Cool

Going through Brean village could not help notice this chap sitting having an ice cream. He was outside a shop called Ice n Cool, an ice cream parlour, which according to the notice on the door is now officially closed down for the winter and will reopen in March 2015.  Didn't want one anyway, too cold today.

Brean Sands

A view from near the top of Brean Down looking south. The sands stretch for about 7 miles from this point to Burnham on Sea. When the tide is out, the place is a haven for windsurfing, kite surfing and sand yachting.

Brean Down Fort

A bit of a climb up on to the top of the promontory, I do confess to walking the first 150 metres or so up a steep incline. Once past that point it is a fairly easy ride to the fort on the headland. It was constructed in the 1860s after Queen Victoria made a visit to France and was alarmed at the size of the French military, in particular the Navy. Other forts were built on nearby islands and in Wales to protect the Bristol channel. It was decommissioned in 1901 and used again during World War II both as a defence post and for the testing of secret weapons.  It has been owned by the National Trust since 2002. Between wars, there was a cafe in the fort; pity it wasn't there today.

Weston Bay

A shot of Weston Bay from Brean Down. I live in the white buildings, just to the left of the bush which means I look out of my window every morning to see this headland jutting out to sea. Magic.

The Dash in the title refers to the fact that I miscalculated the time of this ride and had to hurry home as the light was fading. There are lights fitted on the bike but with no street lights on the country lanes it is far better to travel in daylight. 24 miles covered today.