Wednesday 6th May 2026 - Closed 8th March 2025, A Mixed Bag and Casting a Clout

As you can see, from the first photo in Saturday’s blog, at long last the promenade has been opened.  Checking back through my blogs, the promenade has been closed since 8^th March 2025.  All I can say, is yes, it’s taken all this time for the Council to assess the stability of the cliffs along with the presence of Japanese knotweed.  This was before carrying out, what they consider, suitable measures to make this area safe, and treat the knotweed, after which they removed the barriers.  Villagers and walkers can once again take a stroll along the entire length of the promenade, while watching the ever-changing seascape.

We had ‘a mixed bag’ of weather over the Bank Holiday weekend.  Saturday, we saw visitors in shorts and t-shirts as they headed towards the beach.  It was sunny but in our coastal location there was still a chill in the air; this didn’t stop Peter BBQ’ing in the evening.  I wasn’t tempted to retrieve any of my summer clothes from their winter storage.  Just as well because, Sunday, the temperature dropped and by Monday it was positively chilly.  All changed yesterday, sunny again which was perfect for drying the washing, Peter mowed the lawns and on our afternoon walk, we didn’t need a coat or jacket.  As for day, it looks as though it’s going to be one of showers.  No complaints about the rain – the garden will definitely appreciate it.

The media have reported we are having an early spring, instancing bluebells blooming two weeks ahead of their usual flowering time, as an indicator.  I disagreed with this.  My observations suggest there is no real change, in the bluebells, from prior years.  However, last week, I saw the bloom (referred to as may flowers – see photo below, taken on 29^th April) on the hawthorns in the hedges are opening which this year does appear to be earlier than usual.  Despite this I won’t be casting a clout just yet!  I have mentioned the old saying ‘Ne’er cast a clout until May be out’ in earlier year’s blogs.  Clout is an eighteenth-century word which was used for clothing and this case, referring to casting a clout, means discarding thick clothing.  May is the hawthorn blossom and not, as some assume, the month of May.  Mind you, the way the weather has been fluctuating recently, I could well be waiting until the end of the month before putting away my winter clothes!