2008
30
DEC
|
Reculver beach on a frosty day |
|
|
Tuesday, 30 December 2008 |
Reculver  | - Click on the image above to view gallery
|
|
Following the excesses of Christmas we felt like we needed to get out for a short walk but as we were getting over colds we didn’t feel like going too far. It had been a long time since we had visited Reculver for a walk on the beach so we decided to go there.
What I hadn’t expected though was for the beach to be covered in frost. We had a series of very cold days and frosty nights but the frost usually disappeared during the daytime. The low winter sun doesn’t get high enough in the sky to reach part of the beach though so the frost remained on the pebbles and seaweed all day.
It meant I was able to take some shots of frost covered seaweed which is not something I usually do at all but sadly I’d not packed my macro lens in my backpack as I was not expecting to need it and I was trying not to carry too much that day. We found a spot on the beach to enjoy our hot chocolate and Christmas cake and watch the birds. They included Turnstones and Ringed Plovers searching for food on the tide line.  Frosty Seaweed  Frosty feather
The view at Reculver is dominated by the two towers which is about all that remains of the medieval church of St. Mary's on the site. The towers are known as the "Two Sisters", after Frances and Isabella St Clare, members of Faversham Abbey. Frances, who was the Abbess, became ill and vowed to go on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of St Mary at Bradstowe in Broadstairs if she recovered. This she did and she and Isabella set off by sea. When off Reculver, their ship was driven onto a sandbank. Frances was rescued but Isabella stayed on board until light. However, she died of exposure once she was brought ashore. Frances continued to Broadstairs but restored the church in Isabella's memory and erected the towers' wooden spires, thus the "Two Sisters". The spires almost doubled the height of the towers but they were removed, presumably soon after the church was moved inland. The towers (minus the spires) are now all that remain of that original church.
The tide had been eroding the cliffs here and the coastline been moving steadily southwards, threatening to topple the towers which meant that much of the church in 1809 was relocated inland. Thankfully extensive work in strengthening the sea defenses means that the towers are safe and are now act as a landmark for local shipping.
 Reculver towers in late afternoon sun
It had been really good to get out for some fresh air and a good way to finish off the years walks as we watched the sun setting.
 |
|
|
Maggie