I popped out to take "a few photos" and ended up going for a three and a half hour walk, taking rather more than a few photos along the way...
The beach itself wasn't covered in snow (unlike earlier in the month when the Beast from the East brought us LOTS of snow and a blast of very cold temperatures), but enough had settled on the benches and fences and bushes along the beach to make everything very picturesque.
I love the lines of snow clinging to these poles...
... and how the sand dunes looked like iced gingerbread.
There's a steep footpath that leads up from the beach and down through the golf course on the other side. I couldn't resist walking up it to take a peek at the snow-covered course.
Can you spot the Old Church of St Nicholas on the hill in the distance?
Then I carefully clambered back down the path (to the great fascination of a passing dog which was amazed that a person had magically just appeared on the beach) and walked further up the beach and down Beach Road towards Uphill village and the boatyard.
The road should have been closed that day for the local half marathon, but the organisers had taken the sensible decision to cancel due to the weather!
My winter shoes were lovely and cosy, but I wish I'd brought wellingtons so I could have braved the muddy paths around the boatyard. I went this far and no further, retracing my steps back to the road.
I followed the path up through the nature reserve, past groups of kids on sledges and people out walking their dogs (both dogs and people wrapped up warm against the cold).
I love how transformative snow is - making the ordinary extraordinary, at once concealing and revealing.
After all that walking (and taking my gloves on and off so I could take photos with my smartphone) it was definitely time for a cup of hot chocolate at the boatyard cafe (yum) then to head home and get warm!
You might also enjoy my walk in the fog, and to see how different the nature reserve looks in May.
Yes, snow instantly transforms the landscape. It wasn't welcome here at this time of the year, too, but it made the city look beautiful and serene (unless you were in the traffic jam). I never liked Bulgarian seaside (it's great for summer tourism) in winter as opposed to summer but lately I started enjoying off-season visits and landscapes :)
ReplyDeleteOff-season can have a lot of charm - especially the quiet!! :)
ReplyDeleteLovely photos. I recognise a lot of these places as I have a friend with a flat in Uphill and have stayed there several times. Not been since my husband passed away. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos..i love it..such a lovely place.
ReplyDeleteLittlelamb - thank you! Uphill must be a lovely place for a holiday, it's such a sweet little village, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLulu - we're so lucky having places like this on our doorstep, I take waaaay too many photos out on my walks, haha :)