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Thursday 10 March 2022

Another seaside visit!

 This time to Weston-super-Mare. For those of you who commented on how far the tide went out at Dunster then Weston is also on the Bristol Channel and has very low tides. It is further around the channel and we were looking across the channel to Dunster.

We parked near the Birnbeck Pier or Old Pier as it is known. The pier is the only pier in the country to link the mainland to an island,  Birnbeck Island. Sadly the pier is in a very poor state of repair and has been closed for some years. Fundraising is underway to repair it but it is a big undertaking.


In this close up you can see the shed and ramp which for many years was the home and launch ramp for the lifeboat, the only lifeboat ramp to face in towards land.





From there we walked past the site of the Royal Pier Hotel which has recently been demolished. The friends we were with pointed out to us, below the sea wall, the site of the 'Ladies Bathing Pool' which had been accessed via a tunnel (now blocked) from the hotel.

This is the blocked up access


and this the pool hewn out of the rocks which would have filled at high tide. It looks to me like it would not have been a particularly comfortable place to swim!


Moving on past some local art - I loved the rusty pipe!


Looking across to the North Somerset coast


Because the tide goes out up to a mile at low tide a bathing pool was built by Knightstone Island which fills at high tide. You see it here in the foreground with Brean Down behind.


No idea what this is or represents, but I liked it.


The island of Steep Holm in the distance past Knightstone.


The Grand Pier which originally opened in 1904 but has burnt down and been rebuilt twice since. This is a pleasure pier and closer to the centre of town than the Birnbeck Pier.


Sadly Weston is a shadow of it's former glory as a smart and popular holiday destination but still worth a visit.

18 comments:

  1. Lovely place to visit Lin, hopefully the pier will be replaced/rebuilt one day. Those life boats have steep ramps don't they! I remember the one at Selsey. With a swimming place like that obviously the ladies were not encouraged to swim!!

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  2. Lots of history to the area Lin.... definately worth a visit & No I don't think I would've enjoyed swimming in that ladies bathing pool either 😉

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  3. An interesting visit, Lin - so much history in places like these, with the old structures and 'facilities' (ladies' bathing pool!). A mile is a long way for the tide to go out! Lovely to see your Wings blocks on your previous post, too!

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  4. It's interesting to see the history of these forgotten places.

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  5. Another nice day out, I see that the sun didn't come out for you :-(

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  6. Wow Lin, such an interesting part of the world! Where I grew up a pool was made for the tide to fill as when the tide goes out near Brisbane all that's left is lots of mud!!! So different from the north and south coast that have the surf beaches! Looks like nice sand left when your tide goes out and lots of intersting places and things to see.

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  7. another fun place to visit.... of course the 'ladies' swimming area wasnt comfortable or convenient.. haha.... some life changes have been good haven't they...
    Hugz

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  8. It would be wonderful if the pier can be retored! What an interesting place! Lots of history. Don't know if I would have liked to have been a bathing beauty in that time lol! You and I share a love of rusty things xx

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  9. Interesting history.
    Hopefully the place will blossom back to its former glory. Fingers crossed.
    Walks by the sea are always nice. I wish you more beautiful tours.
    Best regards, Viola.

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  10. It looks like an interesting place!

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  11. A lovely stroll with you. It must be lovely visiting these places.

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  12. Looks like an interesting place and would be so much better with a repaired pier.

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  13. It is always pleasant to visit the seaside, even if the skies are a bit grey. I don't think I would've liked to swim in the ladies' swimming area, either.

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  14. Now I wish I'd had time there on my one visit - which involved a dancing competition in the Winter Gardens (?), as I recall!

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  15. Lovely to see your photos Lin.
    I remember a visit to Birnbeck Pier in the late70’s/ early 80’s, it looked unsafe then!
    They used to have their own currency then - I think it was old money (Imperial), I remember having to change money as we went onto the pier, in order to pay for things. And I don’t remember more about it than that.
    Lovely to see the olde bathing pool - don’t forget ladies weren’t allowed to exert themselves in those days - their “husbands to be” wouldn’t want “damaged goods” after all. Oh my goodness, did I just write that out loud? Is that allowed ? 😂🤣😂🤣 Still, no-ones going to see that, are they, as I’m rather late to comment. 😁🙋‍♀️
    Tee hee! Hugs, Barb xx

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  16. The ladies swim area really doesn't look appealing does it ! Thanks for sharing theses wondereful photos
    Jillxo

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  17. Loving your "touristy" take on your area of England.

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