MONDAY, 2nd DECEMBER 2024 - SEALS

Three Old Geezers went to Horsey Gap to try and photograph some of the seals hopefully breeding there  We had planned on going to Donna Nook but rain was forecast to reach there earlier than Horsey so we changed our plans.

I was picked up at about 7am and we headed east. Approximately 2 hours later, we stopped for a refreshment/toilet break before completing the journey to Horsey Gap. We were soon parked up and with cameras at the ready, we headed for the dunes. A very pleasant warden explained where we could view the seals from and said other wardens were roaming the dunes ready to answer any questions - something we later took advantage of.

There were lots of seals on the beach. The photo above shows just one section so that gives an idea of how popular it is with the seals . From a photography point of view, I'd preferred to have been lower down but there were no such viewpoints. It's usual best to try to get on eye level with animals and people (especially children) when taking photos. Anyway, here are some of my shots from the day ....

After about 2 hours on the dunes photographing seals and with signs of the forecast rain approaching, we headed back to the car. Back at the car park, the first drops of rain were felt and we'd just got our boots off and into the car when the rain got heavier. We were lucky there!

And our luck held. Looking for somewhere to get a bite of lunch, we found Poppylands, a 1940s tea room that we'd seen mentioned on the internet. It being a now-wet Monday lunchtime out in the middle of nowhere, we expected it to be quiet. The first clue we were wrong was the carpark - it was almost full. Going in, we had to climb up the stairs to find an empty table. Service wasn't quick but they were busy and the snacks we had were well worth the wait. Anyone planning a visit would probably do best to book a table in advance - it must get hectic in the summer.

Thanks for reading this. It's always nice to see comments so I know someone has read it  :)

Den