Hi everyone
Late as usual but I have a very good excuse I’m on holiday in my much loved Dungeness. Here are a couple of snaps to show you why I love it so.
This is the cottage.
Looks small doesn’t it! But it’s quite the Tardis.
In addition, there are two double bedrooms with King-size beds each with their own en-suite, plus another room where the playwright, Snoo Wilson, wrote. The whole place was his writing retreat and there are books everywhere – altogether it has a delightful homely feel, and is the reason why I have returned for the third time.
Another reason to love coming here is that Dungeness is no ordinary place. It is the largest expanse of shingle in the whole of Europe and is a national nature reserve. The housing is all single storey and is of the shack and track type. The cottage we are in once belonged to a fisherman but there are several ‘cottages’ that were railway carriages and you can see that this is so with their narrow forms and curved roofs.
The whole of Dungeness is actually an estate owned by EDF (that’s Electicite de France) who own the nuclear power station, which is being decommissioned. Here it is seen from the back of the cottage and I find beauty even in that stark structure.
The renowned film director, Derek Jarman, had a cottage here.
The cottage is not open to the public but you can respectfully walk around the garden and take photos. The garden is mainly over but it has marvellous bleakness leavened by the plants, standing stones and twisted metal shapes, all of which echo the landscape that surrounds it.
There was one part that had a little colour.
And my last photo shows you the wild nothingness of the area.
I know Dungeness is not to everyone’s taste. It’s a bit marmite, you either love it or can’t see why anyone would want to stay there for a week! Btw, I do love other categories of scenery, Norway for example, but my heart sings when I see this.
And back to reviewing the month. And what a month! I think this has to be THE month of the year and one that history will remember. The most momentous event was the death of our Queen, which, however, one feels about the royal family, was a pivotal moment of history for us. It will alway be remembered how well she served us and how diligently she performed her constitutional duties. And the very best of luck, says this lukewarm republican, to our new King. I say this because I remember him before life rather got in the way, as a sweet young boy, a hesitant teenager and a quite comedic young man who liked Spike Milligan and the Goons. At last, at the age of 73 he’s got the job he’s been waiting for all his life, which must be conflicting for him as it also meant the death of his mother. I wish him the very best and I really do hope he slims down the ‘firm’.
And then whatever other events need to be mentioned? Oh yes, we got a new Prime Minister. Now, here’s the thing. I have just removed three paragraphs I’ve written on the debacle, the utter fiasco that our new government has engineered. Those paras will be on My Other Blog shortly. I thought, perhaps not here!
So because I’m on holiday this is the end of my review, No books and no films this time as I didn’t bring the notes I make on the reading and watching that I’ve done, but I’ll just mention, Untouchable, which we saw at the Hillcrest Cinema, in Newhaven, the one we ran for nearly 5 years. Untouchable (also on Netflix) is the 2011 French film starring Omar Sy, as the carer of the very disabled Philippe, played by Francois Cluzet. I believe this was remade into an English-speaking version, not sure, but this one, the original one, is the film to watch. It’s great, and a kind of buddy, buddy, odd couple film made with sensitivity and very life-enhancing to watch. Highly recommend. Also I am delighted to say we are resuming our contact with this local film club, not running it but helping, and you know what, I shall dress up for it – so looking forward to that!
Finally, I must show you another charity shop bargain. September has been very good month for bargains! It’s this padded winter coat.
It is a huge bargain as it has a Hush label and coats from Hush go from £100 – £150, but I bought it for £14.99. Wow!
That’s all for now, but thank you so much for reading to the end – you are all very much appreciated.
With love, Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
Hi Penny that looks great, had a brief stop off in Dungeness on way home from France a few years ago. Is the cottage dog friendly? Btw you can visit Prospect Cottage https://www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/prospect-cottage/visitor-information/ We were thinking of going today but it doesn’t work out
Thank you Caro, I didn’t know you could visit, that’s wonderful if you can. I shall look at the link as soon as I have written this reply.
Here is the link to the cottage’s website http://www.wiwurri-dungeness.co.uk
I can’t see anything about dogs on the website but I just have a feeling that they are allowed. You might want to contact the owner, Ann, about this – see the Contact page.
Just like Dungeness it is a very unique cottage, probably because the family still come and visit many times. There are other cottages in Dungeness that are AirBnB with unbelievable extortionate prices that are done up to the nines but totally soulless. Wi-wurri has everything you need and more, but is very homely and welcoming at the same time
Nice photos of your holiday retreat penny ; I do like a big sky. That coat is a great find especially as you can wear so many colours of hats scarves etc with it when it gets colder. We are hoping to have a trip away later in the month as it’s our 52nd anniversary coming up (!) but it all depend on how well I tolerate the immunotherapy that’s planned. Slowly getting over the surgery but still tired. We had our ‘flu and Covid jabs on Sunday which may be contributing. Anyway, got the slap and madly brightly patterned dresses back on after sloping about in jersey trousers for a week. If I look more like ‘myself’ then I’m hoping I can feel more like myself as well!
Congratulations on your coming wedding anniversary, and wow, 52nd! We shall reach our 50th in 2024, but next year we will have known each other for 50 years! I think we should both take a bow!
I do hope you feel better soon, enough to get away which I’m sure is what you need. The jabs might contribute to the tiredness. We get our flu jabs next week, Covid we had a couple of weeks back with no side effects at all. Good for you dressing up and putting on the slap. I do think that putting on the makeup is incredibly important, when I’m not well I don’t put it on and really the difference when I do is very, very apparent.
All the very best Lynda and have a good week
My son got married in the lighthouse it was wonderful
Oh wow, amazing!
Hi Penny…I’m glad to see that you got away for a bit. The cottage interior looks fantastic! How fun to browse that library! Just the place to settle down for a good read. We’ve just returned from our own getaway to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, home of famous national parks like Yosemite and Sequoia. My husband’s first vacation in two years. We rented a large condominium to house our son’s family of six, too. So. Much. Fun. Our fishing was successful so we enjoyed a fresh trout meal. Cooler temperatures brought about some bright Fall colors. It was just lovely.
Yes, quite a month of events for you all in England. I look forward to your take on it all. Take care! Charlene.
Hi Charlene and I’m so glad you went away with your husband and son plus his family, sounds as though you all had a good time! We love this cottage and Dungeness, both are quite unique, Dungeness with it’s unusual shingle and housing and the cottage which is delightful. And there’s a fish venue just up the road called the Snack Shack where you can get the catch of the day grilled in a white roll. Hope to get there on Friday!
We live in very challenging times. Our complaints about Truss (as the whole country is amazed at the mess she’s made of our economy) pale into significance when I think of Ukraine. That’s why it’s so nice to get away.
Thank you Charlene and you take care too 🙂
Very Charles Dickens.
Yes, you could just about see Ham and Peggotty living in Dungeness. The thing is the housing is strictly controlled up to a point, but about half the shack and tracks have been bought up and modernised. In a very proscribed manner I hasten to add, all with black painted outsides, but you can tell they’re not exactly as they were. And who lives in these modernised shacks,? No-one. They’re all AirBnBs with extortionate jaw-dropping prices, e.g. one (admittedly slightly larger) at £600 a night! Glad to say the other half are lived in and this one is very homely as the family visit and stay in it all the time.
Thanks for this posting from Dungerness. The cottage looks the perfect retreat. Have you found any nice pubs/places to eat? Or cockles? (Always loads of cockles on the other side of the estuary – not that I eat them!)
Great coat find and perfect timing for your holiday, (never heard of the label but, what do I know?) However, I have heard and seen Untouchable and agree – it is excellent. I shall look forward to see your outfits at the film club – always fun to dress up.
Regards our new PM and Chancellor: I’ll bite my tounge and look forward to your deleted paras on your Other Blog!
Enjoy your holiday, Mary x
There are two pubs in Dungeness with great fish and chips and other pub food, but the place to go to is the Snack Shack, which is on the beach with no inside so, it has to be good weather (!) and during the day serves only freshly caught fish. They have a famous grilled catch of the day in a roll. Can’t wait to have this – will go on Friday!
The coat was a brilliant find as Hush is a very good, very ethical brand but expensive. I haunt their website and wait for their sales.
Thanks Mary, we are enjoying the holiday. Blowing a gale today!
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I truly do hope we can make it back to the UK in the coming years. I miss traveling so much. I know I have the whole of the US to visit, but there’s something about visiting another country. I am with you on Dungeness…it looks the perfect place to visit (and stay for an extended period of time)!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I also hope you get to the UK – we might even meet up! Dungeness is very barren and rather unique, and there are no cultural artefacts or things to do, so it’s great for a quiet week away. Mind you there’s two pubs and a famous Snack Shack that serves the catch of the day in a white roll. Can’t wait to have that – will go on Friday!
I can see why it would be a wonderful place to get away. It does seem very barren, but sometimes we need a little nothingness.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Dungeness is absolutely barren and exposed to the wind, which is blowing a gale right now! It’s really unique, but for a quiet week away it’s perfect.
Thanks Jodie xxx
Because we visit Rye with my sister and brother in law last month, we didn’t got the chance to visit Dungeness but we have it on our list!
Not sure who is worse, political wise…..
Dungeness is very near Rye, less than half an hour by car. Next time, just a quick visit – it’s very unique. And if you go during the day Thursday to Sunday the SnackShack is open and it does fresh fish of the day grilled on roll and other catch of the day dishes – highly recommend.
Johnson was a fool, plain and simple. Truss is both a puppet of the right and a convinced zealot. She’s not very clever and unlike Johnson she’s not interested in popularity, instead she’s a dangerous ideologue with no empathy for the population – yikes!
The landscape and drought garden are interesting and the cottage is cosy looking. Thinking of them and looking at photos will cheer you up in the Winter
It is such an interesting place Flora, but I have friends who cannot understand my liking for it and think it a really depressing place. I love it! And it’s great for a quiet week away, albeit it’s a roaring gale outside at the moment – double love it!
PS Rye for EF Benson and Henry James two of my favourites.
Re the ‘Government’ it looks like there will be another vote by the T Party so several more weeks of nothing getting done.
Rye also is lovely.
And as for the Truss government, yes, how long will it last. On the other hand do turkeys vote for Christmas? The Labour Party is very far ahead of the Tories in the polls at the moment and the feeling is maybe it’s their time. Hence the Tories may not want an election – so maybe there’ll just be a lot of warringTory MPs mouthing off at each other?! We wait and see.
So great you could get to Dungeness for some time away. It’s true that this kind of place might not be to everyone’s taste, but it does have a special kind of beauty, I did not know it even existed until I saw it on your posts. And it is nice that it has not been modernized and tampered with. My favorite place, Chincoteague island is very different from the town I first visited in 1994. Many of the artisan, one of a kind a kind shops are gone now, the hotels are larger and the whole island more commercial overall. and so much new construction, even on marshes. with climate change I fear disaster for this place is coming. The outer island, Assateague, is a refuge and so is unspoiled so there is that, and that and the ponies draws me to it.
thank you for your concern Penny during the recent Hurricaine Ian which ravaged parts of Florida. My brother and his family live in Florida but were fortunately in an area which did not get the brunt of the storm. My daughter in laws family did get some damage but are OK. the videos of the destruction are unbelievable! Right now we may be getting remnants of the storm, quite a lot of rain but we actually needed it. I have been catching up on my reading.
I really like the new coat. As always you find the best deals. the color is perfect for you.
Love from New York, Darby
Darby – so sorry that I didn’t reply immediately. Was not 100% on my holiday – unfortunately! Better now.
Well, the thing is about 50% of the original fisherman’s cottages and those that began as train carriages are being bought up and ‘modernised’. They’re very strictly controlled and all are painted black and they cannot build up nor can there be any new cottages built so that’s something, but they can extend and really they look, well, modern. It’s a shame but nothing stands still, does it.
Hurricane Ian was in our media a lot, looked awful. Thanks as ever 🙂
Wow! What a different landscape from what I typically think of when thinking of England. I had to look up the location. I can understand your love for this relatively bleak place, because I love the moonscape of the Nevada desert. Also bleak. And yes, the UK has gone through a lot of changes recently with the death of the Queen. She has been much lauded here in the States. But I’ll save any other comments for your other blog.
Oh! And great deal on the coat!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Within our little island are many different types of countryside and there are flat desert areas elsewhere but Dungeness really is unique as it’s an estate and nothing further can be built, so despite the ‘modernisation’ of some of these cottages it does still look bleak and gosh in the winter, it must be very bleak. We had a windy day last Wednesday and we could hardly stand up in the wind coming off the sea.
The coat is an amazing bargain!
What a nice holiday! Dungeness looks like a wonderful place for relaxation and contemplation. In the photos, the cottage looks cozy and inviting. Thank you for sharing this post at Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 36.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
Yes, indeed Dungeness really is a great place to get away from modern life and I did take time out to think through some issues and ideas.