A place with a beautiful name - Weston-Super-Mare, just half an hour drive from Bristol ...
Location: 📍 WESTON-SUPER-MARE, UK
Type of Attraction: 🏛 City Break
Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
YEAR 2010
The first time I visited the city was in 2010. Back then, we only had an hour before heading back to Bristol to visit the Aerospace Bristol but the surge to see more selfishly brought us to this small but a pleasant place.
After parking the car at the Carlton Street Car Park, we headed towards the beach. It was unusually sunny that morning. The time was precisely 8:30, and the clock down began.
A short walk around the corner gave the first sight away. The Grand Atlantic Hotel had pointy roofs and elegant railings and was a great example of the Elizabethan style. Crossing the road in good spirits and expecting more after such a great start, we stood on the beach. The sand was a bit mucky, must have been low tide, but the walk in the direction of the Grand Pier felt fantastic and refreshing!
I usually enjoy the sight of a pier, but this one was quite modern, bulky and quite frankly not authentic. No access either.
After learning a great deal about the fire and the refurb, we looked around. It wasn't easy to decide which direction to take from here. Nothing 'screamed' to us. After shrugging the shoulders, we crossed the road and passed by the Sovereign shopping centre and Winter Gardens Pavilion before choosing to head towards the row of painted facades. We finally stood on the High St, and my camera got busy again. The street preserved some unique examples of the architectural ensemble. That was pretty good! In the end, we found a weird pointy cone-like structure. A modern twist!
Fantastic Art Deco!
Just around there, we read about the Floral Clock Site, claiming to be the most popular feature of the city since 1935 using up to 20,000 plants, being restored in 1990 to the previous glory.
Time was pressing to get back to the car. The last few buildings seemed to have a Neo-Renaissance feel.
Google Maps Walk
Source: Google Maps
YEAR 2019
The second time was a bit different. We spent in Weston the whole day in 2019. The first part on the beach and evening exploring other parts of the city.
Initial impressions of the beach were perfect. The sand pleasantly tickled feet, going into the water did not feel like sinking, not overcrowded. The day turned out to be warm, so the water felt great, and the tide was high.
The opinion began to change walking towards the Grand Pier. The picture of horses and donkeys under the hot sun riding people in a carriage for money did not sit right with me. I was devastated to witness it.
With animals came the waste. It was all over the sand with kids running around it. I felt like walking a minefield which greatly spoilt the day. I was also not impressed by the sinking sand on the low tide, but my other half and the kid loved the feeling of muddy mess!
Evening came, the water was still out. We decided to check the far end of the beach driving to the Old Pier. The sign informed us of Anchor Head and Birnbeck.
The Old Pier looked derelict and unloved but had such a charm! I could feel history running through this place, imagining how it once been buzzing with people and life. We stood looking down the cliff, onto the pier and island in the far distance.
We followed the path down the hill in the direction of the Grand Pier. The area was tidy and had a few points of access to the Bristol Channel. In the sunny warm weather, the walk felt relaxing like on vacation in a hot country.
After a short walk, we came out by the Marine Lake, which looked like a cut off channel by a dam. The opposite side of the dam was another beach. The difference - water was still in, and people continued to swim and splash! I found it quite smart!
Source: Google Maps
I appreciate Weston Super Mare has plenty to offer and we did not see it all. I would none the less recommend the walk from Anchor Head to the Marina Lake for its fantastic views, surroundings and Victorian feel. Until the next time, Weston!
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