Today marks All Hallows Eve. The 31st of October and for me it has always meant the beginning of the “proper” winter Season. The Harvest is done and the larders are full. Winter is officially coming.
Autumn has been beautiful, the trees are exploding into colour and putting on a most generous display.
This weekend we have been making the most of the delights of Autumn and even dabbled in a little Halloween celebration. We scooted to the coast to enjoy Halloween on the Beach; Cider and Sausages at the seaside, courtesy of the National Trust. We don’t usually do much on halloween but this event combined 2 of our most favourite things; the beach and food! It would have been rude not to.
The National Trust often do activities to mark the calendar and Halloween was no exception.
Upon arrival we were greeted with a warm fire pit, mulled cider, carved pumpkins and the option to go on a spooky sand dune walk…if we dared! We did. But more on that in a moment.
We sat down and enjoyed a sausage casserole, freshly cooked at the Knoll beach cafe and served pipping hot with a doorstep sized haunch of bread. Real butter of course. There was a choice of pork, venison or vegetarian sausages. All tastes catered for. The casserole was super tasty and the portions were generous to say the least. I couldn’t finish mine which is quite something if you know me. Spooky music played and the fires roared. It was spook-tacular.
We toasted our finger tips and noses by the fire pits and sipped on hot chocolate.
The darkness rolled in quickly and only the pumpkins marked the path to the ocean.
The smell of warm side was too appealing and so we ordered a few more round of the hot sweet stuff.
After downing a rather delicious vat full of cider our dander was well and truly up. We headed off into the darkness and managed to find our way across the beach, through the dunes and the dark woodland. It was a pitch black walk once you were off the beach and into the woodland. It was quite spooky, I have an over active imagination at the best of times and so it wasn’t long before I was sure the sound of deer and scarpering bunny rabbits was in fact a wild and terrifying beast out to get me. Because that sort of this happens all the time in Studland doesn’t it! Anyway, it turns out I can move when I really have to, so we managed to get ourselves back to the rondez vous point in tact.
We heard squeals and chatter from the woods, friends and families having a jolly good time. Definitely a fun time out and I think the more the merrier. Don’t worry if you missed it this year, there’s bound to be something again next year; can’t wait that long? Keep your eye on local activities over the Christmas period, there’s sure to be something for everyone.
Full up on cider, sausages and a good dose of sea breeze we headed back home. It was a ghoulish-ly good time.
It turned out that the most terrifying thing about the whole evening was the state of my hair!
Happy Halloween. Have fun and stay safe.
Amellia Mae
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