It was Monday, we'd spent a couple of hours wandering in the drizzle at Great Yarmouth before deciding to call it a day and head back to the cottage. By late afternoon it was glorious, hazy sunshine, you wouldn't have thought that the day had been a washout. Perfect for an early evening stroll.
We parked in the National Trust car park which involved about a mile walk to reach the beach. There's sand dunes to the left but we decided to stick to the path.
There's signs of late summer around now. These blackberries are still to change colour.
The heather is in full bloom.
This pillbox has been left over from World War II.
I think this bird looks like a female chaffinch but I'm not convinced it is one. Does anyone have any ideas what it might be?
It took us about twenty minutes to walk the mile, I kept stopping to take photos, but eventually we arrived at the beach and it was a Wow! moment. All those seals basking on the shore. We saw the odd one on the beach near the cottage but to see them in this number was just amazing.
We kept well back, we didn't want to disturb the seals at all, and we had Archie with us too, though he was such a good boy. He wasn't interested in the least and didn't make any noise. I'm so pleased now that I bought a camera with a 60X zoom. We had this view to ourselves, there wasn't another soul nearby and it was just magical. I'll leave the narrative for now, there's not a lot I can say about each individual seal, though be warned that there's lots of photos. There's many more which haven't made it on to the blog.
For me, this was the highlight of the holiday. If you get the chance to visit Horsey Gap I would whole heartedly recommend it.
We made it back to the car park as daylight was fading and by the time we got back to the cottage it was pitch black with an almost full moon.
The perfect end to a perfect outing.
Sounds loads of fun, back in 1986 we went to a seal sanctuary in Cornwall, they are lovely animals. Your photo's have caught this time of year to perfection.
ReplyDeleteI've got a real soft spot for seals so it was lovely seeing them in their natural environment, really special.
DeleteIt's not a finch, the beak is too slender. I think it's a warbler of some kind, possibly a sedge warbler. How brilliant to see so many seals, you must have been chuffed, fantastic photos.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing about the beak too. A warbler, that didn't cross my mind but now I've googled and it definitely looks like one, thanks for that. We were thrilled to see the seals, we struck lucky and visited at just the right time.
DeleteWhat a lovely experience. I don't think the bird is a chaffinch either but I'm nocturnal sure what it is - it looks like some sort of warbler although it's tail seems a bit short. I'm no good at differentiating between warblers.
ReplyDeleteI think it could be a warbler now I've googled it. So many birds look very similar, it's hard to distinguish between them.
DeleteWonderful photographs - thank you for sharing 😃
ReplyDeleteI took lots more photos, I just couldn't stop snapping away.
DeleteOh! aren't they just beautiful? We saw some seals on holiday but not that many. It looks like you enjoyed a lovely evening walk made all the more special by seeing those guys. Like you say, quite magical. X
ReplyDeleteIt was such a thrill seeing the line of seals all the way along the shore. We'd had a drizzly day so it was lovely when the sun eventually put in an appearance and we enjoyed this magical evening.
DeleteLovely post and pictures. I like all their different facial expressions. xx
ReplyDeleteIt was fun looking at all the photos afterwards and seeing what I'd captured, they were all so different.
Deletewhat a fab trip and great pics.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely somewhere I'd visit again.
DeleteThat would be a treat! I like seals and any time we go to San Francisco I always want to go to Fisherman's Wharf to see all the seals.
ReplyDeleteThey're beautiful animals. Unfortunately, Eleanor and Mick saw a dead seal wash up on the beach near where we were staying but apparently, it's not uncommon.
DeleteLooks amazing. To see all those seals in their natural habitat must have been a joy.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fabulous evening. I could have stayed hours but we were in danger of having the car locked in the car park. I'd definitely visit again though if we ever return to the area.
DeleteLovely photos, Jo. How exciting to see all those seals in one place!
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing. My jaw just dropped when we stepped onto the beach and saw them all just laid there, it was quite a sight.
DeleteBrilliant photos No, what a great place.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of Horsey Gap before we read about it in the visitor's book in the cottage. I'm glad we got the chance to go.
DeleteOh Jo, just my kind of day, which I think you probably already know. They are just beautiful. Thanks for the bevy of photos & well done to Archie for good behaviour. Some dogs would have wanted to run full pelt to see what they were. Maybe one day we'll get there, but for now it will go on that long list. Take care.
ReplyDeleteYou'd love it there, it's such a tranquil place, I suppose that's why the seals visit in such large numbers. I think it would be magical to visit between November and February as that's when the seals have their babies.
DeleteHow amazing, it must have felt quite special standing so close to all those beautiful creatures. Some brilliant photos, I love the expression on the seals face in the first picture xx
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to tear ourselves away, it was an amazing place to visit and definitely somewhere I'd like to go back to at some point.
DeleteGreat photos, it's years since I last saw a seal.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe how many seals there were all together on one beach. Quite a sight.
DeleteO.M.Goodness! how cute are those seals!! You took some great photos, I saw one when I went to Berwick a couple of years ago and couldn't take my eyes off him, i felt so privileged.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo you got of the moon too, it looks fantastic.
They are cute, aren't they? All so different too. I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them all just basking on the beach, I shall definitely go back if I'm ever in the area again.
DeleteGlad that the weather improved and you were able to follow up on the recommendation in the visitors' book in your cottage and take that stroll to Horsey Beach. What an amazing sight when you got there! Wonderful photos of the seals. I like the shot of the moon too. Great results from your camera.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely evening after a drizzly day. I'm really pleased with my camera, it certainly beats dragging the DSLR around with me with extra lenses.
DeleteWow - that is just incredible!! How fortunate that you took the time to browse the visitors book.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of Horsey Gap. I'm so pleased that someone had left a note about it in the visitors book and that were lucky enough to see seals on our first trip.
DeleteI am absolutely pea-green with envy ...... I haven't seen the seal (yes, there is just one) in Berwick for weeks!! Fabulous photos.
ReplyDeleteWe saw a few odd ones on the beach near the cottage but it was wonderful seeing them in this number. They're such beautiful animals, it was a thrill to share the beach with them.
DeleteOh wow! Lucky you having all those seals to yourself. They are just stunning, I loved all the different shapes, sizes and colours, especially the white smiling one. I shall bookmark this so I don't forget to visit one day.xxx
ReplyDeleteThis was the highlight of the holiday for me, I just loved visiting this beach and seeing all the seals. You should definitely visit if you're ever in the area.
DeleteFabulous Jo, how wonderful. Somewhere I have not been.... added it to my holiday 'recommended places to visit' book. Thanks x
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Horsey Gap so we just struck lucky reading about it in the visitor's book in the cottage. I'm so pleased we did as it's such a lovely place and definitely somewhere I'd visit again.
DeleteThey are all gorgeous. It would have been the highlight of my trip too. Thank you for including us.
ReplyDeleteIt was the perfect end to what had been a bit of a miserable day. You wouldn't have guessed that it had been drizzly all day as it was such a beautiful evening, made all the more wonderful by those seals.
DeleteThey look so smiley!
ReplyDeleteAren't they just the most gorgeous looking animals and to have had that whole scene in front of you with no-one else around, how special was that.
Lisa x
They do, I think they can be quite vicious though. They're beautiful animals, we were so lucky to see them just relaxing in this way.
DeleteLovely photos Jo and what a brilliant photo of the moon. Have a good week. Cx
ReplyDeleteI've got lots more photos of the seals, I just couldn't resist taking so many of them.
DeleteBeautiful! xcx
ReplyDeleteit's such a lovely place to visit, we had a wonderful time.
DeleteWhat a lovely post Jo.
ReplyDeleteYour photographs are all so good, those seals just look so sweet don't they.
All the best Jan
The seals were so appealing, we could have spent much longer there than we did but we were in danger of being locked in the car park. We'd love to go back again some day.
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