Happy Trails

Having not had a proper 'get away from the house and go somewhere else' holiday for a couple of years we were chuffed to be invited to stay at Dingle farmhouse, an isolated house owned by a good mate. We'd heard so much about this magical place over the years, so we were very excited to be going there. This amazing place is owned jointly by our mate Jim and his extended family of siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews. Located at the end of a long (very long!) and remote track and nestled near the local marshes and a shingle beach, the farmhouse has not been changed or modified in a great many years, except for some discrete solar panels allowing a water pump to function and enabling a small fridge and a couple of plug points for recharging mobiles to work.

 Blissfully free of tellies, computers, landlines, we spent 6 relaxing days swimming, cooking, chatting, cooking vast communal meals,drinking beer and wine, playing endless amounts of cards and celebrating a significant birthday with a varied crew of Jim's other friends who rolled up during the time we were there. At one point there were 40+ assorted adults, kids and teenagers lounging around the garden, loafing off to the beach or running wild in the wood.

The house is situated just off a patch of marshland and the scenery has an almost 'bleak' beauty about it. 

In late marsh Summer the marsh was covered with wild flowers and humming with insect life, whilst marsh birds, invisible amongst the reeds, sang all day long. It's an extraordinary place that lives long in the memory and was a complete contrast to our usual environment of hills, hills and more hills. 

It was a joy to photograph and a delight to have spent an idyllic few days with good friends. After all, that's what a good holiday is all about.