Whitwell Farm CL, Seaton

Whitwell Farm CL Site (off grid) – 19th to 26th May 2024

I’m writing whilst sat in a field abundant with buttercups and overlooking the small coastal town
of Seaton. In the distance I can see the English Channel with its shades of teal changing
hourly. The sea is framed by woodlands
skirting the edges of the field which cause me
to draw my attention to the scenery beyond.
Our pitch is a desirable distance from the
nearest ‘A’ road and the service lane is
relatively quiet so in the main, we only hear
the sounds of nature. Predominantly it’s the
pleasant and constant chirping of birds. My
best guess is that they are mostly blackbirds
but we’ve also heard and (in some instances)
seen pheasants, great tits, robins, pigeons and cuckoos. There is one bird that, to my constant
amusement, sings out for all its worth [what I hear as] “herty gerty”. I’m not sure if it’s being
cheeky, but it makes me smile. I’m sure there are other birds, however my ear and knowledge
let me down.
Earlier and occasionally through the nights, a couple of resident deer have been heard
grunting as they shuffle by. We usually see them in the early evening, but they’ve also made
appearances at other times when
seeking out delicacies offered by the
hedgerows. Ever skittish they are
always on ‘high alert’ with the slightest
noise causing them to immediately stop
all they are doing whilst they prick their
large ears and scan the area.
Thereafter, it doesn’t take much for their
‘fright and flight’ instincts to cause them
to dash, prancing over the long grasses
back to the woods from whence they
came.
At times we’ve been spoilt with lashings of sunshine, but the air is still cold making us reach
for our jumpers when clouds form. Sometimes we seek refuge back in the caravan with all of its modern gadgets. Now into our fourth year we seem [finally] to be in command of all of its technicalities and it really is ‘home from home’ for us both.
We’ve ventured a couple of times into Seaton to walk along the sea front and top up with
provisions and an occasional stroll into the nearby woods but nothing more adventurous. Its
been really nice just to relax, aided for the first time by not having brought any work
along with me. In fact, I think it’s the first time in many years since I’ve felt I could and have
allowed myself to be quite like this. My transition into retirement is slowly gaining traction .