In the Bleak Midwinter...

Lifeboatmen go paddling. With the end of term at school has come a brief lull in the rain, so today I took advantage of this by paddling my kayak along my favourite stretch of coast with some friends as I often do at this time of year.

After a slightly tentative start paddling round Peveril Point, we got into the lee of the cliffs around Durlston Head and had a lovely, if occasionally lumpy ride on the ebb tide down towards St Aldhelm's Head.

Once there we stopped briefly on a small cobbled beach for a snack before the last stretch over Kimmeridge ledges.

Both Andy and Mark had come prepared with sweet stuff unlike me so I enjoyed their extras.

And that was it, a classic December day, crisp, sunny and memorable...thanks guys.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
(Words: Christina Rossetti)