Sand, sea and some book suggestions
After weeks of the most unScottish weather (it’s been consecutive weeks of blue sky sunshine!), the rain has returned. My garden is happy about this. I just hope this is not now the rain back for the rest of summer! (Never bloody happy!) As I try to remain optimistic that we’ve not just experienced summer for the year, I’ve decided to do a wee blog post on some of my favourite Scottish locations to visit in the sun (and rain, to be honest they’re all year round loveliness) and also recommend some sunshiney beachy themed books.
First up, the East Neuk of Fife. My zen place. If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods make a trip to The Bowhouse, there you will find the Baern Cafe who do some of the best cheese scones (like their warm St Andrew’s cheddar, wild garlic, mustard seed scone with parsley butter for example!) and combos-of-ingredients-that-shouldn’t-work-but-my-god-they-do cakes. I could happily spend a day dedicated to just the tearooms and cafes around here! In fact. I’m just going to do that now. I’m going to call this Part 1 (of possibly 10…) Next visit is to The Cocoa Tree cafe, at the back of the Pittenween Chocolate Company shop, for some mighty fine luxury hot chocolate! Then you can’t go by Crail and not stop for a wee cup of tea at the Crail Harbour Gallery and Tearoom. One of the best outdoor seating areas in the country, you will fall in love with the view. Nip into the Beehive (they serve Jannetta’s ice cream without the long queues but be careful not to drip any on their gorgeous wares!) and the pottery shop (for mugs to make hot chocolate in at home with the bag of orange and allspice chocolate flakes you bought at the Pittenweem Chocolate shop!) Head out of Crail, and after a short five minute drive up the road….just as you’re gasping for another cup of tea…you’ll see a sign to turn into the wonderful Cambo Gardens. Their cafe does the best selection of vegetarian fayre. And cakes, did I mention the cakes? And in the winter season they offer their own hot apple cider (non alcoholic but sometimes they pair it with their neighbour’s - Darnley’s Distillery - Spiced Gin!) And also their apple scones during apple season are too good! Good job there are endless miles of beautiful walks along the Fife coastal path to balance out all of the above!
Which links me nicely into some seaside themed books (Mermaid’s count as seaside themed? Seaside adjacent?)
Wave by Suzy Lee. I bought this for my daughter (maybe also myself!) as a gift. It’s a stunningly illustrated wordless book about a day at the beach. It needs no words because there is so much expressed in Lee’s drawings of a girl having a wild & joyous beach adventure. In a limited palette of turquoise, white and black you can hear the sounds of the seaside, the sounds of gleeful squeals from a child making (in Inside Out terms) core memories amongst the waves and the seagulls.
In this evocative wordless book, internationally acclaimed artist Suzy Lee tells the story of a little girl's day at the beach. Stunning in their simplicity, Lee's illustrations, in just two shades of watercolour, create a vibrant story full of joy and laughter. New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book 2008
Searching for Treasure by Johanna Bell and Emma Long was another book I bought for my daughter, at the beautiful Toppings Booksellers in St Andrews. I can’t explain how much the little girl in this book reminds me of my own. She has the spirit of the girl in Wave but I am pretty sure I have photos of my wee one nearly identical to some of the spreads in this book. The text is simple but the illustrations are like the rock pools they depict, so much rich detail and beauty to explore on every page.
Searching for treasure on the high tide line. One step, two steps, what can you find? A walk on the beach becomes a joyous, creative adventure. What has the sea washed up? Can you find its hidden treasures? Find sea urchins and shark's eggs, ghost crabs and cuttlefish, limpets and barnacles and so much more.
From award-winning creators Johanna Bell and Emma Long, this magnificent read-aloud tale celebrates the joy of discovery
Under the Ocean by Anouck Boisrobert & Louis Rigaud is one of those books that, even as an adult, I was oohing and aahing over. My sister bought it as a gift for my daughter one Christmas (yes, her bedroom is a library!) It really is a special book. The story is simple enough but the pop-up designs are ingenious. I am also a bit of a sucker for an unusually proportioned book and here the illustrations take full advantage of it’s tall and slim dimensions - emphasizing the vastness and beauty of our underwater worlds.
On board the Oceano, our big red sailing boat, we hoist the sails and set off on a big adventure around the world. Everything changes as we sail from busy port to icy Arctic, through stormy seas and beautiful sunsets. But it's what lies under the ocean that will surprise and thrill the most! From the award-winning creators of In the Forest, this wonderful book combines spectacular pop-ups, illustration and design in celebration of the beauty of nature.
"A thought-provoking and gorgeously executed nautical journey." - Publishers Weekly
The Girl and the Mermaid by Hollie Hughes & Sarah Massini was on our must read list because of the pair’s previous book, The Girl and the Dinosaur, which was a firm favourite in our house. It didn’t disappoint. A tender tale of a girl and her Granny and adventures with mermaids. It’s a whimsical story full of love, a commentary on the power of memories and how hard it can be when they start to fade as we age, for both the person and their loved ones.
Now, if you have one, go ask your Granny to share her childhood memories with you so you can both hold on to those stories! And visit the East Neuk!
Alina and her granny live in a lighthouse by the sea: a home filled with the warmth of Granny’s magical stories. But Alina is worried. Granny’s memories and stories are starting to fade away, and she doesn’t know how to bring them back.
Then one day, she meets a mermaid on the rocks near the lighthouse – and she’s swept into a magical deep-sea adventure that will change everything. A modern classic from the bestselling creators of The Girl and the Dinosaur.
Here’s some of the thousands of photos I have from this happy place of mine!
