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The
Toorington Bells
Sandcastles
– Sunshine - Trains - and the Sea! The Toorington Trip to the
Coast
It
was a long time ago, more than 30 years, that an old farmer told me
the following story. It was all about the annual Toorington day out
to the coast. A day that everyone liked and enjoyed and everyone
came. And, this trip to the coast always took place after harvest.
And, this well earned day off was always a day for relaxing and fun.
And, the fun always started at just after nine in the morning.
The
meeting point was always the station, a building that sadly no longer
exists (the line closed a long time ago). And, it was there, in good
spirits, that everyone boarded the 9.39 for the coast. And, the trip
up to the coast was always a journey of fun. There was always a
feeling of freshness, there was chatting and laughing, and the
youngsters were giggly and silly. Everyone was happy and excited.
And, even though the trip was an hour and a half, the coast always
arrived much quicker than expected. And, even though they had all
been before, each time was just like the very first time. Nothing was
ever the same. The powerfully wonderful air was always more powerful,
the smell of the sea-weed much stronger, and the taste of the salt
on the wind more salty than ever, and the gulls' piercing wailing
much sharper. But, despite these impressions of differences, these
days out to the coast were always the same.
There
was paddling and swimming and sploshing and splashing, there was the
throwing and catching of giant coloured beach balls, there was the
building of sandcastles, and, as was the tradition, most fathers
spent much of their time being buried alive by their nice little
children. And, inbetween, and depending on age, were rides on the
donkies. All part of the fun of the beach. And, then came the picnic.
And, this meal in the sand was always sensational. There were the
sandwiches – which by the way were called sandwiches because of the
the sand that always found its way in and made them horribly
crunchy. There were cup cakes, cherry cakes, ginger cakes, and
crisps, and bananas and apples. And for quenching the thirst was
beer, tea, and juice. Something and plenty for all.
And,
the afternoons always slowed down for snoozing in deck-chairs, and
chatting and knitting, and Puch and Judy, the Great British seaside
tradition. Theatre for the young with the same terrible climax and
always exciting. And then came more splashing and sploshing and
chasing and catching. The children never grew tired. And, at
seven-o-clock, which was always too soon, the train headed home from
the coast. But, the fun didn't stop. No one was tired. The entire
way home was laughing and singing.
A
day full of fun on the beach was over again. And, now time for bed
and dreams of the sea. It was a long time ago that a very old farmer
told me this story. Sandcastles – Sunshine - Trains and the Sea!
The Toorington trip to the coast.
