November 2025. Rye.
Back in Rye from Lydd, the town was gearing up for the annual bonfire night to mark the burning of the libelous copies of the 1974 Good Beer Guide (the “avoid like the plague” edition).
The gate would be locked to prevent Londoners in pashminas breaching the walls,
no trains after 3pm, a procession of seagulls carrying stolen chips, you know the ropes.
We couldn’t be bothered. Mrs RM had finished a bottle of red the night before, and once you’ve seen the Australia Day fireworks (Adelaide, 1989) the UK bonfire nights seem a bit dull.
I walked Rye Harbour at sunset.
Much more impressive,
even if I’ve never actually seen a bird,
and noted a horde of folk scouring the pebbly beach for something.
Millions of small plastic bio-pellets released by Southern Water to cause ecological damage for years hence.
Why can’t we look after nature ?
retiredmartin 
Is that your hand? How quickly could you gather those?
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It’s Arthur’s hand.
I didn’t really notice them among the pebbles. Apparently there’s millions across the Rother on the beach at Camber.
Did you see the harbour when you visited Rye (I think) a few years ago ?
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No, I had to look them up after reading your post.
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Lovely. All seasons have their charm, but there is something special about the quiet months of autumn and winter. Rye also “benefits” from a lack of large hotels, meaning most tourists are day-trippers. Evenings can be very quiet, even in the high season.
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Exactly right, Morten.
Mrs RM writes on her blog about the benefits of spending a night in places largely visited by daytrippers.
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Rye Harbour can seem very quiet. The lone pub closed by 6 on Sunday and there’s no takeaways.
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Walking into a warm, welcoming pub on a cold, dank late afternoon is one of life’s irreplaceable pleasures.
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“RYE HARBOUR. LIVING IN THE PLASTIC AGE”
(looks up)
Gorgeous pic.
“the town was gearing up for the annual bonfire night to mark the burning of the libelous copies of the 1974 Good Beer Guide (the “avoid like the plague” edition).”
I read that initially as 1794 GBG! 😊
“The gate would be locked to prevent Londoners in pashminas breaching the walls,”
Couldn’t they take a page from Monty Python and just catapult cows over?
(oh wait, that was the French in the castle doing that)
“no trains after 3pm, a procession of seagulls carrying stolen chips, you know the ropes.”
You mean chips as in fries or chips as in crisps?
“and once you’ve seen the Australia Day fireworks (Adelaide, 1989) the UK bonfire nights seem a bit dull.”
It would be even duller had the 1605 ‘bonfire’ gone off properly.
“even if I’ve never actually seen a bird,”
(looks at pic below)
Heh. I read the blurb on the sign as people coming to feed the birds and avoid harsh weather conditions.
“and noted a horde of folk scouring the pebbly beach for something.”
Sunken treasure? A lost glove?
(the glove was due to my darling wife on our walk in the woods yesterday to collect bits of greenery for her to make wreaths to adorn our front yard fence, doors, and whatnot)
“Millions of small plastic bio-pellets released by Southern Water to cause ecological damage for years hence.”
What the bloody hell?
Don’t they know there’s enough plastic in the oceans as it is? Heck, the rumour over here is plastic in now seeping into the rice we buy!
(sigh)
Cheers
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Plastic gets a bad press, needs a Campaign to Revitalise All Plastic.
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Are we talking beer cups, Tupperware, raincoats and the like, or just the crap that winds up in the oceans?**
** – FYI, plastic definitely has its place, just not as those itty bitty pieces. 😉
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