Sidmouth is a beautiful seaside resort that sits on the river Sid in South Devon. As we were staying in a holiday home near to Honiton, Sidmouth was only 20 minutes away. I do not get many opportunities to see the sea being based in the midlands, so early one morning of the holidays, I set off to capture the sunrise.
Sunrise on the Esplanade
The Esplanade of Sidmouth is a grand affair and the architecture consists of splendid iron balconies and intricate brickwork. The buildings are very beautiful but one or two needed repairs following the constant exposure to the extreme weather posed by being close to the sea.
Sunrise created a glow on the North Jurassic coastline and after capturing a few pictures I walked along the Esplanade towards Jacob’s ladder which was one of my main photographic subjects.
Walking Towards Jacob’s Ladder
Along the way, early risers were out walking the dog or jogging along the front. There were several people waiting for the sun to clear the cliffs. Lots of activity was taking place but the sunrise on the beach still had not happened. When it did, then people stopped to take it all in.
I walked past several imposing hotels of which the Victoria Hotel looked very impressive. I walked up Peak Hill past several cottages stopping every so often to read about the local history outlined on plaques. As I went past Connaught Gardens, I discovered the entrance down to beach along the Red Coast.
The Red Coast at Dawn
As I descended the path, I saw Jacob’s ladder. The diagonal steel staircase hugged the rocky cliff although there was one catch, the steps were boarded up. I had heard that it is one of the top Instagram sights in South Devon. I looked westwards and saw that the sunrise had now reached the Red Coast and the rocks were glowing in the sunlight.
The vista was breathtaking and deservedly required several pictures. It is humbling to think that I was looking west onto what is termed the Jurassic Coast. 235 million years ago during the Triassic period, the earliest ancestors of the dinosaurs lived. Locked away in the red sandstone of these cliffs are the remains of a landscape lost in time.
Connaught Gardens and the Clock Tower
I explored the Clock Tower which I accessed via Cannaught Gardens. There were views of the Cliff rocks and further angles on Jacob’s ladder. The gardens were now receiving the first rays of the day and I roamed around the quiet nooks and crannies of the landscaped grounds. Sir John Betjeman loved this area and quotes from his poetry adorn the walls of the gardens. There are further spectacular views over Sidmouth.
Pause on Peak Hill, look eastward to the town,
Then to the Connaught Gardens wander down,
And in the shelter of its tropic flowers,
I see its bright and outsize Devon flowers
Sir John Betjeman, 1906 to 1984
Peak Hill and the Morning Light
As I wandered down from Peak Hill, the light was amazing and there were more people moving on the promenade. I used my 70 to 200mm lens to pick up the details of people moving in the sunlight. I could have stayed there all day but the light was shifting. I did catch some amusing antics of swimmers in the sea enjoying the early morning dip and from then I put my cameras away and just took in the moment of the sunrise.
Falling in love with Sidmouth
I love such early morning photography especially if the sunlight was so good. This was my first visit to Sidmouth and I loved walking along the Esplanade and up to Peak Hill. We visited several more times during the holiday but this memorable morning will stay with me for all time.
If you want to read more of my visits to the Seaside then take a look at my visit to the Essex Coast.
