A beautiful old pier, a picnic in the sun and the very latest in hairstyling - you saw it here first

I've been searching through the cookery books for things to do with gooseberries, blackcurrants and courgettes.  And then I saw this page and thought, we must go on a picnic before the rain comes.  So yesterday afternoon we did.

We went to Clevedon, in North Somerset, where this Victorian pier juts out into the Bristol Channel.  We spent a while on the little beach, doing things with sticks and stones and scrambling about on rocks.  It always amazes me how much boys love doing this kind of thing.  Nothing fancy is required, just a pebbly beach and a little freedom.

We checked out the lovely community bookshop, then the boys had a scoot along the front to the park.  We ate our picnic - humous and crudites, sandwiches, hula hoops, cherries and cookies - and then headed back to the pier, which had free access for the evening.  I used to work with someone whose favourite saying was, "If it's free it's for me".  I feel the same way.   So we wandered along the pier to the pagoda at the end, which is a tea room now.  We chatted to the men who were fishing off of the side and admired the sole that one of them had caught.  And the boys got to have a really good close look at the huge bait worms.  And I mean huge.  And apparently they had teeth and could bite quite hard.  Yikes.  I stayed well back and admired the view instead.

Back at the gatehouse to the pier there is a little shop with an art gallery upstairs.  At the moment there is a display of deckchairs that have been designed by various people, including the wonderful Nick Park, and that will be auctioned for charity. 

I loved the one with all of the Clevedon street names on it.  I have a bit of a thing for nice text.

Then it was time to head for home.  Clevedon is quite pretty in places, with lovely old properties.

It has that small town feel that I love, and most of the time it's quite quiet and peaceful, with a good sense of community.  Well worth a visit.

The rain finally came late this afternoon.  Summer rain, so welcome after long dry spells. 

The boys got soaked and made funny hairstyles with their wet hair.  Then while I was making tea and other half was dozing on the sofa, the littlest boy found a pair of scissors and went a little further.

Oh dear.  He took a chunk out of the back, some off the top and almost everything off of the fringe.  Then it must have occurred to him that maybe he would be in a little trouble over this, and he proceeded to try and hide the hair under people's beds.  He's been rumbled.  I probably don't need to say any more.