A weekend in the back of beyond

Last month Ben and I finally escaped the city for a weekend in a small market town on the coast. After years of commuting into London every day, Ben wanted somewhere quiet and out-of-the-way. We took the sleeper on Friday night, then a shuttle that dropped us outside an old inn. The town is situated at the end of a long, scenic road, and it really does feel like the back of beyond.

On Saturday we strolled along the waterfront, where most of the old fishermen's houses are listed buildings. A coastal walk took us past a lighthouse and through some beautifully landscaped gardens. It was the off-season, so the streets were almost deserted and the inn had plenty of vacancies. We stopped off at a tiny ice-cream parlour, which turned out to be the best in the area. The owner told us that the council had once refused planning permission for a high-rise right by the harbour.

Had it been built, she said, the town would have lost all its charm. On Sunday our train was cancelled, so we had to find another way home. Luckily, a kind taxi driver offered to drop us at a bigger station en route. Ben has already said that he would happily relocate there, even if it meant a much longer commute. I am not sure I could live so far from the city, but I will definitely go back.