Though Tis Dorset, I Thought Twere Devon

A Memory of Lyme Regis.

When I was a child, I lived at Axminster. My favourite seaside resort was Lyme Regis, about 6 miles away from home.
Even though I was told, on countless occasions, that Lyme lay in Dorset, I would not accept that fact and insisted it was a Devonshire resort. It was MY seaside town, and I lived in Devon - therefore Lyme Regis was in Devon - that's infant child logic for you.
Before I could cycle, we used to travel to Lyme by 'Lyme Billy', a little steam engine that ran from Axminster to Lyme, then we had to walk down Broad Street before reaching the beach.

Now, Broad Street would have been better named Steep Street. It was a long and very steep hill that led down from the station to the beach. It was the climb back up that made my little legs ache, but the trudge down that made many an elderly knee creak - so I'm told. That will not have changed, I'm sure.

When I was old enough and free to cycle wherever my fancy took me, Lyme Regis was one of my many 'must-visit' resorts. The cycle ride down the hill was both scary and exhilarating. I'm not sure how many rubber brake blocks I ruined on those jaunts.

Whenever I see pictures of Lyme Regis, I always remember first, that hill and the thrill of the ride down, the wonderful fresh smell of salty sea air, and the wind in my hair, not to mention the gruelling journey back up the hill.