A day trip to Brighton

A couple of weeks ago I went on a day trip to Brighton for the day. It was a rare sunny November day and the seafront was bustling with day trippers like me. I was interested in looking at the architecture and design of the seafront and focused on photographing  the familiar features we instantly recognise at the British seaside.

The stunning architecture of Brighton Pier

Brightons pier is a beautiful piece of engineering and is a really large structure. It is the main attraction at the seafront at Brighton and houses entertainment and amusements for visitors to the coast.

The big, bold and beautiful lights on Brighton Pier

By the start of the 20th century there were a hundred piers in Britain, each one a triumph of engineering. Most people couldn't swim and they enabled people to be near to the sea in safety. Now most piers have been damaged by fires, ships and neglect and more than half of Britain's piers have been destroyed.

The West Pier at Brighton

Sadly, the West Pier at Brighton was destroyed by fire a few years ago. I still think that it is a stunning structure on the coastline despite everything and I particularly like this photograph where the British flag is flying  in front of it on the beach. It's a part of our heritage and despite all the odds, still stands defiantly proud in the water.

A traditional helter-skelter and funfair at the end of the Pier

Victorian architecture was all about appearances and the Victorian helter-skelters were the star attractions and crowning glory of the fair. They were traditionally made from beech wood because it doesn't splinter and took four hours to put together. 

I love this old smoke house which is now just a decorative structure on the beach; fishing boats and smoke houses were a regular feature of working life at the coast.

                                                   The stunning lights that run along the promenade

No seaside resort would be complete with decorative lights that run along the length of the promenade and Brighton's certainly don't disappoint here. The lights , complemented by those on the pier and the fairground really make the seaside a magical place to be after dark.



                                             
                                                           The decorative shelters along the promenade

The intricate design of these shelters adds to the grandeur of the seafront. It's lovely to see people sitting down and enjoying the views from them.

A rock stall on the pier

And finally, no seaside resort experience would be complete without a stick of traditional seaside rock. The sweet and sticky treat is still a firm favourite for many visitors on a day trip to the beach.