The Pull of the Sea

Having surfaced from what feels like three weeks of total immersion in Daphne du Maurier's haunting story of REBECCA ~ the book, the original Hitchcock movie and the BBC mini-series ~ I almost feel the call of Manderley, that very special house in the novel.

I will soon be on my way home to southwest England. You may already know that I hail from Devon, the county next to Cornwall where many of du Maurier's books, including Rebecca, were set, and where she lived for much of her life.

Thoughts of being home by the sea where I grew up bring much joy. There are also tinges of sadness as I no longer have my parents and sibling there, but do have cousins and many great friends. My home town has changed a lot from when I was a child. British seaside resorts have struggled to survive since travel to the Continent became easy and cheap.......and the European beaches often enjoy a warmer Summer climate with guaranteed sunshine!

This house is not Manderley in Rebecca's story, it is however an old, beautiful, large house overlooking the bay..................and it's where DH and I will be staying with some wonderful friends.

Just a short walk from the house brings one to this small park with a view of Thatcher Rock , Tor Bay, and the English Channel beyond.

Below the house, looking over the cliff, one has the feeling of the strength of the sea as the water crashes around the rocks...........similar to the Cornish coast viewed beyond the windows of Manderley.

One of my favorite places to sit and enjoy just the feeling of 'being home'. This bench has been here so many years.....................and had better still be there when I take my first morning walk on April 27th!!! Hopefully I'll have new photos to show ~ these I took during my stay in 2007.