This is a long overdue catch up of photographs from our Brancaster beach walk back in late December. I adore the beach in winter, especially on the quieter days, the times when you can walk until the whole beach is your own. 

Thousands of empty shells banking up in a crisp wall which silently beckoned us closer and closer until we crept up as close as we could before tentatively stepping toes on such a fragile surface. Each careful footstep smashing through layers of perfectly formed crustaceans. Who knows how long they had been there? How dare we spoil their sweet fragile perfection.

I'm not sure I've ever taken a close enough look to spot such a fascinating shell. C advises me it's most likely from a sea urchin and that's not something I'm fully sure I'm familiar with (although it immediately makes me think of the scene in Johnny English at the sushi bar). It reminds me of a helter-skelter or the 'head' of a jellyfish which lights up with crazy flashing lights.

Picking up a shell to find it partially co-ordinates with your glove. A purple striped shell, how amazing.

Blue skies above. Such big skies above Norfolk, we are so lucky.