Aysha Bryant, studying Journalism at Falmouth University, gives her account of a place in Falmouth that means the most to her.
Everyone has that one place that touches them and this – this view by the sea – is mine. It has everything. Falmouth harbour, the castle, the pretty boats and the dainty little village across the river.
On a bleak winter’s day, when everything seems dull and like the long cold months won’t ever come to an end, it’s these times that I think myself lucky for living by the coast. Because the coast can make even the dullest of days the most beautiful.
It could be raining or misty, stormy or calm. Whatever I am doing, no matter the time of day or night I will always pause here just to admire the scenery. It’s still just as beautiful in the dark; the lights from the ships and docks light up the harbour. The lights twinkle off the sea and, amongst everything, it’s the one thing to remain perfect.
I’ve mentioned the boats that are tied up on the water but I didn’t realise how much I enjoy admiring them until recently; the sailing boats, the rowing boats and the little family boats all floating in their spot on the sea making up this Cornish coastal town.
I suppose part of these feelings come from some childhood memories. I lived in Falmouth for the first seven years of my life before moving towns. My dad works at the docks. He’s worked there since before I was born and I’m proud of what he does.
When we were young, he would take my sister and I for walks around the headland and in amongst the woods, making up stories about the fairies and pixies who lived there and he would take us blackberry picking in the field across the river in the Autumn time. I’ve come back to where I’ve started. I started my life and childhood here and now I’m back to start my adulthood.
It’s a sense of belonging. This is where I belong.
This view is on the way in to town and every time, without fail, I will stop and take a photo. One of my housemates will always shout back to me, “Come on Aysha, you always take a picture of that!”
I normally smile to myself. Yes, I do always stop there. On my way back up the hill, my body is always twisted, desperate to see the sea.
I don’t think any of them quite understand how much I love this place. They’re not from around here. There’s no nostalgia for them here.
I like to sit at a bench just behind the wall in the park. I like to go there and just sit, look and think. That’s where I feel at peace. If I’ve had a bad day or I want to be by myself for a while I like to just sit there and think about the wider picture. My troubles fade when I sit there, it’s just me in my bubble watching this mini world go about its business. We all need to take time in the day to be happy and forget reality. That’s what this view does, it makes me happy.
I’ll bring my future husband here and I will bring my future children here. They deserve to see the place I grew up in and where I spent my precious student years. Everybody deserves to see such a beautiful place, and they deserve to feel the serenity this place brings.
When I walk in to town with my course mates, who the majority are from Bristol, they say how picturesque it is. I usually feel a mixture of pride. I’m proud to be from here. And then I feel defensiveness, this land is mine. It’s my home.
Although I know some of the feelings towards this view are because of homely, belonging ones, it runs much deeper than that. It taps in to my emotions. Something in my brain is triggered when I see this view and shivers of delight run through my body.
It’s not just a sight, it’s a part of the story of my life.