PhonePhotography - Newquay at 5am

In early 2022 we discovered the house we were renting had a fuel-oil leak which would require extensive work to repair. We had to move.

There is such a paucity of affordable housing stock in the area we live that we were unable to find anywhere before we had to vacate.

The council offered temporary accomadation in the form of a room in a hostel, for a family of 5, forty-seven miles away. My oldest daughter stayed with friends so she could continue with her job. My wife and other children went to stay with family in Scotland. I stayed in the hostel. It was in Newquay.

Newquay is a pleasant seaside town and I spent much time walking around it. A couple of times these walks were in the early hours of the morning when the situation had induced insomnia.

The picture above was taken one such time.

And it's a moment I remember as it is tied to a night of fretting which, by the time I took the photo was resolving towards peace.

During the walk I spent some time in prayer, I took deep breaths of the cool morning air, and I listened to some music.

I'd walked for quite a bit by the time I got to this point which is just off Trebarwith Crescent. I'm looking down over Towan Beach toward the headland. Directly before me is Killacourt, a lovely public open space with grass, seating, and bandstand.

During the day it gets busy, but at 5am I was the only one there and experienced a feeling of potential and renewal about the day ahead.

text and photo by stuartcturnbull. picture taken with Samsung S22 Ultra