"Moor" fun in Devon

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Hello again, friends and family! It's been awhile since I've updated, I know, but typing a blog and uploading pictures while traveling is quite near impossible. I barely had time to keep up with my hand-written diary during this last month of traveling, as it was! But I arrived, safe and sound, in Winchester last Sunday and have been unpacking, recuperating and frantically writing essays ever since. Plus, my laptop's hard drive is fried, and has been in the shop all week, getting replaced, which makes communication and homework much more difficult. My goal is to add back-dated entries this week, complete with photos!

The only newsworthy events from this week are:

Wednesday -- going to Southampton with Jay (from Texas), Monique (from S. Carolina), Emma, Ces and Sophie (three English girls) to have our books signed by Jodi Piccoult. She is an American author that I ADORE. She's written My Sister's Keeper, Mercy, The Pact, etc. I bought three new books to have her sign, plus had her sign The Pact, which I bought before my trip. It was ironic to meet a New Enland author in England instead of the States! We also stopped at the Titanic museum in Southampton, since this is the port where the infamous voyage sailed from. Much of it was devoted to the dead crew, since most were from this very town. Oh, and I had a major essay due this day...

Thursday -- going out to Porthouse, my first time out since returning, to celebrate Mark's birthday. It was fun, but I came back relatively early because of my plans for...

This weekend -- a lovely break! I spent it in Devon, thanks to the HostUK program that matches students with friendly families around the UK. They take us in for a weekend, and all we have to pay is the cost of travel. I was matched with Clare and William Boughey, who live in Devon (a southwestern county.) They actually don't live near any cities, but instead live on the edge of Dartmoor National Park -- a gorgeous area! Here's a day-to-day account:

Friday, April 27
I arrived at the Bougheys' beautiful countryside home after eating lunch at a cafe and walking in an English garden. They made me feel right at home, with a walk through the surrounding countryside and a delicious, home-cooked meal, not to mention great conversation.

I woke up tired, since I suffered through dorm neighbors' loud drunkenness until 4 a.m. But I finished packing, ate breakfast in my room, and managed to leave for the train station by 8 a.m. I walked quickly and barely made my 8:31 departure. The trip required two train changes: One in Birmington, about 15 minutes from Winchester, and one in Exeter, about 20 minutes from my destination of Newton Abott. So most of my 4-hour trip was spent on one train, and I had planned to sleep, but my newest Jodi Piccoult novel was too engrossing.

Just before getting off the train, I tried to set my face in just the right expression, so Clare could spot me: confident, yet slightly lost and searching. It didn't work. I walked right by her and William (who I wasn't expecting) and they approached me near the station exit.

I immediately liked the Bougheys. They are older than my parents, possibly mid-50s but probably older, but in great physical shape. Clare has very kind eyes and a matter-of-fact way of doing and saying things, yet a wry sense of humor. William has an easy smile and laugh that light up his whole face, is slightly more casual and awkward about what he says and does, but seems very compassionate. Both are smart, well-traveled and well-read, and good with converstion -- yet comfortable with silences, as well. I later discovered that they walk extensively and care for a huge garden and 20 sheep, which explains their good health. Clare works two days a week as a secretary and is the regional director for HostUK, but otherwise works in the house, farm and garden, which is a pretty big job, by itself. William is a semi-retired property lawyer. But now I'm getting ahead of myself...

We got in the car -- William insisted I take the passenger seat for a "better view," which continued for the entire weekend -- and we headed to Tutnes for lunch at a cafe in Darington Hall. I had a Mediterranean veggie baguette with salad, a delicious choice, and they ordered sandwiches, as well. We sat at a table outdoors, admiring the pretty view and getting to know each other better. I really do feel at ease and don't mind sharing a lot about myself with this couple.

After lunch, we wandered around the beautiful gardens at Darington. I loved them! Clare and William's passion for gardening came out and they tried to identify what they saw. I didn't even feel like this was said for my benefit, but it was just the way they interacted. Sometimes they'd ask if I had this or that plant in Wisconsin -- how am I to know?! Clare told me all about the English bluebell, which is unfortunately cross-pollinating from the invasive Spanish bluebell, which is lighter than the orginial's rich, blue-purple color and holds its blossoms differently. She bemoaned this inevitability, since she loves their home's fields of beautiful English bluebells, which I was soon to appreciate, as well.

We wandered around the paths and manicured lawns, then into the hall, which was being prepared for a wedding reception. There is also an art school on-site -- great location!

Back in the car, I got even more of an orientation to my new surroundings in Devon county. The English countryside here is the quintessential rolling hills and fields, with hedgerows breaking it up to keep the animals in. For livestock, there are mostly sheep, but a few cows. Coming into Dartmoor National Park, however, is very different. The moor is... indescribable. It's descriptions written into English literature have always puzzled me, and I don't think I can do it justice in my writing, either. It is barren... yet full of life. It is lonely... yet restful. It is both flat and hilly, dry and lush. Wild Barmoor ponies fascinate me and the scattered, domesticated sheep with their wooley little lambs amuse me. The Bougheys told me all about the various hills and tors, with important rocks on top, and their legends. One that is visible from their house is Houns tor. Legend has it that witches were disturbed by this guy, so they turned him into a rock (it looks like a nose) and his hounds into other rock formations on the same hill.

The moor abruptly changes into more lush countryside soon before we reach home. We drive along one-lane roads with hedgerows too tall to see over flanking us. When we encounter a car, one or the other has to pull into a tiny dirty ditch, or reverse, because of the lack of space! I have to wonder if this would fly in the States, where everyone is in a hurry and expect fully functional roads. We took a less-frequented route to their house, which requires getting out and opening/closing gates. But I had the chance to see the neighbors' land and sheep, which was predictably picturesque.

The house comes into view before we actually arrive -- and what a house it is! Huge and yellow, with ample windows to admire the coveted view. It sits up on a hill, overlooking the countryside and moor beyond. Spectacular! Inside, the Bougheys said there were originally eight bedrooms, but they combined or changed some because they only have two children. Kate is my age and teaching in Jakarta, Indonesia and Rob is about to complete his history degree at Oxford. The house has a huge kitchen and all sorts of hidden rooms that are immaculately kept yet very lived-in and homey-feeling. They also have TONS of books (my kind of family!) -- floor to ceiling in one hallway, another bookshelf of law books in the study area, and the whole wall of one spare bedroom devoted to travel books.

Clare showed me my room -- a large bedroom with two single beds and lots of space -- and my not one, but two bathrooms that I had to myself. One is right across from me and presumably for general use, but since it has only a bathtub, I'm to use the shower in the second bathroom. The master rooms are opposite my little corner of the upstairs. I admired the view from my window of the large rocks and pretty gardens. I also met Poppy (said like "Puppy" with the accent) the exuberant black Lab, and Lady Baintley, the calico cat. I felt at home and welcomed in the Bougheys' home right away. The milkman visited, too, and dropped off actual glass bottles of milk in exchange for the empty ones. I'm a little wary about the sanitary standards, since the milk comes in an open-bed truck, exposed to the sun...

After settling in, the Bougheys wasted no time! We went for a walk all around their "neighborhood," which has no sign of people, only nature. The quiet is astounding and I admire the way this couple fits in with their surroundings so well. We had more of a HIKE in some places, climbing up and down rocks and tramping through fields, with Claire leading and William trailing behind. Poppy, of course, leapt everywhere and just made me smile. We stopped for a great view atop some rocks and also at the nearby church, which isn't much bigger than a chapel, but very old. It's called St. Winifred and bears evidence to the destruction wrecked when Catholicism was being stamped out, in the scratched-out faces of the saints. Now, it's Church of England, but those old, ruined paintings are still on display. The little cemetery outside holds many people the Bougheys knew, because they've lived here 22+ years.

Walking back, we tramped through the sheep herd's field. Clare said they have an unusual breed of sheep called Jacobs, which are brown and white with horns. Their flock has dwindled over the years, she said, and now they don't lamb them -- just shear them. We ended our walk with a tour of the backyard, which holds a newly resurfaced tennis court and a spacious swimming pool, in addition to the wild yet controled gardens and natural rocks strewn about. If I didn't already know this family was well-off by their house and amazing views, I would have known it from their extensive land holdings and extra amenities so casually shared!

Next, afternoon tea! We had tea in mugs with milk and flapjack, which is oatmeal and maple syrup in crumbly bars. Mmm...

I sat outside with a book at their invitation for the rest of the afternoon, and ended up falling briefly asleep as I gazed over the landscape and enjoyed the birdsong. I read until supper, becuase Clare insisted I didn't need to help, which was at 7:45 p.m.

What a great supper!! I haven't eaten that well in ages. Fresh salmon, steamed asparagus, small boiled potatoes, all with hollandaise sauce and two glasses of sweet red wine. For dessert, strawberries with sugar and cream and little chocolate squares. I couldn't have asked for better food! But it wasn't just what I ate that made the meal so nice -- it was the conversation. We talked about everything: family, politics, global warming, religion, home... I was amazed at how easy is all came, though I worried at times about coming off as intelligent and informed enough, or saying the right thing to represent my upbringing and country. Afterwards, I was absolutely stuffed. I cautiously asked if I could check my e-mail in their office -- of course I could -- and to my surprise, the Bougheys went to bed at 9:30 p.m.! I stayed up later, since I'm just not tired at that hour, finishing my novel (a tear-jerker) and fell into a deep, contented sleep.

Saturday, April 28
Another beautiful day in Devon! We spent it at a medieval house, Cotehele, and its beautiful grounds, then took a long hike on the lonely moor. I also enjoyed another delicious supper!

I woke up at 8 a.m. and showered and got ready before appearing downstairs. I had cereal, orange juice and toast with bakery bread and homemade strawberry jam for breakfast. Clare and William had been up for hours -- they just had this air of productivity about them -- and we set out for the day's activities not long after 9 a.m.

First, to Tavistock, which was near our final destination of Cotehele. On the way, I enjoyed lovely views similar to yesterday, but more. Long Lane winds a a way by their house, and is exactly that -- a long, narrow lane with hedgerows flanking both sides. Between gates, I caught glimpses of idyllic pastureland and animals. The views were similarly rewarding on the more open roads: high hills and deep valleys, all of quiet English countryside and dotted with sheep. The cute little town of Tavistock served as our stop for additional food for our picnic. We parked in a garage and wandered around, through a craft market, and and finally stumbled on a Farmer's Market. Clare bought garlic bread for our lunch and venison for a meal later in the week.

On to the Cotehele estate! Our hour-long drive was very much worth the picturesque grounds and interior of this medieval, castle-like house. I loved it! The Bougheys are lifetime members of the National Trust, which owns hundreds of homes and historic sites across the country. This gives them admission to homes like Cotehele, plus the liberty of bringing guests, admission-free.

The house dates from the 13th century -- astounding! -- and the family line resided here until 1940 or so. Tapestries were the family's passion, and many precious, ancient designs hang throughout the house. I can't imagine their fragility! I actually didn't care for the designs of the hangings too much, because they were rather strange and un-European. I much preferred the antique furniture -- especially the bedsets and a neat, jewelry-box-like storage chest -- relics in the kitchen, and the arched great hall. There is even a peep-hole from one of the upstairs bedrooms to the hall. Each room had a volunteer to give information and laminated sheets with more than any visitor would ever care to know about the room. Overall, Cotehele was well-organized and remarkably well-restored, but the real draw (and highlight, for me) is the grounds and gardens.

We walked all around the sometimes jungle-like grounds, with their heady scents from huge blossoms in bloom. I adored the bright floral colors, castle back-drop, little pond with thousands of tadpoles, overhanging branches... everything. I would've loved to be in a rich family of an older era, and enjoy such walks on a daily basis!

Walking down so far, however, meant walking back up eventually. We stopped to admire an old sailing ship that is now on-land near the river, and then headed up the steep gravel road to our car to get the picnic things. We enjoyed our casual lunch on a picnic table in a field near the carpark. Garlic bread with salami, white cheddar and butter for me, with cherry tomatos and water, plus chocolate for dessert. (Clare loves her chocolate almost as much as I do!) We had more nice conversation, as well, and Clare and William gave me suggestions on what to see/not to see in London with my mom.

Back in the car, I gave in to my body's weariness and dozed, so wasn't exactly thrilled to get out at High Dartmoor for my promised hike in the moor. But I'm so happy I did -- well worth the trouble for the amazing views and haunting atmosphere!

We started out on a logging path, with the trees on either side being cut. It was sad to see the deep, dark pine forest becoming gradually thinner as we went, but the cleaned pine logs stacked neatly along the road smelled heavenly. With one whiff, I was taken home to Wisconsin and our wood cabin. The road soon opened up onto the barren moor, and we climbed up a grassy track to the top of Bellever Tor ("tor" = a high, rocky hill), which was INCREDIBLE. The views, the sudden, strong wind, the location -- I took tons of pictures.

We headed down and veered to the left onto some grassy "paths" that I hoped would take us in the right direction. The moor is so vast and similar-looking, not getting lost is a wonder. But William had maps a Clare a sense of direction, so we were fine. And getting off the main track was totally worth it! The uneven ground is covered in dry, yellow grass and hardy shrubs one second, and squishy mud the next. Every now and then, a pretty wild pony or two would appear -- mesmerizing! We got off the "path" even further into the moor to track down several ancient ruins sites: granite stones in circles that were used for burials, or in straight lines as some sort of religious significance. All from about 2,000 B.C.: unbelieveable! We wandered for awhile, then found the logging road again after walking on a muddy, overgrown trek near more logged forest, and headed back to the car. William estimated we'd walked three miles -- it felt like longer, because of the tough terrain!

Back home, we had tea and then I lay down for a few minutes... which turned into a two-hour nap. I was absolutely exhausted, not only from the walking, but the fresh air. Supper was late because the lamb wasn't cooking properly, but the wait was well worth it. We had lamb, fresh from a neighbor's farm (I tried really hard not to think of the woolly, precious little things I saw in the moor today; Clare said the lamb we eat is half-grown, anyway), which was delicious and tender, with roast potatos, steamed cauliflower, jelly and gravy for the lamb, and roast red peppers with garlic and olive oil. And two glasses of wine, of course. Dessert was also divine: rhubarb crumble, fresh from the garden and served with cream and sugar. Our conversation tonight was less serious, compared to last night: we talked about food from all over and the geography of America. William even pulled out an incredibly huge world atlas and we looked at a map of Wisconsin and discussed the area in great detail.

The Bougheys headed to bed around 10 p.m. and I was left to the computer. I talked to my mom online and enjoyed another restful night's sleep.

Sunday, April 29
It was sad to leave the Bougheys today, but they made my last day memorable. We spent most of it on the moor, culminating with a picnic, before it was time for me to head home to Winchester.

I was up and ready by 9 a.m., had cereal and orange juice for breakfast, and we were on the road soon after. This time, we took the SUV instead of the car, with room for Poppy in the back. I was a little apprehensive about the ambitious-sounding plans -- and it turned out I had a right to be!

We ended up walking for a good 3+ hours (7 miles, William said) on the moor. First, we parked about 25 minutes from home and trekked up to Kes Tor, another cool rock formation with rewarding views. Next, they planned to take me to a couple ancient landmarks nearby. This turned into tramping through miles of impossibly uneven moor ground, which was even marshy toward the end, and never really finding paths OR landmarks! With every step I took, it was a 50/50 chance that it was solid, but no visible way to predict sinking down a foot or two. I was soaked from the ankles down... but actually didn't feel like complaining, because I was enjoying the scenery and walking so much. I really enjoy the moor and its lovely views. We came across sheep, ponies, birds they attempted to ID, a wild stream with a clapper bridge (named for the flat stones laid across) over it, grante stone walls to keep herds in, and much more. Not to mention the miles of land without another living person! We did run into a couple of groups of young people (age 15-16) that I couldn't believe were allowed to hike around for a whole weekend, camping, without a chaperone! Apparantly, it's some kind of youth retreat program.

Poppy was fun to have along, with her antics and unrestrained joy at being allowed to run. We didn't talk much, which was fine, so I had plenty of time just to think about things. By the time we finally circled back to the car, I was exhausted -- just like yesterday. I'm just not used to that kind of hard hiking, like the Bougheys are! But I kept a smile on my face, and it wasn't at all forced.

We ate our picnic on the golf-course caliber grass (thanks to the grazing sheep!) near the SUV. Peanut butter, bread, salami, hard-boiled eggs, apples, water and chocolate made up our well-earned snack. Then, back home for the usual tea and some relaxed conversation. Clare put my jeans and socks in the dryer and my shoes on the stove, for which I was really grateful, since they all dried by the time we had to leave at 3:45 p.m. to go to the train station.

It was sad to leave Clare and William. We had a nice conversation on the way to Newton Abbott and they even waited with me for my (late) train. Plus, I've never had anyone wave to me as my train departs -- I've always been going TO a place, not leaving FROM it, by train. They also gave me hugs and kisses and an offer to return "anytime" when I left them on the platform.

1-1/2 hours to Westburg, where I had to run to catch my connection to Southampton. Another hour there, and then I waited 20 minutes for the 20-minute trip back to Winchester.

I wasn't expecting them to wear me out so much today... but gained an even better appreciation for Dartmoor with our final hike. It is certainly an experience I will never forget -- the entire weekend was very memorable. HostUK is such a great concept, and I couldn't have been paired with a better family. Overall, one of the highlights of my semester.

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