Blogs from Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe - page 13

18thAugust Plymouth to Salcombe 21nm Had a good sail to Salcombe and when we got there, it was completely crowded (well in our eyes it was but everyone was saying it was quiet). We had to raft up to another boat - sharing the same mooring. In the busy times they get up to 4 boats rafted up on the same mooring. The town was a bit busy for us, so after a quick explore, we then got in the Zodi and explored up river. The boat next to us had two very cute Yorkshire Terriers (now I want one when we finally settle back into a house) They were just soooo cute. That evening we watched as a boat had anchored too close to shore started to lean sideways as the tide went out and ... read more

Off to Dartmoor today! So, I learned a lesson today - if you're in Dartmoor you need a proper GPS. Or a car. Or both haha. I got... not lost but stuck shall we say because I didn't want to keep going down some random valley in the bushes and get lost. There are no signs in the paths and there are a lot of intertwining ones so having the map with you doesn't even help… What a shame. Ok backtrack. I bussed up to Newton Abbot and wandered around the village for a bit - small and cute - before heading up to Haytor Vale in Dartmoor. Basically as soon as I started the hike I was like 'yep this won't end well' haha. Right from the start there are four paths generally going in ... read more

'I've got some rheas out back. Raised 'em from eggs I did. They're awful friendly.' In his heavy Devon accent, the elderly bewhiskered man at the gate of his lonely Dartmoor cottage attempted to detain me a little longer with irrelevant chat. It seemed that not many tourists from Hertfordshire, or indeed from anywhere, stop at this remote spot in response to his 'Fresh Eggs' sign propped up by a rock near the tall hedge. 'It's eggs you're wantin' ain't it?' 'I've only got hens' eggs. That alright?' He disappeared, leaving his two scruffy dogs seeking attention and barking madly. A few minutes later, he returned holding a grey cardboard carton containing six brown eggs with bits of straw and feathers attached. A label on the carton proclaimed: 'Laid by the girls living on Dartmoor'. They ... read more

There was the usual dilemma in the morning of what initial direction to head when first starting off in order to get the best way out of the town - anyway that solved I was on my way again. Deciding at the last minute to head along the coast as long as possible I cut to the right on a sunny, bright morning heading for a town called Fowey (later I found out pronounced Foi as in Oi !!!). There is a river crossing here with no road as such so I asked in a woodcutting yard if there was a ferry or something and the answer was yes. Asking the way to the ferry, some are glum some are merry Some are just kind and I want to pat him on the back and say ... read more

Landed in Bristol under cloudy skies. Dan was there to meet us which was a bonus. Hired a car (Citreon C4 diesel) and off we set for North Devon, Woolacombe, where Dan and Donna had rented a farm cottage for the weekend. Good to see Dan again. We last met up in NZ when he was out for a week to visit his family but he's pretty permanent in London now so it was good to catch up. Even better, he did all the driving. It took us about three hours to get to Higher Mullacot Farm where the cottage was. To get there we drove through miles and miles of rolling down land with gorse and stone hedges, ending up in high hedged country lanes barely wide enough for a car. There was some delicate ... read more