Photos from the last day

Thursday 9th April

I really wish I had taken a photograph of the breakfast at The Cricket Inn - it looked as good as it tasted and was very eye-catching! After breakfast Julia and Kevin set off to walk along the flat stretch of sand between Beesands and Slapton. I set off and met them there, as did Kevin's family. Carol then walked with them all the way to Dartmouth. We all met up again at Blackpool Sands where we had a drink (Julia and Kevin also had cake!). I then drove on to Dartmouth to find our B&B - when I did so I was horrified! The position was perfect, right on the harbour side.......but our family room???? The main room had no natural light, only the light filtering through from my room and there was all of 6" at the side of their bed which had to be negotiated to get to my room or their bags.......my room had previously been part of the back yard which had been roofed over with corrugated plastic and a plywood floor added and a door....voila! A bedroom! The corrugated plastic allowed a dim green light to filter into the room and thence to the main room. A cat would not have got in, let alone allowed itself to be swung round. When Julia and Kevin inspected it we collectively decided Julia's idea of driving to Bristol to stay at Jean and Mike's home, to be the ideal solution, so we paid up and left. We got to Bristol around 7:30 and settled down with glasses of wine and a comfy bed in a proper room! We left at 7am this morning (Friday 10th) and I dropped Julia and Kevin off at Heathrow in plenty of time to catch their flight back home.....another trek over and the weather had been perfect for the whole time. I am hopeful (and determined) that I will be able to do the last 2 weeks of the South West Coast Path from Dartmouth to Poole in July, so keep reading friends!

Last day

Julia and Kevin made really good time yesterday. They caught the 8:30 ferry from Salcombe and arrived in Beesands, 12 miles further on, at 1:30 - in time to have a beer or two before Kevin's family arrived. I had already booked a table for the 7 of us for 6pm and we were all undecided about which of the gorgeous-sounding meals to choose! There were no complaints from any of us after the meal - even the dishes of 'nearly naked' vegetables were perfect. Our family room is one of the best on the whole route so far - tastefully decorated, simple lines, spacious and a shower we could all fit into, were we so inclined!!! (I wouldn't want to put Kevin off his beer....) It is now 8am and we are just waiting for breakfast before they set out again on the last leg of this week's walk. It is flat along the beach for the first few miles then low hills into Dartmouth. We need to set off early tomorrow as they have to be at Heathrow before lunchtime. However, the reports of long delays due to French air traffic strikes does not sound hopeful!

Another lovely day

Wednesday 8th

Julia and Kevin got the 8:30 ferry from Salcombe and I had a long drive to get round the river at Kingsbridge, then lots of very narrow steep country lanes to get to the headland at Start Point where I am now sat, watching the swallows, crows and sparrow Hawks gliding overhead. A beautiful day and I can see for miles across the bay. The sea is calm, breeze pleasant, horizon hazy.

Salcombe view

Salcombe

Another excellent walking day for Julia and Kevin. Kevin's sister Carol walked with them for the first 4 miles then they continued on their own. They made super fast progress and met me at Bolberry Down for a coffee at noon. I sat in the cliff top car park enjoying the sun until they arrived then drove on to the tiny beach resort of North Sands, part of Salcome where they arrived at 2.30, they were in Salcombe by 3pm, having set off at 9.45. Not bad for 12 miles of coastal path terrain. I left the car at the B&B and walked down the steep roads to meet them by the estuary then we walked back up, checked into our rooms, showered and walked back down to meet Kevin's family for something to eat. Salcombe is bustling with visitors and many places were full or had people queueing up outside!!! After a pleasant meal and a drink we hoped to go round a few shops but they were all closed by 6pm so we walked back up the hill and we're back at our B&B by 7pm. Julia is suffering with blisters in her throat so she tried to get an appointment to see a doctor but the local health centre said they were "not a drop-in centre" so she would have to phone up tomorrow at 8:30and they would try to fit her in sometime! They would not budge, despite explanations about being on a linear walking holiday, so we went to Boots and bought lozenges, which was all they could offer. Our rooms in the B&B have views over rooftops to the estuary and the hills beyond - very relaxing.

Update Tuesday 7th April

Well, folks, this holiday seems to have been blighted from the start! Our trip from North to South Devon was fairly uneventful after a little retail therapy and we arrived in Hope Cove at 3:15 to meet up with Mike, Jean, Carol and Rebecca, Kevin's family. They were just having a sandwich for which they had been kept waiting for 45minutes due to the large numbe if holidaymakers who thronged to this beautiful cove on a hot, sunny Bank Holiday Monday. Once they had eaten we went back to the hotel to unload the luggage, shower and chill out until deciding where to eat come supper time. At 6pm a vote was taken and my choice of staying in the hotel to eat was outvoted in favour of walking back down to the beach to eat in the pub, which did have a marvellous sea view. We ordered our meals at 6:30. My first choice of fish pie was sold out, as was Kevin's of steak. I asked for pulled pork with potatoes, but they had run out of potatoes, only had chips left. It was going on for 8pm by the time our meals arrived. They forgot Mike's chips, my pulled pork turned up on a burger bap minus the apple sauce AND it was cold. Julia's veggie burger was also cold and the toasted brioche roll was an untoasted burger bap. We sent ours back and it was returned with fresh hot chips but the pork and burger were still cold and inedible. We complained and they agreed not to charge for our 2 meals. We did watch a beautiful sunset then walked back up the hill to our hotel and slept like the dead (having slet very little the night before). This morning after breakfast I drove the walkers to Bantham and pulled up literally just inside the gate to the car park to drop them off. I explained to the attendant that I was not parking, only dropping off but he said I would still have to pay the daily parking charge of £3:50. I said I was not parking but he insisted, so disgusted, I paid. Rottweilers Kevin and Julia soon got the money back and a somewhat lengthy argument ensued between them and the attendant! The sea today is a gentle, deep blue, swell. I can see boats on the horizon. There is a cool sea breeze but heart-lightening sunshine. The primroses densely cover the steep banks of the narrow lanes and the gorse is like a deep-yellow lace shawl covering the cliffs and sea slopes. I am now on my way to await their arrival in a car park somewhere along the route between Hope Cove and North Sands, Salcombe.

Easter Monday

After the news from Switzerland, none of us slept very well at all. I was awake until 4am, Julia and Kevin till around same time. No more news yet with reference to what was taken etc. We had a decent breakfast in Sea Jade B&B - at least it was all hot and the eggs were cooked, if more than a little over cooked (I could have used mine to re-sole my shoes!), then we loaded up the car and I drove us all back to Clovelly so Jan could collect her car. We got there before the cafe opened at 9:30 so didn't hang around before driving to Barnstaple where we called in at Atlantic Village for coffee, something for Julia's sore throat, running socks for Kevin and some new bedding for them!! Unbroken sunshine made our journey from the north coast of Devon to the South Coast very pleasant indeed, with verges bedecked with daffodils and trees in bloom. I drove, Kevin navigated. He did blot his copy book when he said my parking was awful and I was in the wrong gear, not to mention 'going round a corner on 2 wheels' - so I told him he had better watch it or he was walking to our B&B!! We arrived in Hope Cove, where we are staying tonight, at 3:15 and had a drink with Kevin's family before walking back up to the hotel where we are all staying tonight. I will take the walkers out tomorrow morning then plan where I will meet them along the route. Now sitting on our private patio in the sunshine Wishing I could walk with them tomorrow!

Easter Sunday's photos

Sunday 5 April

The day started off a little grey and cool. We had been told we could go into the dining room for coffee at 8, though breakfast was not until 8:15. In the event they did not unlock the door until 8:15! The coffee and tea were hot but the breakfast was not! My egg was only half cooked so wobbled like a jelly and the White leaked all over my plate, the mushrooms, although fresh, were cold, likewise the tomato. We asked for our flasks to be filled with tea and were told that could only be done at "the end" and we left without it. The sandwiches in the packed lunch were poor and the sealed bun was past its sell-by date! Despite this, the intrepid 3 (with Jan for the first 2 days this year instead of me) set off at 9am for a gruelling 15.5 miles, supposedly the most severe of the whole trek. The sun soon came out and it turned into fine walking weather. I supplied sun tan cream as Kevin caught the sun on Saturday. I met the walkers at 4 points on the route where the road and the coast oath met and we all had cream teas at the last one, by which time the walkers were wondering why they put themselves through this every year! They reported LOTS of steep hills and deep steps. Jan retired at the 12 point mark and by 13.5 Julia looked exhausted but, ever determined, battled on to the bitter end - more about bitter ends in a minute. Our B&B was a disappointment particularly to Kevin, as the wi-fi was not working. I think this mas more a temporary area problem as I had not been able to get on line since leaving the hotel in the morning. After showers and a very brief rest we went out for food at 6pm, deciding, as it was Easter Sunday and the fish and chip shops would be shut, to opt for the curry house 3 doors away from out B&B. Just as our food arrived Kevin got a phone call from the Swiss police to say they had found his VW Touran abandoned with the keys in the ignition. As the car had been in his garage with the keys in the house that could only mean his house had been burgled. Several phone calls later confirmed that to be the case. Thieves had got into the house through the cellar but as Julia had locked the cellar door, preventing access to the house that way, the thieves then climbed up onto the bedroom balcony and smashed the window to gain access that way. It appears they have only taken a few small portables, mobile phone, camera some foreign currency and some jewellery belonging to Granny Ashton and Julia's Mum Rose. they left the PC and large TVs. So a successful day's walk turned out to have a very bitter end.

Easter 2015 - Clovelly to Hartland Quay

The trek this Easter started off badly - I loaded up my car with my luggage, got in and turned the key - it was dead as a dodo! fortUnately, Mandy lent me her's and she will sort out mine while I am away. Julia and Kevin's flight was delayed for an hour but I got to the airport just as they came out so no holdups

there. However, the traffic on the M4 was stop/start, on the M5 there were road works and it was very slow going with drizzle off and on all the way. We eventually got to Clovelly at about 7:15, dropped our bags then went straight in to eat. In bed by 8:30! This morning was dry but windy - but developed into a lovely day with sunshine and strong breeze. Breakfast was at 8:15 and the walkers were on their way by about 9:15. I went back to Barnstaple to get petrol then drove to Hartland point where I met them for lunch around 13:15. There was a little wooden hut doing drinks, snacks, ices etc so we had drinks and the walkers ate the pasties I bought in Asda! (Consensus was good). I then drove off to await their arrival 3 miles further on at Hartland Quay Hotel. After a welcome pint and a look round the shop it was time for refreshing showers. We have booked a table for 6pm but I suspect we will be in bed by 8:30 again! I am glad the weather is good as I would find it even more frustrating (not being able to walk as I long to do) if I could not take in the stunning scenery in the sunshine. Afternote - had another excellent meal in the pub here and the sunset was clear and bright! Watched the golden orb slip into the sea opposite my bedroom! Good(ish) night's sleep though Kevin complained of noisy bed springs in their room!!!!!