Mike and Wendy's holiday blog: September 2023

Wednesday 11 October

Cawsand

Staying at Picklecombe Fort near Kingsand/Cawsand.

Set off early to avoid the motorway snarl ups. Usual stop at Gloucester services. Arrived in plenty of time so we had an hour in Plymouth. Bit grey and drizzly.

Original which was painted in 1972 on the Barbican.

The Lenkiewicz mural is looking very much worse for wear these days! Shame.

Put the sat nav back on to find our accommodation. It took us via a ferry and a ford - luckily the tide was out!

Lovely little apartment with beautiful views out to sea. Just need a bit of sunshine instead of the grey to be able to appreciate it properly.

Early night - both tired.

Thursday 12 October

Cawsand

Walked into Kingsand/Cawsand - bit grey but quite warm at 18⁰.

The bakery was closed so we bought bacon butties from the pub hatch and ate them on a bench overlooking the sea.

As we walked back Mike tried to find where he had scattered his mum's ashes 5 years ago but he couldn't remember the exact spot.

We went to try and find the ford we'd crossed yesterday. Eventually found it and crossed it on our way to Antony - tide was low.

Antony House - a lovely little NT property. The Carew Pole family still live in it.

The three hundred plus year old Black Walnut tree.

Back to the digs for a cuppa. We looked at the ford again on our way home but the water was quite high so we didn't chance it and took another route.

Out to the Rising Sun in the evening.

Lots of happy memories in this pub!💕

The outside curve of Picklecombe Fort looks out over Plymouth Sound and the lighthouse - and across to the partner Bovisand Fort on the other side of the water (now a diving school?)

The inside of the curve now houses a garden, swimming pool and BBQ area. Below everything is an underground car park and there are loads of boats dry docked at the little harbour to the side.

Friday 13 October

Cawsand

Walk to Mount Edgcumbe park along the cliff path.

As we came out from the cover of the trees there was a heavy shower. Quick rush to get jackets on 🤣

It soon passed over.

Afternoon tea in the Orangerie.

The house was closed for the winter.

St Julian's church.

The heavy rain started as we walked back - still quite warm though.

High tide with impressive waves and skyscape.

Lying in bed and I notice that the window is filled with a huge boat full of lights sailing past (bad pics). Probably the huge Brittany ferry that went towards Plymouth earlier - so now on its way to Santander or St Malo.

Both woken up by an alarm going off at 2am - we eventually traced it to outside the door of the flat. False fire alarm. Not impressed 🥱

Saturday 14 October

Cawsand

Sunrise. Sunshine!

Moving on to Bigbury but first a drive on the Rame Peninsula. Definitely a lot cooler today but nice to have some sunshine!

Driving down the lanes - hoping that no one was coming in the opposite direction as it was very narrow with no passing places 🤣

First stop was to look at the beach in Cawsand with sun.

Rainbow at Rame Head.

Back on the Torpoint ferry.

More NT 😁 Saltram house. Owned by the Parker family from the 1740s it was used as their second home for entertainment.

Then on to Bigbury on Sea for our next accommodation.

Bigbury on sea

We unpacked and went to find the beach. The tide was just coming in at the first small beach we found and surfers were taking advantage.

Round the corner to the main beach and the causeway across to Burgh Island. The tide was coming in faster here from two directions and causing a bit of a rip tide.

The sea tractor trundled over from the island bringing back the visitors to the mainland.

The man who designed the sea tractor was paid one case of champagne and it is totally unique with no other vehicle like it in the world.

Back to the accommodation for an evening meal with our view looking out to sea.

Sunday 15 October

Bigbury on sea

Sunrise from our balcony.

Short walk along the coast path to the next village of Challaborough to buy milk.

Low tide so a walk across to Burgh Island.

Emergency brake for the sea tractor 😁

We went to book a meal in the hotel for later in the week. Casual smart dress code 😁 Had to book the sea tractor too to get across.

Took the opportunity to have a little wander round the foyer while Mike was paying his non refundable deposit 🤣

Dining room for residents.

Couldn't get in to the salon to take a pic of the amazing glass ceiling centrepiece as there were people sitting there. Maybe on Tuesday.. 🤞

Lovely grounds.

A walk up to the top of the island. There is a huers hut built on the site of a small monastery - where the villagers watched for the shoals of pilchards so they could shout down to the fishermen.

Across on the mainland the holiday let complex is built on the site of the former pilchard factory.

Helicopter pad in the grounds - saw a helicopter land later so someone important was popping over for lunch!

Then a pint in the Pilchard Inn.

Definitely cooler today but just about ok to be drinking outside and looking at the view!

Monday 16 October

Bigbury on sea

Off to Dartmouth to catch the ferry to Greenway - Agatha Christie's holiday home.

Thought we'd have plenty of time to get there and catch the 10am ferry - seemed the sat nav had other ideas 🙄 - as it directed us to another tidal ford!

With nearly a mile alongside the creek and an unknown depth of water covering the first part of the causeway we decided to find another route!

.. so we caught the 11am ferry to Greenway instead!

Greenway House.

So many collections of different things! Seems all her family collected stuff.. 😁

Boathouse.

Mike had a message to say that we couldn't eat at Burgh Island the following evening due to Storm Babet - would have meant being on the island from 4pm until about midnight due to tides, winds etc - so we changed it to tonight.

Over on the sea tractor. Tide had just started to come in - causeway had been still sand covered when we'd arrived back an hour before.

Cocktails and delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Menu.

The bar area with its glass ceiling.

Beautiful views.

The dining area was for non residents. Those staying on the island had their own restaurant with live music from a couple of suited and booted men in dicky bows and a girl in a beautiful flapper outfit. We could hear them but only saw them for a brief minute when they came down to the bar for drinks 😁

I suppose they don't want the non residents getting too comfortable and missing the tide times for getting off the island 🤣

The food was exquisite 😋

We asked to move back into the bar for coffee and petits fours. All staff were so attentive and polite - the waiter even came to collect me from the loo area to show me where Mike was sitting 😁

The lights on the ceiling got darker as the sky got darker.

Then back to the sea tractor.

A fabulous evening.

A week on the mainland cost less than one night staying on the island - a no brainer when we are getting the better views looking out to sea as well.. 😁🤣

Tuesday 17 October

Bigbury on sea

A grey day as the weather gears up for Storm Babet. Still a pretty sunrise in between the clouds though.

Out through the lanes to Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo - sat nav didn't take us via a tidal ford for a change! But we did end up behind a huge tractor thing on one of the narrowest lanes - luckily no traffic came the other way as there were no passing places.

Very windy but quite sheltered walking down by the creek.

Lovely meal - and a sticky toffee pudding in honour of Mike's dad Bill. He and I always benchmarked our sticky toffee puddings.. 🤣💕

It passed the test 😋

Another short walk after eating. The tide was out so we were able to walk across to Newton Ferrers.

Wednesday 18 October

Bigbury on sea

Huge waves on the sea courtesy of Storm Babet.

If we'd still been at Fort Picklecombe I'm sure the storm boards would have been up across the balcony doors on our ground level apartment.

The forecast was for more heavy rain and wind so a drive over to the NT property at Coleton Fishacre seemed a good option in order to keep dry!

We went the longer way round in order to avoid the tidal ford - even though the sat nav tried to take us through it! At high tide. With a storm raging 😁🙄

Coleton Fishacre - built by the D'Oyly Carte family of Gilbert and Sullivan and Savoy hotel fame) in 1926 after they'd sailed past the land in their yacht and loved it

Built in Arts and Crafts style using stone quarried from the garden. Quite a simple house but very beautiful with lots of art deco.

Lots of interesting bottles.

Looked like there were beautiful gardens too but too wet to go far.

There were a series of water channels which seemed to drop down several little water falls into pools. Bit like the Alhambra in Granada - but didn't get chance to explore it.

Then off to get the ferry to Dartmouth as a short cut rather than going back through all the little lanes again. Luckily it was still running despite the extreme rain and atrocious conditions.

A damp walk to the Cherub Inn - one of the places Mike drove to on his visits with his mum for lunch and a walk.

Crab sandwich and pint of Old Rosie = happy Mike!..🤣

Then back to Bigbury through the driving rain and huge puddles of rain on the roads..

..and of course the tidal ford which was now at low tide - and with less water than on the roads 🙄🤣

Thursday 19 October

Bigbury on sea

A grey start to the day but the sun did try to come out.

Salcombe.

Mike very happy with another crab sandwich at the King's Arms.

Back through the tidal ford at low tide. First time we have actually seen it in sunshine.

Friday 20 October

Bigbury on sea

Misty start to the day.

Burgh island and the hotel through the trees.

Off to Cotehele house before the rain was due in the afternoon.

Nice to drive through the lanes today in the sunshine - despite the quail, cows, sheep and horses in the road at various points.

And of course the constant stopping, starting, backing up, moving slowly forwards to avoid the cars, tractors etc which suddenly appeared in the narrowest bits of the lanes 🤣

Interspersed with the occasional shout of 'CAR' when I spotted something coming towards us before Mike could see it.

We decided to go to Meavy first as it was more or less on the way and it holds lots of memories for all the family.

Many a happy hour spent in the Royal Oak pub with Bill and Jean and all the family.

Little ford just outside the village - Bill always told us not to go over the bridge at the side of the fairies would take us 🤣 So we called it fairy bridge 💕

Spent a happy afternoon here paddling and picnicking when Callum and Lola were young. They still remember it.

Called in Tavistock for breakfast at the little café where Mike used to take his mum. Bought a hat at the Pannier market.

Went across a corner of Dartmoor - so pretty in the sunshine.

Finally got to Cotehele House. A Tudor house owned by the Edgcumbe family for over 500 years. Their second home so not used much - their main home was at Mount Edgcumbe park where we walked the other day (the house was closed so we never got to see inside).

Lots of tapestries.

LOTS of tapestries 🤣

Interesting outbuildings.

Back to the Royal Oak at Meavy for a meal but via Burrator Reservoir for a little ride round.

A place we had taken Mike's mum for a picnic when she was in her wheelchair. We set her up at the side of the path in the shade with a full afternoon tea set out on a little table with a cloth, vase of flowers and a glass of prosecco cocktail.

All the passersby were very amused. A lovely memory 💕

Nice sky on our way to the pub.

Then back along the lanes in the dark.

Saturday 21 October

Bigbury on sea

Packed up and off by 10am.

Back across Dartmoor.

Lunch at the Drake Manor meeting up with (sister) Gini and John. This is the pub their parents ran for 20 years.

The present owners were kind enough to let us have a look round the apartment upstairs and they were able to see where their bedrooms etc were and how much/little had changed.

When they lived there Mike discovered this original fireplace hidden behind a wall.

Mike checked one of the copper ornaments - which still had a dink he'd made in it many years ago 🤣

Then it was time to find our new accommodation.

Milton Combe

Staying on a farm in a Shepherd's Hut - when we managed to find it!

View from the bed 😍

Drive down to Lopwell where there is a little cafe overlooking the river where Mike and his mum used to go.

Then a bit further along the river to Maristowe Quay - a good place for crabbing.

Mike threw some flowers into the water for his mum 🌷💕

Then a quick visit to the 'Who'd have thought it' - another favourite pub.

Beautiful sunset.

Sunday 22 October

Milton Combe

So.. the fire alarm went off at just after 2am. We silenced it. Went off again at 2.40am. Silenced again and noted that the batteries were integral and couldn't be taken out. Took it off the ceiling at 3.10 am when it went off again and gave up and made a cuppa to see what happened.

Mike had obviously poked it enough to stop it working 🤣 so that was good.

View from bed.

Shepherd's hut.

Part of our view.

Sunshine for our walk down to Buckland Abbey.

Great Barn.

Sections of the paintings depicting the travels of Sir Francis Drake.

Plaster mould of the statues of Sir Francis Drake cast in bronze in Tavistock and Plymouth. Found after being abandoned - mostly protected by corrugated iron but the feet left out to the elements so they don't look so good.