Category: South West

  • Alpacas

    Alpacas

    Today is a moving day so just a short walk in the morning, then pack up for the off. We have been staying on Collacott Farm CL just outside of Fremington. We have been treated to a week of great views over the River Taw. May who runs the CL has lived on the farm all of her life and during one of our chats she told me that she has never tired of the view and sees little point in going on holiday when she lives in such a place.

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  • Ice Cream! She Screams

    Ice Cream! She Screams

    After yesterdays walking marathon Lynnie has requested a short, easy walk with a Hocking’s ice cream included. So far we have walked a fair bit of the Tarka Trail, without making a dent in the whole 180 miles. As the name suggests the trail follows the route taken by Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson’s 1927 book of the same name. The novel is highly acclaimed but I have not read it, Lynnie has and tells me to add it to my reading list.

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  • The Long Walk

    The Long Walk

    When I was a teenager someone lent me the book ‘The Long Walk’ written by Slawomir Rawicz. It tells the tale of a Polish Army lieutenant imprisoned by the Russians in a Siberian Gulag following the German-Soviet invasion of Poland. The book claims to be a true account of his escape with five others, although subsequently this has been challenged. They journeyed south for 6,500 miles including across the Gobi Dessert, Tibet and the Himalayas finally reaching British India in the winter of 1942. When I first read the book it was said to be a true account, but when I re-read it about six years ago doubts had been cast on its authenticity. Either way it is a cracking read and one of my favourite books.

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  • Westward Ho!

    Westward Ho!

    As a teenager Lynnie’s mum, Miki, moved from South Wales to Bideford. She met Lyn’s father Tim here and always talked fondly of her time in the area particularly of Westwood Ho!, this is the first time we have visited the area since Miki passed away last December.

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  • Greenhouse Envy

    Greenhouse Envy

    One of the things we have noticed since travelling is that we forget which day of the week it is. We decide that today must be Friday. I have also stopped wearing a watch, time does not matter anymore, the dogs tell us when to get up.

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  • Powers Off

    Powers Off

    A rainy morning in North Devon so I take the boys for their early morning walk, forty minutes walking the lanes as there are no footpaths close by, then it’s a leisurely breakfast and catch up on a few jobs.

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  • Surfs Up

    Surfs Up

    There are a few minor challenges to our new lifestyle, obviously the space we occupy is significantly smaller than being at home. Whilst the facilities in the van are good there is a limit to the amount of hot water that you can get in the shower, so there is no hanging about and we both miss the luxury of just being able to stand in the shower knowing that it will not suddenly run cold.

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  • Fremington Quay

    Fremington Quay

    After a day back in Salisbury on Monday for a couple of appointments we awake on Tuesday morning to rain. We know that we are going to get rain on our travels, but the least welcome time to hear the pitter-patter on the Unicorn roof is when we wake on a moving day.

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  • Sunshine After the Rain

    Sunshine After the Rain

    In 1977 Elkie Brooks promised that there would be Sunshine After the Rain and today she is correct. In the morning there is rain so any walking is delayed until early afternoon. Lynnie does not fancy it and wants to rest her back, so I put on my waterproofs and set off with the dogs.

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  • Storm at Sea

    Storm at Sea

    As Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons sang ‘Oh what a night’. When heading to bed we hear that strong winds are forecast in the west with possible gales in coastal regions. We are on a hill above Bridport (in the West), less that an hours walk to West Bay (coastal region). There was a brisk breeze when we turned in. Nothing to worry about.

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