Category Archives: England

And so it was time for the first doggie road trip to end. We pack up the car, put the top down, and said goodbye to our hosts and it was time to head north. The sun shine was glorious! We were heading up the west coast this time to make a change from our east coast southward trip but the split was about the same: 5ish hours both days. Of course, we forgot about “the London effect”: no matter how much time you have planned, add at least one hour if it involves going anywhere near the M25. Now let me tell you why I have a newfound hatred for Google maps…

We plugged our chosen route into Google maps and set off. As we approached the M25, Google suggested taking an alternative route to avoid a 15 minute slowdown on our chosen route. Given that we had more than 5 hours in the car, saving 15 minutes seemed like a good idea. So we changed to the newly suggested route. And 10 minutes later, Google maps told us there was a 25 minute slowdown ahead of us. WTF!?!?!?! Why did you suggest it if it was going to be slower? AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!

I’m not sure it would have mattered in the end because the traffic was terrible everywhere. It is a bank holiday weekend in England as well as midterm break for most schools so EVERYONE was on the road. Our 5ish hour drive took us 7.5 hours and we finally pulled into Lytham St Annes in time to find no parking at our hotel and a very busy beach town. A very nice beach town with large Victorian houses, a pier, and a beach with actual sand! We found parking, checked in, and wandered off to get something to eat. Of course, we found some gluten free fish and chips which was just the ticket.

After dinner it was time for Casey to stretch her legs so we headed to the do friendly part of the beach and let her go. For the next 30 minutes or so, she ran like she was trying to get away from a fire. She played with other dogs, tried to eat shells and seaweed, and generally had a wonderful time. Then it was back to the hotel for an early bed.

An early bed means an early wake up, at least for our puppy. We were up WAY earlier than planned so Casey got some more beach time before breakfast – we were hoping she would sleep most of the way since we wanted to power through to home. After breakfast, we did just that. With no where like London in the way and grey clouds forecast for the entire trip, the top stayed up and Frank’s foot stayed down. And late this afternoon, we pulled into our driveway, happy to be home.

I have to say that this was a great trip, soggy field walks notwithstanding. And we have decided that Casey is an excellent travelling companion. She happily sat under tables in numerous pubs, nearly always came when we called her, and was just generally cute. She has learned not to back away from nice people who want to say hello but still has a problem with drunk people who get down on their knees to maul her. I think we got all our relaxation in and just generally were able to recharge. It was a good week.

Data for the trip:

• Mileage driven: Who-knows-because-Frank-doesn’t-care-about-data-so-he-didn’t-pay-attention. Harrumph.
• Amout spent on petrol: £212
• Number of Spitfire planes spotted: 5
• Number of pubs/restaurants Casey visited: 8
• Number of days until we take our next road trip: 29

For all the tumultuous weather of the last 48 hours, today dawned bright and clear.  It was to be a beautiful, sunny day so we planned to tick our last “must see” box:  the White Cliffs of Dover.

Roof down, we headed south and got to the National Trust parking lot about 10.30.  A quick coffee and cake stop at the cafe and we were off, walking along the edge of the cliffs that are now more famous than white.  And it was a beautiful day!  Breezy with bright blue skies.  We meandered all the way to the lighthouse about 3km along the cliff edge.  We were hoping to visit the Fan Bay Deep shelter – a series of tunnels used in WWII – but alas, they were closed. So instead we enjoyed beautiful views while Casey sniffed nearly every blade of grass.

After our 90 minute cliff ramble, it was time for lunch.  A dog and gluten free friendly pub in St Margaret’s Bay was just the ticket.  The Coast Guard sits snuggly between cliffs and the sea.  We enjoyed sea bass and sea trout (seemed appropriate!) before walking along the rocks (it will be lovely sand in about 1000 years!) to see more cliffs and enjoy some local ice cream.

The final attraction for this part of the coast was the Kent Battle of Britain museum.  Frank indulged me in my medieval history fetish so now he got his WWII airplane itch scratched.  The place is unbelievable!  Casey couldn’t join us inside but there is a shaded and enclosed area where doggies can wait for their owners.  And the volunteers who were manning the desk were more than happy to “keep an eye on her” for us – it’s great to have an adorable dog!

I’ve always known that I have a very strong and orderly inner librarian but today I learned I also have an inner curator soul as well.  And boy did this place need it!  They probably had every scrap of metal that had been retrieved from any plane, Allied or German, during the entire battle (10 July – 31 October 1940).  They had destroyed plane engines, uniforms, tank bits, photographs, donation letters, and more.  Five buildings worth of stuff, meticulously laid out with documentation and personal stories – including wedding pictures of some of the airmen!  But there was no rhyme or reason to the display.  There were lots of individual stories but no big picture story – we were in the 3rd building before we found a display that even had the dates of the battle listed!  Unfortunately, there were no photographs allowed; apparently, people had been taking pictures of the doors and locks and using that info to break in and steal stuff. {Sigh}

With the afternoon sun still high in the sky, we opted for  a drive along the south coast to Rye in East Sussex which is supposedly one of the best preserved historic towns in southern England.  The moniker may be apt as we were able to wander through rabbit warren streets with adorable (and old!) buildings galore.  It was after 5pm so nothing was open but it was easy to get a feel for the place.  Tonight’s evening repast would be provided by one of those establishments in an old building:  The Standard Inn built in 1420.  Yes, this is the second 604 year old pub we’ve eaten in this week!  Starting with oysters and local cider, we moved on to lamb rump and short ribs.  Delicious all the way around.

A drive home through the High Weald National Landscape as the sun set put the cherry on the top of a pretty perfect day.

Data for today:

• Distance walked along the cliffs: 6.84km
• Total steps taken during the day: 19,868
• Photos of cliffs taken: 14ish
• Roadworks encountered today: 0 (!?!)

Today we would be prepared. That was the plan.  No getting caught in drastic downpours.  No shivery, soggy dog.  We studied the weather forecast and carefully mapped out the day.  And we got it wrong anyway. 🙄

Having done our homework, we “knew” that Canterbury Cathedral allowed dogs on the grounds but not in the building.  Because the forecast was for rain all day, we figured that wasn’t a good combination so we got the puppy all cosy in her crate with treats and toys and set out to fully check the cathedral box.

And we arrived to find out that the rules had recently changed and dogs were allowed in the building.  So she could have gone in with us to avoid the rain that had yet to materialise. {Sigh} Nevertheless, it was nice to have the peace and focus to appreciate the magnificent building without the constant sniffing and tugging that our inquisitive princess is prone to.

And the building is magnificent.  At the spot where Thomas Beckett was murdered – the troublesome priest of Henry II – there is a very cool art installation to commemorate the occurrence.  We got all kinds of interesting details from one of the docents who happily told us all about how the event unfolded and what happened to Saint Thomas’s body after the event.  We saw drawings of the tomb in which it was encased before the dissolution of the monasteries in the “new church” (circa 13th century instead of the 11th century “old church”).

I definitely got my stained glass and history fix for this trip.  I especially loved seeing a small day care group walking through the building and hearing one of the teachers explain the significance of different things to 4 year-olds.  I wanted to follow them all day!  Instilling the love of learning and appreciation of the past in young people is a great calling!

When we had our fill, we wandered through the old town a bit (still no rain) to see some of the shops and things that had been closed on Monday.  But tour buses and less than attentive tourists made the experience less enjoyable so it was time to be off.  We headed to Faversham to see the Shepherd Neame brewery, the oldest in Britain.  Unfortunately, it is another instance of British understatement in marketing opportunities.  We didn’t want a tour but Frank would have loved a tasting and a commemorative tchotchke or two. But the shop is the size of a closet and there is a pub rather than a tasting room so we were stymied in that part of our adventure. 

A light lunch at a cafe – outside because still no rain! – and it was time to free the princess.  We headed back to the cottage for a cup of tea and some play time with the puppy.  Then it was off for part 2 of the  day’s adventure: wine tasting. Yes, they make wine in England and I have read reports of how the sparkling wine is giving Champagne a run for its money (thanks climate change!) Now it was time to render our own verdict.

First stop, Biddenden winery.  It’s closest to where we are staying and recommended by the hosts.  It purports to be the oldest winery in the area so we stopped in for a tasting.  It’s a small endeavour with a shop and some outside tables (because still no rain) where we tried 6 wines from a range of grapes, some I was unfamiliar with: Ortega, Bacchus, and Dornfelder were new to us. I wish I could say they made good wine. Well, they didn’t make wine that was to our taste. But they were selling potted grape vines so we are now the proud owners of one Chardonnay plant!  Let’s see how long it takes me to kill it. 

Next stop: Balfour Winery.  Now THIS was an operation.  Large, glitzy tasting room with outdoor space and a restaurant.  Very Napa Valley worthy!  With a price tag to match! No choosing your wines here: there is a set tasting of 3 or 6 wines (which they don’t tell you in advance).  We shared the 6 wine flight – with bottle prices ranging from £25 to £55.  And the verdict?  We’ve had better wines in Kansas.  All white or rose and a mix of still and sparkling, there was either an odd finish or no body to the wines at all.  The tasting notes for the most expensive wine has this gem: “Hints of methanol combine wonderfully with wild strawberry jam…” WTF?

This was not a dog-friendly establishment so Casey napped in the car while we giggled our way through the expensive tasting.  And then the promised rain arrived.  In torrents. We took this as a hint to move on.  A quick stop at a local Sainsbury’s for dinner supplies and  we were off.  Until we stopped again.  Because the sun came back out.  And there was a cute village with quirky shops. So we had to stop.  Frank picked up some vinyl he had been looking for.  And then it was REALLY time to head home.  How did we know?  It started raining again. 

This was our evening to stay in.  After the very bland pub dinner last night, I was happy to spend a few minutes making something that had no gluten but lots of flavour.  So a pasta bake with meatballs and a nice bottle of red wine (not local) with garlic bread, salad, and a meringue roulade for dessert.  Just the the ticket.  As the rain started again, we cuddled with the puppy on the couch for the next installment in our MCU viewing:  The Avengers.  We were full, dry, and content.  A good day.

Data for today:

• Hours Casey spent in her crate: 3.5 (she doesn’t mind so don’t be mad!)
• Steps: 11,569 (Slackers!)
• Number of wines tasted: 12
• Number of wines enjoyed: 0
• Number of villages with roadworks:  ALL OF THEM

We knew the weather couldn’t be perfect for the whole week and today the clouds rolled in. The original plan was to stay locally:  do some walking around the area, check out the neighboring villages, and just see how the day went.  And the day went wet.

We were prepared: hiking boots, rain jackets, fully charged phones with questionable quality footpath maps. And off we went.  About 20 minutes into the walk, the rain really started to come down. No problem – we’ll stop in a cafe in the village and grab a coffee and see what to do next.  Except there is no cafe in Egerton.  Nothing.  Nada.  So we decided to cut our losses and head back to the cottage to dry off.  

Following the not-always-clear footpath maps and signs, we wandered through waterlogged fields full of cowpats and other muck.  Lots of doubling back and searching for footpath markers but eventually we made it home, wetter and wiser.  A good towelling off for Casey and a change of clothes for us (with the obligatory cup of tea to keep the chill off) and then it was time to head out again.

This time we went south to Biddenden where there is a cafe and a lovely country pub  – the Three Chimneys.  We had the most amazing lunch in the bar area of the 15th century pub (built in 1420!) and enjoyed the food, drink, and atmosphere.  And we were able to make some plans for the rest of the day.  The general plan was to head south where two different weather apps said the rain was less likely to be an issue.  Maps out we chose to head to Hastings on the South coast in Sussex.  So 1066 and all that – here we come.

So here is the funny thing about the Battle of Hastings:  it wasn’t actually fought in Hastings.  It was fought about 8 miles north in Battle (someone needs to work on the branding for this place!).  Hastings does have the (ruins of the) first castle that William the Conqueror built upon landing in the 11th century.  But that seems to be it for the history part. The rest of the place is a typical yet sad English seaside town: obligatory mini golf, plethora of ice cream/gelato shops, fish and chips sold from every open cafe.  There seemed to be a multitude of French school children wandering the old town with their portions of chips.  Could this be a day trip for French students?  How odd!

The rain was indeed holding off so we got our steps in exploring the old town and the beach front.  We explored the dog-friendly shipwreck museum which was really pretty interesting for a small, free exhibit at the end of the amusements. But we needed to get our history on so it was back to the car and off to Battle to see the sight of the battle.

It’s a National Trust property so I shouldn’t be surprised at how well done it is but the Abbey and battle grounds are incredibly well kept and the self guided tour is informative without being overly wordy (and boring). It is another dog-friendly place so Casey got to sniff her way through the 13th century cloister and other parts of the Abbey.  We saw the stone marking where the original altar in the church was on the spot where King Harold was felled. And even the 10 minute movie in the exhibit area was very well done – with animated bits of the Bayeux Tapestry outlining the story. 

And now it was closing time so back north we went.  After our amazing lunch, we decided to try more “Kent country pubs” for out meals. So we stopped in The Woolpack  in Tenterden.  While dog friendly, it was the least welcoming place we had been yet.  Nothing concrete I could put my finger on but definitely not the welcomey vibes we’ve had elsewhere. Unfortunately, the food couldn’t touch our lunch experience either.  Frank had almost the exact same dish (local sausages, mash, and a red wine and onion gravy) and declared lunch to be superior.  My chicken supreme was definitely gluten free because there was nothing supreme about it: plan grilled chicken, potatoes, and peas.  Compared to my lunch of pork loin grilled with emmanthaler and pancetta with a tomato ragout, this was just meh.

Lesson learned, we headed for the cottage where we settled in for a quiet evening catching up with Welcome to Wrexham. Wednesday is likely to be equally wet so more planning is necessary!

Data for today:

• Villages/towns visited: Five
• Steps taken: 19,051 (of which 12K or so were in the pouring rain!)
• Amount of time the combo washer/dryer here needs to wash and dry a 5kg load: 5 hours, 19 minutes

The forecast suggested that today would be the best weather for a few days so we decided to hit two of the “must see” places on our list.  They are also suggested as a day trip on our ChatGPT-planned itinerary (yes, that is a thing and we are trying it!). So after breakfast it was time to head across the downs for stop #1 Canterbury. It was still quite cloudy but there was a promise of afternoon sun so the roof stayed up for the time being.

It should be no surprise to those who have perused even a few blog entries that stained glass is one of my “things”.  I try to visit as many cathedrals and churches as I can to see the various patterns and presentations.  And being a fan of British history, Canterbury has been on my list for quite some time. (“Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?”)  It turned out that today would not be the day for a cathedral visit, however.  Apparently, Mondays are not great days to visit tourist-heavy places because many things are closed.  The cathedral wasn’t but many other shops and the like were so the queues for the lovely church were VERY long. So we decided instead to wander around the rabbit-warren mediaeval streets and see what there is to see. 

First stop: coffee!  A lovely dog-friendly cafe with a selection of GF bakes (love me a nice Victoria Sponge!) with treats for Casey.  Then we raked up some steps seeing the town itself.  It is incredibly dog-friendly.  Not one shop that we did pop into told us that she wasn’t welcome.  After a few hours, the sun did come out so we decided it was time for stop #2:  Whitstable.

This seaside town is apparently known for its quaintness and adorable atmosphere.  But for us it will forever be known for the roadworks! It took far longer to get to the coast from the main road than one would have thought possible.  Once we finally did park and start our wandering, we found the Monday-closure issue was also a thing here.  Not to worry, we had sunshine and were ready to wander.  So we did.

Eventually we grabbed some lunch at another dog-friendly cafe where Casey was a perfect angel compared to the grumpy dog at another table.  So we took her to the “beach” for some running time.  While a definition of beach like “area where sea meets the land” would apply here, it was not a beach of the type that we like to visit on holiday.  It was all rocks and shale and lots of cuttlefish remains.  Nevertheless, it was heaven to the puppy who had behaved beautifully all day.

Eventually it was time to navigate the roadworks again and we had the joy of Monday evening traffic added to it.  Nevertheless, we persevered and after a quick stop at Sainsbury’s for some needed supplies, then back to the quiet countryside.  Casey got some playtime in the garden with Daisy the Naughty Beagle before we headed round the corner to the local pub for dinner.

The Rose and Crown appears to be the quintessential English country pub (even the name!) and we entered the low ceilinged main bar for our evening meal.  Which was outstanding.  GF tempura prawns and a beautiful fish pie for me and a scotch egg and gammon steaks for Frank.  Throw in a couple of pints of local beverages and a treat for Casey and it was a successful dinner. A lovely wander back through the fields while watching the sunset was the jewel in the crown.

Data for today:

• Time spent in the car: Ten times more than Casey would have liked.
• Steps taken: 21,571
• Number of tour buses spotted: Four

(Posted a day late which will be explained later.)

Today we awoke in our lovely bed and breakfast to grey skies but a fantastic breakfast.  We had a lovely chat with another couple visiting from Colorado Springs but then it was time to hit the road.  Today’s destination: the Lake District.  But not just anywhere in the Lake District; we were bound for the Whoop Hall Inn where we went 28 years ago to celebrate our engagement.

Up first: a stop at Kenilworth Castle near Warwick.  Once the home of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and rumored lover of Queen Elizabeth, it was built in the 12th century an fell in to disrepair after the Civil War in the mid 17th century.  The entire thing  wasn’t a ruin though:  one of the buildings had been fitted out as a house in the 18th century and it was closing early for  a wedding ceremony.  We wandered about the grounds, including the Elizabethan gardens, for well more than an hour, soaking in the history around us.  It was wonderful to get the feel for how things were back then – a really interesting way to go back in time.

And then back to the car for the rest of the trip north.  More than 2 hours on the M6…. yawn… I don’t know why long road trips here are so much more painful than at home but they are for me. We stopped at some point for a quick bite to eat and stretch our legs and then back on the road. And then we pulled up to the hotel that was our destination. Got checked in and marveled at the changes that had taken place since we had been here last – which was at some point with the kids so it was in the last 10 years.  We unloaded the cases, put on the hiking boots and wandered around on the public foot paths posted around the inn.  Now I know why they call it walking instead of hiking – we just wandered across fields with no clearly marked trails but more slight indentations in the long grass through groups of sheep and other grazing animals. But it was a fine way to stretch the legs before dinner.

So we actually dressed up a bit and went to dinner in the hotel restaurant.  We weren’t expecting things to be anywhere close to what they were back in the day but things were just plain weird.  For example, this is the first hotel I have been in for at least a decade that didn’t have a hair dryer.  You could request one from reception but why would you require that?  And we reserved a table for 7:30 and when we went to the restaurant at that time, we were told to order at the bar.  What?  Okay, we ordered our starter and main at the bar and sat down with our drinks.  Shortly we were taken to a table in the restaurant where our meals were promptly delivered.  It was obvious that they were short of staff and they did a fine job of getting our meals out in a reasonable amount of time but they were really nothing special.  We decided that it was time to give up on nostalgia and just start making new memories.  We know that you can’t go back but it would be nice if you could go forward with some confidence.

Today’s numbers:

• Days late in posting this because the hotel wifi didn’t really work: 1
• Disappointments that piled up during the evening:  at least 6
• Steps we managed to get in before disillusionment set in: 16, 638 (7.16 miles)

And so another transition day dawns. We packed up our belongings and the car and headed northward.  The original plan was to trek all the way to the Lake District today and then visit my family tomorrow but the fates did not allow for that so we planned a two-stop strategy and headed for the Cotswolds today.  We had decided that our last activity in Devon would be a trip to Exeter Cathedral (haven’t had enough stained glass yet!) so we dropped off some dirty clothes at a local laundrette for a service wash and headed to the Cathedral for some history, photography, and quiet reflection.

AND IT WAS CLOSED! Grrr…. No visitors today because the Cathedral was hosting the commencement event for The Open University.  Now I’m a big fan of education and The Open University was doing distance learning before any one had thought of MOOCs but why did they have to be in THIS particular cathedral on THIS particular day?  I was miffed.  Okay, I still am a bit miffed.

So we wandered around the high street killing time until the laundry was done.  Exeter is actually a very interesting city and has far more character than some places we’ve been this trip (read: Plymouth). But it wasn’t enough to soothe my angry soul.  So after the requisite wait time, we decided to grab some lunch before picking up the laundry and we found a bright spot in the bad day:  Tea on the Green, serving gluten free pasties!  They actually had a pretty extensive gluten free menu but the one thing I didn’t get in Cornwall or Devon was a pasty and now was my chance. And it was lovely!  Being right across from the cathedral (grumble), there were lots of people in their graduation garb in the restaurant with us.  It was most entertaining.  As was the dog under the table next to me, Maisie was her name. But more on dogs later.

So lunch completed, graduates congratulated, laundry retrieved, and we were on the road again.  A short two hours and 20 minutes and we would be at a bed and breakfast in Little Compton, just outside Moreton-in-Marsh (any Agatha Raisin fans out there?)  Or that was how it was supposed to go until there was an accident on the M5 which added more than an hour to the journey.  By the time we got to the B&B, there was just enough time to get checked in and have a cup of tea before heading out to dinner.  The owner of the B&B had made reservations at The Red Lion in Long Compton, not to be confused with the Red Lion in Little Compton.  And boy were we glad she did – what a fantastic meal! Another bright spot in the dog day.

Which brings me to dogs.  The English LOVE their dogs.  They bring them everywhere – and not just the pocket purse sized dogs either.  All dogs of all sizes.  Maisie who kept us company at lunch was a cocker spaniel.  Tonight at the Red Lion, there were no fewer than 5 dogs in the pub – 4 looked like black labs and one was a Scottie dog.  FIVE DOGS IN THE PUB.  I can just see the US Health inspectors cringing…

So not much to report today but there might be a few numbers of interest:

• Number of times we sped up and then slowed down again during the hour long traffic jam: 6
• Number of times the car in front of us changed lanes trying to get ahead of everyone else in the traffic jam: 4
• Number of dogs in the pub tonight: FIVE
• Number of steps along the Exeter high street while waiting for our laundry because the cathedral was CLOSED: 11,506 (496 miles)
• Number of capital letters used in this post to indicate emphasis: 40

Today dawned cloudy and cool which just cried out for a full yoga practice before dragging Frank out of bed for today’s adventures. We had toyed with lots of potential itineraries but decided that since the weather wasn’t really conducive to going to the beach, we would be happy with going to the beach towns.  Bacon sandwiches for breakfast and we hit the road and headed north.

First stop Shaldon – described by some as a drinking town with a fishing problem.  We wandered through “Smuggler’s Tunnel” (the remnants of an old lime kiln) to get to Ness Beach.  The dark red sand was obviously from the cliffs that towered over the beach.  We wandered through the village, past the bowling green (which would be a recurring theme throughout the day)  and decided to get a coffee at a harbor side cafe.

Fully caffeinated, we moved up the coast to Teignmouth where the day’s shopping was in full swing.  We wandered around the town popping into the various shops in search of a few items: a new blue scarf and a plain cardigan.  For once I feel I may have under packed slightly – I was daft and only brought one fleece and none of the scarfs are actually helpful in a chilly breeze.  So to the charity shops we went.  And we were very successful!  I got both a blue and a deep wine scarf (£3 each).  A few shops later,£3 got me a lovely tan cardigan. (Insert old lady joke here!) While wandering, we happened into a custom shoe shop.  We had seen one yesterday in Totnes as well but didn’t really consider any of their goods.  This one had the coolest purple boots in the window so I *had* to go in.  And while I didn’t seriously consider the boots, there were several pairs of shoes that were very seriously doable… and on sale… and one was my size… and my orthotics fit… It didn’t take much for me to walk out of there with grey hand made shoes that were SOOOO comfortable that I forgot I was wearing new shoes.  So much fun!

Once we had exhausted our entertainment options in Teignmouth, we headed south to Brixham where we had seen some entertaining pirate-themed touristy stuff a few days ago.  We parked and wandered and found that there was a full size replica of a 16th century galleon originally sailed by Sir Francis Drake.  The replica has been in the harbor since 1969 and the pirate themed stuff that surrounds it is ever so entertaining.  Picture a plethora of aging Jack Sparrow wannabes….

But the real purpose for our stopping in this particular town at lunchtime was that I had read about another chippy that did gluten free fish and chips.  David’s was a normal looking fish and chips take away that just so happened to have a dedicated friar and even sold GF maltish vinegar.  So fish suppers we had for lunch and we sat on the stoop outside the shop enjoying the fish and the sunshine.

After we tired of the pirates, we headed to a quintessentially British seaside area in Paighton called Preston Beach where the beach front is lined with lined with colorful little beach huts.  I don’t know who owns them or how they are allotted but there were several people sitting outside theirs while we were there and they seem like small cabins for changing, storing beach chairs and the like, and in some cases preparing food and drink.  At least one we saw had a propane burner with a kettle on it….

And then it was time to head to the queen of the south Devon coast – Torquay.  Frank’s aunt and uncle have been coming to this part of the country, and I believe this town, on holiday for years and it was time for us to explore there as well. Of course, I had an ulterior motive… One of the stereotypical things to do in Cornwall or Devon is to have a cream tea.  This usually consists of several scones, jam and clotted cream .  Not necessarily something that celiacs can enjoy easily but I had read a blog post about The Singing Kettle that did gluten free cream teas and so we had a destination! Now to be fair, I had seen several other cafes in the last two days that had advertised that they did gluten free cream teas but the timing wasn’t right.  Today it was: it had been several hours since our fried lunch and would be several more before our pseudo-home cooked dinner so it was time for tea.  And it was fabulous!  I wish I had known when they asked if we wanted extra butter that they meant it to be *in* the clotted cream – it made it unbelievably rich but nonetheless delicious. I haven’t had a decent scone for 7 years until today….

We did another wander around another town but having no new quest, it wasn’t as much fun and we were getting tired.  We explored a bit to find a shop that had the few things we needed for dinner and then it was back to the flat for tatties and mince and packing.  Tomorrow we start the trek north.

Today’s numbers:

• Towns visited: 5
• Amount of alcohol consumed during meals out: 0
• Amount of fat consumed during meals out: uncountable
• Number of steps (all along various high streets): 21,674 (9.34 miles)

(Apologies for ending a title in a preposition.)

We managed to sleep in a bit and awoke to more brilliant sunshine. Another lovely fry up for breakfast – including tomatoes from the owner’s greenhouse! – and we hit the road.  The general plan was to hike on Dartmoor in the morning and then wander around Brixham, a little seaside town that looked very interesting when we had a quick drive through yesterday. We did some quick searches on line last night and found out that there was a waterfall on the moor so that was where we headed.

I should have known when I found a tourist brochure for Becky Falls in the flat and it showed were the ice cream stand and gift shop were.  But alas, the alarm bells didn’t go off until 40 minutes later when we were about to pull into the car park and saw the sign board saying that entrance would be £7.95 PER PERSON.  There are 954 square kilometers (~368 square miles) of moorland and for this small patch they were going to charge us stupid money to see the water running down the rocks.  Nope, I wasn’t having any of that. It wasn’t the amount, it was the principle of the things.  If it was a charge by the National Trust or the park service that would go toward maintaining the land, that would be one thing but this was not that.  I’m all for capitalism but I don’t have to support all private enterprise.

So we turned around and drove back the way we had come.  Frank turned sharply into an barely identifiable car park at the foot of a huge hill which was part of the national park and didn’t cost anything.  And the boots went on and the walk was underway.  Some people who have hiked with me in the past will know that for me the only direction to go is up, and so that’s what we did.  There were no trail markers or hand rails, no ice cream stands or souvenir shops; just a vast expanse of land, some tractor lanes and horse trails, boggy bits, scree and wildflowers.  And after half an hour’s climb, the view was spectacular.  Two old boys were up a the top with us and their radio controlled gliders and it was amazing to watch. It turns out that where we were hiking was one of Europe’s most important area of heathland that was nearly completely destroyed by fire in 1997.  We could see some places where there were remnants of fire but otherwise I didn’t notice anything.  Frank did notice the distinct lack of birds which is a known issue.  There also has not been a resurgence of the butterfly population yet either.

And then back down we went and on to an interim stop: Buckfast Abbey.  A working Benedictine monastery that was founded in the time of King Canute  (~1000 AD) and was closed during the monastic clearances in the time of Henry VIII and the reformation.  It was reopened and rebuilt in the early 20th century and the results are just beautiful. (BTW, the abbey cost nothing to get into although I would have gladly paid.  I did buy a guidebook and light a candle for my mom though).

We started heading for Brixham to grab some lunch but decided to stop half way at a little town called Totnes.  And that was all she wrote.  It’s yet another adorable little town with winding streets lined with shops and cafes.  We did a quick wander and wound up at The Wild Fig cafe where they had lots of gluten free options.  I had GF goat cheese and spinach quiche and Frank had ostrich and thyme pie.  Yup, ostrich.  And it was also gluten free.  While we were there we noticed that they sold wine from a local winery about 3 miles out of town.  Our chances of getting to the cute seaside town were waning faster by the minute.

We then decided to wander around town a bit to see what was up.  That’s when we noticed the plethora of pink hair, shaved heads, and orange dreads.  The smell of patchouli wafted from several shops and there was nothing but free trade coffee and organic produce to be found.  We had stumbled upon the Berkeley of Devon! I thought we had been really luck to find a cafe with gluten free options but they were everywhere – along with vegan ones, people always lump us together. All along the shopping street, one shop after another – if it wasn’t a fair trade coffee shop, it was an art gallery or a charity shop. It was so much fun! There was even a 15th century parish church (St. Mary’s) that is still in use today even with the stone screen across the altar.  The stained glass was quite a contrast the the more modern work we had seen at the Abbey.

Eventually the parking time was up but we had found a brochure for the local winery and had a new destination.  Sharpham winery and cheese makers – why not have a vineyard and a dairy farm?  We paid for the tour and tasting (£8.95 for a wander through the vineyards and tasting of 3 wines and two cheeses) which somehow also didn’t bother me like the waterfall entry fee.  It turns out that we were the only ones there for the 4pm tasting so we got all the attention we wanted.  The woman doing the tasting used to live in Virginia Beach so we could even discuss Virginia wines.  We got a history of the property and heard about what grapes grow well there (Madeleine Angevine) and which ones they struggle with (pinot noir).  None of wines were bad – and we’ve had BAD wines – and two of them appealed to us enough to buy a bottle. Then we wandered around in the vines and headed for home.

Well not exactly home.  We had decided to give the chef a break from heating up ready meals and eat at the stupidly adorable pub in the village. Maidencombe is not that big – I don’t think there is even a street light but there is a pub. The Thatched Tavern is at the bottom of a very steep hill on a road called Steep Hill (not making that up) and it has a lovely beer garden and restaurant and several things on the menu marked gluten free.  So we went out for a very nice dinner.  Frank was all about the mushrooms tonight having sautéed wild mushrooms with garlic on toast for a starter and mushroom and Stilton risotto for his main course.  I had the beetroot and horseradish soup (interesting) and Brixham crab thermadore for my main. All was very nice – including the deserts (honeycomb cheesecake that Frank said was awesome and my Eton mess. Look it up. 🙂 ) A wander down a bit farther brought us to the beach at high tide (remember, the sea is always down) where there were seals feeding in the cove.  But the wine and the wandering had taken their toll and it was time to head home.

Today’s numbers:

• Wine’s tasted: 5
• Charity shops browsed: 12 (no joke!)
• Cafe’s in Totnes advertising gluten free baked goods: 4
• Calories consumed: I don’t want to know
• Steps: 16, 282 (7.01) but no where near enough after that dinner!