Charmouth 2015

In response to Livi’s proclamation that last year’s stay at Charmouth (which coincided with the Sidmouth Folk Festival) was the ‘best holiday she had ever been on’, we thought we should repeat the exercise as we were rapidly running out of daughters interested in coming on holiday with us and thought we should make it vaguely appealing as a result. So back to Charmouth, back to Sidmouth (thanks Blowzabella and Mara) and back to the Bee Hive Café. Grey skies and cooler temperatures were not going to be an issue for this week. We were even joined by Bryony for a few days at the start.

Lyme Regis

Jamming at the Bedford Hotel, Sidmouth

With Charlotte at Sidmouth

All comers’ Morris dancing

Weather cheered up for Bee Hive Cafe

Charmouth

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Lewtrenchard revisited

With all the kids in Spain, there was an unmissable opportunity to do something whilst they were away. That was a visit to Lewtrenchard Manor, our honeymoon hotel, and still in the hands of the original owners (after a brief, sad episode in the hands of Von Essen). Our visit coincided with a tour of the house and gardens, which filled in several missing details of an extensive history, much of it intertwined with Rev Sabine Baring Gould (of ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ fame), whose ancestors owned the estate for many years and which he spent much time improving. A few days away at this place seemed like much longer, and a great opportunity to meet up with a fellow St Oswald…

Tour of the gardens with the Head Gardner

This lawn is better than ours…

Church next door has an opulent interior

Lewtrenchard – must be the Jopsons…

The Cider Press, Ottery St Mary

A first for us, taking two weeks holiday slightly apart. Having spent a splendid week in Dorset, I went back to work for two weeks, only to have another week’s holiday. Highly recommended – two bites of the cherry, two ‘end-of-term’ feelings, and the second week didn’t go nearly as fast as normal. Our second week was at the Cider Press on the excellent Cadhay Estate just outside Ottery St Mary. I hadn’t been there since Uni (and the infamous burning barrels on 5 November). We were fortunate that the main house was closed for the bank holiday, so spent a few evenings in the wonderful gardens as well as looking around the house. As we were by ourselves, a rather gourmet week, starting off in London at Le Gavroche with their amazing set lunch. Weather proved very sympathetic, providing warm dry weather when needed (such as in the middle of the River Exe for lunch).

The Cider Press

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the Cider Press

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cadhay House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside Le excellent Gavroche

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside Le equally excellent Gidleigh Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Onboard Le somewhat different River Exe Cafe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The imposing parish church at Ottery St Mary

Charmouth and Mary Anning

We were indebted to Rosie for lending us her caravan at a delightful site in Charmouth for the first week of August. Although I had stayed in Charmouth before (years ago, on a semi-plebby holiday with the lads) and more recently visited Harold and Jean, it was great to be reacquainted with some favourite places as well as finding some new. Beer was delightful, the Hive Beach Cafe at Burton Bradstock was a revelation, Livi fell in love with Sidmouth (rather, the folk festival) and people knew who Mary Anning was at the Charmouth fossil centre. Also delightful to run into the Hunters half way through, where Billy (the dog) was being looked after nearby.

Oh, and five lots of cheesy chips, Milly…

French Lieutenant’s Woman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sidmouth Folk Festival

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fossil collecting on Charmouth Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hive Beach Cafe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unexpected evening get together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shooting back to Shute

Visit to Lewtrenchard

A welcome return to Lewtrenchard for a late winter break. Included a change of rooms on the last night as the hotel was empty and we were offered any room we wanted! A trip down memory lane as we went back to the room occupied 19 years previously.

Not bad…

Last guests standing

Tea with Bryony opposite Exeter Cathedral

Devon, Dartmoor and Dartmouth

A good week away in another Helpful Holidays property, this time just north of Ivybridge at the bottom of Dartmoor. The Clock House is part of the Lukesland estate, including 24 acres of private grounds and an impressive Victorian mock Gothic manor house. Nice to get to know this part of the world a little better, with visits to Widecombe, Dartmouth, Totnes, Slapton – in fact a number of places around Ivybridge.

The Clock House

Dartmoor and Dartsmeet

Ship Inn at Noss Mayo

GCSE results day at Brixham