Torquay and Dartmouth

 We are getting into the swing of late morning starts….we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and left beautiful Coddington Corner and headed south, bypassing Exeter to Torquay, arriving just in time for some morning tea.   We wandered around the seafront, which is so busy and packed with activity - from large Ferris wheels and amusement parks on the promenade, to tourist shops on the other side of the road.  We headed to the marina which was a little less touristy and found a nice little coffee shop that had an outdoor area protected from the wind, the sun was shining on and off but the wind was strong and constant. 

Driving south we again encountered tree tunnels and roads and lanes edged with drifts of white daisies and white yarrow flowers - quite spectacular.  On other lanes we found buttercups and pink foxgloves again.  The flowers are just gorgeous. 

We then wandered north past the marina to find Beacon Cove - once a ‘women’s bathing beach’ and also apparently where Agatha Christie used to swim as a child/teenager.  Story has it she nearly drowned here saving her nephew who had swum out too far.   It was lovely a protected little rocky beach that was easy to imagine victorians in neck to knee swim suits and using parasols to protect them from the sun!  There were a few families enjoying their time - kids paddling in the water while parents sat on the concrete steps (probably more comfortable than the rocky beach!).

We walked back to our car and drove west to Corben Head, where we spotted a series of changing huts on the beach…we just had to get a picture!    It was then off to what we thought were park gardens but were so much more….Cockington Garden Park and Village.   The park is more than just plants!   There is a small village of thatched roof houses and buildings - some are lived in, other house craft and artisan shops.   Further up the hill is Cockington Manor - an old house that has event rooms, tea rooms and an art gallery and behind that are stables that house blacksmiths, glass aritsans and others!   We had a lovely few hours, either walking the paths and looking at trees or looking through craft/art shops!   We both purchased a glass bird from the Glass artisans….F a blue one to match Sydney artworks for her flat and me a red one to complement a clear crystal one I was given as a 21st present.    They will be lovely personal reminders of our trip!

We were lucky enough to be witness to a beautiful wedding that had just finished and the two brides exited through the rose garden…two gorgeous women who were piped by a Scottish Black Watch piper!  The looks of joy on their faces were unmistakable! 

It was then a drive to Dartmouth.  Home of the Royal Naval College - which we saw from the road.   Also situated on the west side of the River Dart.  We had a lovely hour or so wandering around, looking at boats on the river (a huge number of sailing boats); watching car and pedestrian ferries cross the river to Kingswear (the other side).  There was also a lovely park in the centre of town, and rather cute little laneways edged with shops!  A very pretty town - we noted real estate between 500k and 3 mil pounds! 

After a lovely walk around, we drove the Q2 to our lodgings for the next few nights at Knightsbridge.  

The sun shone, despite the temperature, it was generally a beautiful day…one of the better ones we’ve had in England so far - the rain seemed to disappear mid morning and by tonight we are sitting in the garden of our guesthouse enjoying a GnT as we wind up the day!  

Dartmouth Marina

Beacon Cove

Thatched Rooves of Cockington Village

Tree Tunnels

Dartmouth Marina

Hedges and Laneways

Dartmouth Town Centre

River Dart Marina - Kingswear on the other side

Torquay marina…the English Riviera

Roadside Daisies

The rose garden - Cockington Manor

A small dock for small boats - Dartmouth

If you zoom in…you can see changing sheds!

A closer view of the beach and changing sheds

Another tree tunnel…trying to get a picture that does them justice!

Looking back to Torquay - if you zoom you can see the Ferris wheel

One of the climbing roses at Cockington Manor - the smell was magnificent!

Yet another Tree tunnel

Little Lawn Daisies

Beacon Cove

Looking towards Cockington Mannor

Looking toward Dartmouth Castle at the mouth of the river

Laneway views…blind corners!

FoxGloves …growing wild on the laneway hedges

Ilfracombe

 After a leisurely morning we jumped into the car and drove to Ilfracombe.  It was a place on the west coast that I had identified, but F also lived in a house called Ilfracombe many years ago, so it became a must see.  

We drove back lanes to get there - over small bridges and through many tree tunnels and arches.  Old trees (I think many birches) have grown so high and fighting for light have covered the one lane laneways making it appear that you are driving through tunnels, or significantly thick arches.  Lots of braking and pulling over or even reversing to let traffic flow the other way…a rather nerve racking drive, and one to keep your wits about you. 

Eventually we hit the larger roads and wound our way down to a valley that led to the sea.  We took a punt and drove right to the end of the harbour to find a parking spot - the gods were on our side!  At the end of the parking lot, and facing the sea was a very large bronze statue of “Verity” - absolutely magnificent!   She is a rather pregnant woman holding the sword and scales of justices while standing on books - one side whole - on the other skin stripped bare to expose muscles and internal features.   We were both in awe!   

Wondering up the port we were confronted with a constant stream of pedestrians - it is mid term break, so there were parents and grandparents walking their children.  Fish and Chips were in high demand!   We managed to find a small cafe opposite the marina and indulged in wine and a ploughman’s lunch.  It felt rather decadent!

After lunch we drove south to Bude…which we were both disappointed in.  Perhaps it was the grey and rainy weather, but we didn’t get out of the car and turned towards our lodgings.  The drive back was equally as engaging as the morning drive….long tree tunnels, hedges with pink foxgloves growing wild and high hedges masking beautiful rolling hills with green paddocks or red clay ploughed paddocks awaiting new growth.  

The wildflowers are similar to Ireland - white yarrow, yellow buttercups, pink ??? And rather than rhododendrums, we have foxgloves!  

F by the side of the road - a ramblers gate!

A small bridge over a babbling Brooke

Hedge laneways masking beautiful paddocks

Tree tunnels

Pregnant Verity

Verity from behind

The marina at Ilfracombe

Lunch spot!

The town…layers upon layers

The pano of the headland

Open square (circle?) near the beach

Now a theatre …but perhaps a brick Kilne?

Postcard shot…looking north Ilfracombe

Another looking north

Looking north Ilfracombe - Lighthouse and by chance one of the HUGE seagulls

Taking the waters at Bath

 So, day two of Bath, we had booked into the Thermae Bath Spa  which is right next door to the Roman Baths in Bath.  I have to admit that I was a little sceptical…but to my amazement we had a lovely few hours.  Behind the old facade is a new three storey building.  The lower ground has a thermal pool, ground is entry, first floor is treatment rooms, second floor is wellness centre, third floor is outdoor rooftop pool.  The water is spring water that starts as 45 C and is cooled to 42 c for the pool.  There are sections of bubbles in both pools, whirlpools and it is deceptively relaxing!  We both spent time in the dry sauna and the steam rooms, which to my amazement were very pleasant (I wondered at how far we had come from COVID times though - bein in a closed room breathing in steam!).  We also booked a one hour massage which we squeezed into pool time a wellness centre time….we both felt amazing at the end.  There were no cameras allowed…so pics are from the web!  

After a quick lunch we hit the road to our next lodgings - Coddingford Corner - a small AirBnB off tiny one lane laneways at the back of Crediton.  The village is nothing spectacular, but the accommodation is very stylish and comfortable and I could easily see spending a week here to explore the area.

The outside of the Thermae Spa…you can see the new building at the rear.

The lower ground pool  - whirlpool and spa

Another view of the old building with the new at rear

The dry sauna

The Roman steam room

The ice room

The roof top pool - spectacular views that are not really reflected in this pic!

Airports, Airplanes and arrival in England

 We left Athlone, driving to Dublin in a few hours and returned the i20.  We had a few hours to kill before the flight to Heathrow.  We arrive and went to the car rental place, and managed to sweet talk the  customer service person into a reasonably cheap upgrade from a Fiat 500, to an Audi Q2 - with 800 miles on the clock.  So our trusty steed is a white Audi q2 for the next nine days!

We stayed at Reading for the night before making the trip to Bath the next day.  Our accommodation in Bath is in Pulteney Street - a beautiful avenue full of Georgian Town houses - just stunning.    We lunched in a great little up called The Crystal Palace and wandered the streets in Bath, marvelling at the history and architecture, all so in tact.  We both remembered being at the Roman Baths when we were kids, but didn’t recall the rest of the amazing architecture.  

The view from our room at The Windsor

One of the beautiful squares, Bath

A busker, Bank Holiday Monday.  
He was quite mesmerising. 

Henrietta Park, just near our hotel

The weir in Bath, the River Avon

The new Thermae Baths

Great Pulteney Street

Busker…he must have had some sort of seat 
In his trousers!

View up Great Pulteney Street

Bath Cathedral

The back of the terraces on Great Pulteney Street

The square with The Crystal Palace Pub behind

Henrietta Park

One of the many Georgian Terrace Shops

Laura Place Fountain at the end of Great Pulteney Street

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Great rows of chimneys…people are living in these as part of
Everyday life!

Pub lunch…Cider and a Beer!