I can’t see over the hedges! Getting lost on country lanes in Southwest England
 

Just came back from 5 days in Southwest England.

Got in at Heathrow 20 min. late. Not too bad. Waited 20 min. for our Hertz bus to bring us to the rental agency. We finally got our car and set off for Chippenham for our Premier Travel Inn room.

The Travel Inns can be found throughout England. They are a basic motel without breakfast. Very much like a Motel 6 in the states. It was a hot evening and we had a fan in the room to welcome us. It was the only fan we saw for the rest of the trip.

Bath
The next day we went to the park and ride for our journey into Bath. It was a brutally hot day. We found the park and ride without trouble and hopped on our double decker bus that brought us into the city. Park and the ride was quite cheap, around £1.50.

Bath is an old Roman town made of stone of the area. Everything is light brown, quite a change from the green countryside. We went to the Roman Baths and had our first scones at the Pump. A beautiful room with a live orchestra and a sweating snobby waiter, we enjoyed the atmosphere immensely.

We then continued to tour the Roman baths, finding it very interesting and worthwhile. We then got on the city bus tour until we got off at the Costume museum. It’s located behind the circus, which is a basically a roundabout with a circle of buildings on the outside and beautiful huge trees in the middle of the grassy inner circle. We walked through the museums, asking ourselves who John Bates was and talking about the clothes of the past. It’s worthwhile if you are interested in the history of clothes since you can see some back to the 1700’s.

We continued on our tour and then went for the skyline tour outside of the city. I enjoyed this only for the beauty of the countryside and because we were on top of the bus and could see OVER the hedges.

We finished our tour of Bath with a tasty pasty (which does not rhyme) and our mandatory bottle of water. It was hot throughout our trip (England is having a heatwave) and we continually bought COLD bottles of water.

Swineford
Not wanting to continue our trip on the motorway, we drove through the countryside, getting a bit lost, as we tried to find Glastonbury. We asked the bus driver in Bath how to get there and he told us to take a left, then take another left, then take a right at the Kings Arms pub and then a left at the White Hart pub, etc.. Needless to say, we got lost. We stopped in front of a beautiful pub (The Swan, I believe) at Swineford and asked a pleasant couple sipping beer where we were. They took one look at us and knew we were lost. We said, yes, we are lost in Swineford. They immediately corrected us and said it’s pronounced “Swinford”. They were a bit taken back at our pronunciation. We apologized as he again told us directions.

Glastonbury

And so begins a leg of our trip that leads us into mystical, magical England. We finally reach Glastonbury and liked what we saw. A small village with beautiful houses on a main street. We walked up the street and began wondering why so many stores sold “magical, mystical and spiritual” things. The word “Avalon” kept popping up again and again. We asked two young locals what was so special here. Ah…King Arthur, of course! He is supposedly buried in the abbey. We were told to see the Chalice Well and the Tor to catch the spirit of Glastonbury. Since it was evening, we missed the abbey. The chalice was closed as well, so we drove up the hill to the Tor.

Ah the Tor. I have many favourite places in the world and this has become one of them. It was a beautiful warm evening and the sun was about to go down. The Tor is an old standing tower on an almost perfectly shaped grassy hill. We walked up the trail to the Tor, passing cows and beautiful scenery along the way. After a 15 min. walk, we reached the top and what a sight! The people who came to watch the sunset were definitely into spiritual enlightenment. Woman were practicing yoga, a “hippie” family brought their bongos and banjo while their children ran around naked. A lone man was sitting on a stone, tuning his guitar. Another couple were practicing tai chi, facing the north. And, among the spectators, a lone man was playing his block flute. The sun began to set upon the sea with a beautiful red sky. People were quiet. The only noise you could hear was the man playing his block flute quietly. And when the sun set, people clapped with appreciation. Then a barefoot man began to play his didgeridoo within the walls of the tower. Merlin would have been proud. I was in another world.

After leaving our mystical place, we then went to Taunten Dean for our next night at a Travel Inn. We booked ahead because we were afraid we wouldn’t find any accommodation for the night. This was again a basic Motel 6 without a fan and thin walls. We slept almost naked on our beds because it was so warm.

Next day…. on to North Devon.

I'm enjoying your trip immensely (vicariously) especially the Bath part. MORE!

Thanks, schuler. More please.

Yes, More, please Sir!

Looking forward to the Devon installment schuler!

Great stuff so far! I so sympathize on the fan thing -- I could have killed for fans on my Irish trip last month :)

It sounds wonderful, but I wonder why you did not stay at B&B's. When we were in Southeast England last year, we really enjoyed staying in B&B's and getting to meet and talk to the owners. We paid 50-60 pounds for a double with great breakfasts.

Ummm.wow..the visual image I have of Tor is making me take pause...I can't decide if that's something I shouldn't miss or something I should avoid. :)

We are staying in Chipping Norton which is in Oxfordshire...so I'm not sure how far Tor is from there...but can't wait to see where all you go so we might add some day drives....thanks for the report!
Tara

The Chalice Well and gardens are worth the trip to Glastonbury, even if you find the Tor strange and downtown too hippie :)

The gardens are extensive, and have several separate areas for relaxing in, as well as the beautiful well and fountains. Note the red color of the stone in the fountain, from the high iron content of the water!

I found the Tor a little disappointing when I went, as it was literally swarming with loud tourists, children running and screaming everywhere. It must have been beautiful at dusk with everyone looking reverently at the sunset!

However, even with the noise, the view was absolutely stunning.

Chippy to Glastonbury is a surprisingly tortuous 2/2.5 hour drive along roads liberally spattered with speed cameras. To get the most out of Glastonbury, you really should understand its history, and that of Avalon, first.

Basically, the legend that Christ and/or Joseph of Arimathea and/or the surviving disciples came to the area came first. Then the Abbey was built, but it lost pilgrim income to the booming Beckett cult in the 13th century, so miraculously Arthur's remains were discovered.

The whole thing was suppressed during the Reformation. AFAIW, the hippies rediscovered it during the Flower Power area, and the hippy industry was sustained by the annual Glastonbury Festival. Hence the town's truly bizarre mix of conventional shops, warlocks' coves, many varieties of Christian church and a couple of bookshops awash with titles at the far reaches of lunacy.

If staying at Chippy, buy your divining rods on special somewhere in Glastonbury, then try them out at the Rollright Stones.

Peace and love

Thank you all for the comments.

B&Bs are coming up.

We were lucky with the Tor. I think we were the only tourists. We would have liked to have seen the Chalice Well, the Abbey and more. We had done no research on Glastonbury and were taken back on what it had to offer. If I ever have the chance, I'll definitely go there again during a late afternoon.

Thank you, flanneruk, for the history. Glastonbury is truly unique and mystical. Especially when the tourists are gone.

North Devon: Sampford Brett and Dunster

We continued on our trip with my English friend driving barefoot while I was trying to figure out our map. We ended up buying a detailed map so we wouldn’t have to ask the friendly locals for their well-meant directions. As we drove in the direction of Lynton, we began passing thatched roofs. Look, our first thatched roof! Our second! And more and more began peeking over the hedges.

Sampford Brett
On a whim ( or was it female intuition?) we went up a small lane to take a closer look at a beautiful thatched roof house and came into a breathtaking tiny hamlet called Sampford Brett. On the left side was the old church, dotted with old grave stones, on the right was the old school (labelled: The Old School) and gorgeous old houses on the two streets surrounding them. We went by the old barn (labelled: The Old Barn) and parked near the new barn. There was a woman’s gathering going on and friendly folk waved to us as we drove or walked by. It was the quintessential hamlet. A perfect place to live or use as a set in a film. I highly recommend anyone driving down the A358 to stop and have a look. It will make you want to buy a house there.

We continued our drive to Dunster, a village recommended on this board (thank you!) Dunster is a medieval town with a long downtown street. It was another sizzling day so we walked in the shade of the old buildings, past the old yarn building until we finally found the old mill. The old mill area is breathtaking. Thatched roof houses in white and pink nestled closely together with flowers blooming in the front yard or along the house walls.

We walked back to the car, stopping to buy scones and peppermint chocolate ice cream (both not to be found in Switzerland). We skipped the castle since we had a long journey ahead of us.

Next: Selworthy, Allerford, Bossington

schuler - Looking forward to more and glad to hear B&B's coming up.

Sandy

What a kick, schuler! I was just about to ask at calville's swiss thread if we could expect a trip report soon. Yea! I'm enjoying this very much, because I visited some of the same places when my friends and I stayed a week in Monkton Farleigh (just between Bath and Bradford on Avon). Thankfully, it must have been before global warming, because I don't recall any hot days. (We human beings are really damaging this small planet irrevocably I fear.)

I'm sorry that you did not have a chance to explore the abbey at Glastonbury. I found it to be very beautiful and serene. (I don't recall any crowds at all at that time, mid-80's.) On the other hand, I didn't climb the Tor, so I missed out on that experience. (It will be on my list for the next time I can find a fearless UK driver for a travel partner.)

Then you mentioned Dunster! I thought the name was familiar so I did a google search, and sure enough, we were there, too. You're bringing back all sorts of lovely memories. Thanks so much! J.

Hi J and Sandy: Thanks for your comments.

Selworthy, Allerford, Bossington

Leaving Dunster, we continue driving towards North Devon. We are still searching for wonderful town villages and, oops, we just passed the sign that points to Selworthy. We attempt to find a place to turn around, which is not easy on these roads, and after a successful u-turn, we head for Selworthy. As we drive up the road, we again see hedges on the left and right. And a bit of yellow. Is that a thatched roof? Is that a house? We drive up to the parking lot, located below a beautiful white church. We decide not to get out (mistake, I know) but turn around and continue our drive. Behind those hedges would have been a few beautiful yellow thatched roof houses. But the driver was getting hungry and there were no restaurants in sight so we continue our drive.

Just a bit down the road, I see Allerford and a brief glimpse of a beautiful tiny stone bridge. Halt! Turn around. That’s where we are going. We drive into the hamlet of Allerford and are transported back 100+ years. The beauty, the serenity, the Englishness of it all. The stone bridge arches over a babbling brook strewn with green plants. Behind it is a beautiful thatched cottage, framed with an English garden. We get out and take pictures. We then continue down the country lane, passing more picture perfect country cottages until we end at Bossington.

Serendipity. We are in heaven. A perfect hamlet with wonderful thatched cottages that haven’t changed over the years. I believe the area is under National Trust, so they aren’t allowed to change a thing. We go to the car park and decide to eat at Kitner’s tearoom. We went out to the back and found ourselves in the perfect English garden. The menu was exquisite and a bit Italian. Even our waitress was Italian. However, the food was divine (I ordered a tuna ciabatta) and dessert, scones, of course, were out of this world. The clotted cream was whipped and white, the best throughout our whole trip. The prices were reasonable too. I would return to this gourmet paradise at the drop of a hat.

Here’s a website with a picture of this fantastic restaurant:
http://www.pbase.com/moorlands/image/25422688

Next: Lynton, Appledore and Clovelly

Lynton

Lynton is a village right on the sea coast. You drive downhill and there it is. It would be quaint if it weren’t so commercialized. And the stone beach is nothing to get excited about. After seeing such beautiful villages before, I was a bit let down. Souvenir stands and lots of tourists. Did I mention most tourists we spoke to were English? We did have a nice double clotted cream ice cream cone though.

Lynmouth

Drove up the hill to Lynmouth. It would have been a nice town to explore because of it’s architecture and non-commercialism. However, it was time to go to Appledore.

Appledore

We drove a bit through Exmoor along the A39, admiring the wide open spaces and wondering who Lorna Doone was. We passed Barnstaple and went right into Appledore. Appledore is a fishing village on the mouth of the Torridge River as it enters Barnstaple Bay. It’s not commercialized and you won’t find many restaurants. We parked the car on the river side of Appledore, knowing that when we come back, it will be full of seagull droppings… there were so many flying around! We walked through the narrow alleys and were suddenly thinking: are we in England or Greece? The blue buildings and alleys, the heat and the lack of noise, made us compare it to the tiny alleys of Santorini and Naxos. We had a coffee and a pot of tea in a tiny café to escape the heat. Yup, hot drinks will do it everytime.

Northern Burrows

We continued our drive towards Westward ho! and got a bit lost. At an intersection, we asked a very attractive middle-aged man directions. He advised us to visit the Northern Burrows. It’s the oldest golf course in England and one of the few places where golfers golf among cows, sheep and ponies. A quick right and there we were! We didn’t have to pay admission because it was after 6.00 pm. We drove along the flat ground and were amazed at the beauty and serenity of it all. There really were animals grazing among tee offs (which were roped off). We parked our car in front of a long wall of beautiful pushed up rocks. We walked over them carefully, hoping not to twist an ankle, and met a long sandy beach being caressed by waves. Walking quite a distance, we cooled off our feet in the water and then walked back over the natural wall of rocks. I wish we could have taken some of those beautifully polished rocks with us for my garden.

Clovelly

We continued our drive to Clovelly not knowing what to expect of this village. Clovelly is pronounced cloVELLY. We arrived at the empty parking lot after 7.00 pm. Empty? We were confused. This was supposed to be a major sight. We walked by the admissions entrance. What? Pay for a village? We later found out this village was privately owned. Since we arrived after opening hours, we could walk freely down to the village. It was a downhill walk on a cobblestone lane that does not allow cars. The village is white with many thatched roof houses. It’s not commercialized (except for the entrance fee), but it’s situated on a steep slope with a main street and a side street. The streets lead down to the coast. The houses are small and many have English gardens in front of them. It really is beautiful and not big at all. I think we saw two restaurants and no tacky souvenir shops. The road is so steep that village inhabitants use makeshift sleds to transport their goods from their cars to their homes. We saw many of these sleds parked in front of the doors. This village is not for people with walking problems. It’s steep. They do have land rovers that will take you from the entrance to the bottom, but you’ll be taken down a side road and won’t see the main village at all.

The best thing about Clovelly was that there were no tourists. None. People don’t come here after closing hours, except for a few confused souls like us. We walked down to the coastline and had a nice dinner in the restaurant. I had a potato jacket with cheese and my friend had fish and chips. We drank at least two glasses of yummy English cider (not alcohol free) and spoke with the locals. It was a great way to end the evening. We walked back up through the empty streets of Clovelly, again marvelling at the serenity and beauty and commenting on how glad we came at this time of the evening.

It was time to search for a B&B.

We had seen many B&B signs travelling along the northern coast. We wanted to go inland because our goal was to visit the southern coast the next day. We decided to go to Holsworthy, looking for a B&B along the way. We drove out of Clovelly, seeing many B&B signs and chose to drive small country lanes to Holsworthy. There should be plenty of B&Bs to choose from, right? WRONG! There aren’t. We drove to Holsworthy, seeing not one B&B along the way. All we saw were high hedges. Hedges, hedges and more hedges. As romantic as country lanes sound, all you’ll see are hedges. It can get frustrating.

It was getting dark and the signs were getting hard to read. We were determined to stay at a B&B and drove past the hotels in Holsworthy. We were straining our eyes trying to read the signs and suddenly…B&B! We go down another country lane to find it. We drive up to the house, which looked a bit run down, and a hippie-ish man came out to greet us. We were desperate and were ready to stay in any B&B. The man was very nice but told us that he couldn’t take any guests. Oh no! It was dark and we had enough of searching. We inwardly panicked. B&B owners are truly caring and helpful. This one was no different. He picked up the phone and called around, asking about room availability. No luck. After 15 min., he found a place for us in Tinhay. “Was £70 for a double room too expensive? It’s a four star B&B,” he asked. “No, no. That will be fine,” we answered. He then went on to give directions. I took out my map and followed them, being very glad to have it with us. We drove 10 min., going down country lanes in the dark, which were very dark because of the….high hedges, of course.

Tinhay Mill B&B and restaurant

And finally, without getting lost, we drove up to a beautiful old cottage in Tinhay. It was called the Tinhay Mill restaurant. It was 11.00 pm and the owner, Margaret, was there to welcome us. She showed us our cosy and quaint room and explained that it was en-suite (a bathroom within the room). It was a tiny bathroom, but everything was clean and operating perfectly. We went down to the living room and had a glass of wine before we went to bed. We celebrated our success in finding a B&B.

We slept well that night and went down for breakfast the next day. Margaret is a gourmet cook and has even written her own Cornish cookbooks. We had a SCRUMPTIOUS breakfast of plain yogurt, different fruit, cereal, eggs, ham, fried tomatoes and mushrooms and brown toast. I really recommend this B&B. It’s not big, 3 rooms only, but quiet, welcoming and cosy. I wish we could have eaten dinner there as well.
Website: http://www.tinhaymillrestaurant.co.uk/

Coming up… Padstow, Tintagel, Bocastle, Crackington Haven, Widemouth Bay

Really enjoying your report. Brings back so many memories. My sister lived in Dorset for many years so understand about the high hedges!! I can just see in my mind the beautiful villages from your description. I think there is no where more beautiful than an english village in the late afternoon summer sun. aaahhhh, bootiful. Schnauzer

Oh, schuler, you missed something with Lorna Doone - a big Victorian historical romance set in the late 17th century, which gets remade for TV about every ten years. Just the thing for a wet weekend with a large box of chocolates.

http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/7/13/frameset.html

schuler:

How kind of the hippie-ish man to find you Tinhay Mill - You couldn't have done better. You were taking a chance waiting so late in the day to find your B&B. Glad it worked out for you.

I am very much enjoying your trip report.

Looking forward to more.

Sandy

Thanks for the replies. It's nice to know someone is reading this.

Margaret, the B&B owner, convinced us to visit more of North Devon. She persuaded us to see the area between Tintagel and Widemouth Bay, promising us beautiful coastal views. So we changed our plans and decided to start the day off in Padstow.

Padstow
Padstow is a coastal town nestled in Padstow Bay. It is bustling with lots of tourists, souvenir shops and restaurants. We walked by Rick Stein’s Café, who according to my German guide book ,is a famous chef who makes Fish and Chips to die for. We walked down to the harbour and past the row of donated benches. We enjoyed reading the words of dedication posted on the signs of each bench. We then walked up to the Prideaux Place, which must appear in some Rosamund Pilcher films. The Swiss love her films and many come to Devon just because of them. I haven’t seen one yet. After walking to the front door of the mansion, we turned around and walked to the church, through the graveyard and up through the forest trail, back to our car park. We weren’t really impressed with Padstow after seeing so many other towns.

Tintagel

Tintagel (pronounced TintAJEL) is rather a barren coastal town, located high on the coastal cliffs. It’s a village that didn’t impress me… at first. We drove in and went down the only street in the village until we found a car park. One pound for the day. We walked down the street, admiring the old post office. It’s the most beautiful building of the village and most authentic too. We continued to walk to the sea, passing a restaurant where we could see them make pasties. Hmm…. too good to pass up. We found ourselves a table behind the restaurant and ordered scones and tea. They were delicious but our most entertaining experience was watching the seagulls. Behind a bush, we heard plates rattle and an awful noise. I got up to see what the commotion was all about. And there, on a picnic table full of plates and food left by the customers, were six seagulls, grabbing at anything they could find. Plates and silverware went flying as the huge birds greedily picked at the food. The waitresses ran to the table to shoo off the birds and pick up the mess. This happened three times. Watch out for those seagulls!

Farther down the road, we saw King Arthur’s castle. Or a kitschy imitation of it. Built as a castle but functions as a hotel, it looks like something Disney would dream up. It stands with it’s back toward the sea. Quite dramatic actually. We walked around the hotel and looked down upon the cliff’s and the ruins of a fortress/castle that may have once belonged to King Arthur. We didn’t have the time or energy to walk to the ruins but took in the magnificent coastal views.

Boscastle

Boscastle is located at the bottom of a valley, where the river meets the sea. It’s a poor looking town that was washed out by a flood a few years ago. We walked to the harbour and back. It’s rather drab looking village and I was glad to leave it. I’m sure there are people who love this village but I found it rather depressing.

Crackington Haven

Why did we go there? Because we wanted to drive the coastal road. Getting there, you have to go down country lanes framed by high hedges. You know there are coastal views and beautiful pastures just a few meters away and you can’t see them. So frustrating!

Crackington Haven is a hamlet located at the bottom of a valley. It has a few houses and a nice beach where lots of people were bathing and enjoying themselves. I liked it there and could understand why the locals would use this as a place to meet and have fun. The beach, located in protected area, is flat with lots of sand and framed with rocks.

We used the public restroom and loved the silver handwashing box to wash your hands. Put your hands in the hole and push the soap button. Down comes the soap. Push the water button. Down comes the water. Push the airdry button and whoosh, comes hot air. And you never have to move your hands (except to push the buttons.) A GREAT invention.

We drove down the coastal road, stopping to admire the views and backing up a few times so that oncoming cars could pass. We ended our drive at Widemouth Bay and decided to drive towards Okehampton to find a B&B. You would have though that we had learned something about finding a B&B the night before. We didn’t.

Next…Okehampton, Dartmoor, Totnes, Dartmouth and Paignton

You might like to try and get hold of Arnold Bax's Tintagel - a very atmospheric piece of orchestral music, all crashing waves and surging swells.

I'm enjoying your report and all the villages that you saw.

schuler - You would have thought that we had learned something about finding a B&B the night before. We didn't.

Come on spill the beans .. full details please.

Sandy

Please keep the stories coming schuler!

I was wondering how your trip worked out. Wonderful report so far! Looking forward to the rest.

(one little comment for your notes - you have the two villages reversed. Lynmouth is the one down by the water and Lynton is the one up above. )

Thanks for all your comments. You are keeping me motivated in writing this trip report.

Sorry about the Lynton and Lynmouth mix-up.


Okehampton

We took the direct road to Okehampton, looking for B&B’s outside the village. We couldn’t find any. We even stopped to ask a very attractive policeman if he knew of any. He didn’t, although we enjoyed our short conversation immensely. In fact, after leaving, we decided that thatched roof houses are not the only sights to be admired in England.

It was 8.00 pm when we arrived in the bustling town/village of Okehampton. We parked next to Waitrose and walked to the White Hart hotel. A beautiful old hotel with an excellent menu, we hoped they could accommodate us. Luck was not on our side and we were told the hotel and restaurant were both fully booked. What now? Two older men at the bar in the pub heard our dilemma and recommended Upcott House B&B, up the hill from Okehampton. We thanked them and wanted to give them some money but they refused. By the way, these two were not the best looking but certainly very kind and helpful. Another plus for English men.

We drove up the hill and saw a modern sign directing us to the B&B. We drove into the driveway and past a big, rather rundown looking house. Surely this must have been the servant’s quarters? We rang the doorbell and a friendly man welcomed us and told us he had a twin room available but it wasn’t en-suite. I walked in to look at the room and was greeted by a beautiful hall and a dreamy staircase, just like one would expect in a manor. We took the room.

What are B&B rooms like? All the ones we encountered were colourful, tastefully designed and laid out with thick carpet. This one was no different. There was a sink in the room surrounded by carpet. And that’s the spot where the carpet stank. However, everything else was clean and the view out onto the lawn and the far away hills of Dartmoor were inspiring. We had a choice of two toilets and a bathtub to use with 3 other guests. The only time we saw the other guests was at breakfast.

Upcott House was once a beautiful gentleman’s retreat, built at the turn of the century. It became the local boy’s school soon after. Grumpy gramps (self-named) had begun to tell me the story of the house in a beautiful living room with huge bay windows. The school closed some twenty years ago and his one son began to restore the house. As Grandpa admitted, he wasn’t 100% successful. The other son now owns the home and is fixing the place up to its original grandeur, slowly but surely. These homes need a lot of money to keep up and B&B owners make their most money during high season. We were charged £23 including breakfast.

After a quiet night where we used towels as bedsheets because the bedspread was too warm, we had a nice English breakfast and make our way to Dartmoor and got a bit lost trying to find Chagford.

Next…. Chagford, Postbridge, Widecomb in the Moor and Buckland in the Moor.

Nice report, but a little etiquette note.
It really is not "done" to offer money in England for an act of kindness.
I remember somebody once saying that they offered money to a young man who helped them with a suitcase on the tube.
As your helpful gentlemen were in a bar, buying them a drink would have been fine.

Chagford

We leave Okehampton direction Whiddon Down. “Hooray! No more high hedges!” so we thought. After filling up the car with petrol, we ask a kindly elderly lady how to get to Chagford. She decides not to tell us, but to show us the way until A382. I can't tell you enough how hospitable the English are. Anyway, we reach the A382 and continue until we see a sign pointing to Chagford. Stop! Back up! We just missed the turn-off! We turn around and head down the country lanes to Chagford. Again we were on a one-lane high-hedged road. These roads look so romantic from the sky but can get really humdrum driving on them. We get to a point where we need to pass over a quaint stone bridge. It’s a close call on both sides but we get over. And soon we are in Chagford, a bustling market town that still looks very medieval. We took a walk around the town and then headed for the King’s Arms, a very old pub. I had my cream tea and my friend had an espresso. Soon the owner came out and began telling us about his parking problems. Chagford is quaint and lovely but filled with traffic. The owner then told us about the National Trust and how they support thatch roofed cottages. Supposedly half of the upkeep is paid for by National Trust although this is not always the case. The owner was friendly but a bit frustrated with local politics. He reminded me of our Swiss farmers.

Dartmoor: Postbridge

We drove past Moretonhampstead and began our climb up the moors. Coming from Switzerland, the moors reminded us of the alps without the mountain tops. No hedges or trees, just wild ponies and sheep grazing peacefully on gentle hills of different colours of green. We saw people painting, taking pictures of the ponies and, of course, hiking. It was cloudy and almost a bit misty. Perfect weather for Dartmoor!

Postbridge

We drive along until we see the picturesque bridge(s) of Postbridge. I love that name because the hamlet has perhaps two houses, a post office and a tourist info centre. And then the two stone bridges, one to drive over and the other as a footpath. Both arch over a small creek, with its clear waters passing over stones and green grass. Very lovely.

We continue our drive over Dartmoor, turning left at Two Bridges. Next destination: Ponsworthy, Widecomb and Buckland.

Still following you, schuler, with great pleasure. J.

Dartmoor: Ponsworthy and Widecomb in the Moor

Ponsworthy is one of those wonderful small hamlets that one drives through and awes at the houses. In a blink, and you’re in and out of the town.

Widecomb in the Moor is a bit larger with lots of tourists. I walked into the very old stone church that looked a bit barren but fit the atmosphere of Dartmoor perfectly. It’s actually amazing that they could build such a church so many years ago. Widecomb also has a building where churchgoers used to get together to make beer and celebrate. When King Henry VIII came, he tore most of these buildings down but luckily Widecomb was able to keep theirs. Personally, I thought Widecomb was more interesting when sitting above in the moors and looking down upon it. A very dreamy setting.

Buckland in the Moor

Buckland is not a village. It’s barely a hamlet. After driving above the moors, we went down a high hedged lane to find this place. We drove by a group of 3-4 thatched roof houses set in perfectly groomed English gardens and massive trees. It was so beautiful. My English friend insisted it was too perfect to be true and thought that it was all relatively new. We never found out. I found a website showing pictures of this group of houses, but they really don’t do them justice.
http://members.tripod.com/jgh_pix/bucklandinthemoor/

We drove a bit farther and stopped to walk around the church. It’s a pretty area and definitely worth seeing.

Ashburton

We stopped in Ashburton for scones and cream tea and learned what a stannary is. Ashburton used to process tin from the nearby mines, hence the name stannary.

Totnes

Totnes is a busy, bustling medieval town that seemed to be loved by the locals and tourists. The main street is car free, beautiful and set below the castle hill. We enjoyed walking around Totnes and even went into the English school since we are both English teachers.

Dartmouth

Our last destination for the day was Paignton but we decided to quickly have a look at Dartmouth. While we were making this detour, we couldn’t decide if there was a bridge over the river Dart or not. The map was not very clear about this. We certainly hoped so otherwise it would be a long drive back.

Dartmouth is almost a seaside town. It’s located on the river but if you look down the river, you can see the ocean. It’s a beautiful town with gorgeous tudor buildings. We walked through the town, admiring the “harbour” filled with white sailboats. I wish we could have stayed longer but we needed to move on and the lines for the ferry were long. Ferry? That’s right. There was no bridge but there were car ferries that transported cars and passengers from Dartmouth to Kingswear. It was a short trip and soon we were on the road to Paignton

Paignton

Why Paignton? We wanted to visit a friend who turned out to be in Tobago at the time we were there. We found a B&B quickly (can’t remember the name anymore) and enjoyed a very nice dinner at the Embassy Tavern on Colin Road. Absolutely scrumptious and highly recommended. Reasonable too. We had seafood omelettes.

Paignton is a “working class” seaside town that doesn’t have a lot of charm but does offer red beaches due to the nearby red cliffs. It’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t spend my holidays there.

After being kept awake the whole night by a whinging young seagull who refused to fly, I took a overly hot then ice cold shower. Great for the circulation. My friend dribbled a bit of water over the ledge for our seagull friend and I decided to do the same but actually doused the bird. And, viola! It flew off because it didn’t like the water. Should have done it the night before. (And yes I’m sure it didn’t fall off the ledge and died.)

Sherborne

On our last day, we decided to take the scenic route back to Heathrow. We drove on the main roads past Exeter, towards Honiton, Chard, Yeovil and stopping off in Sherborne. We loved Sherborne. It’s a bustling market town with a car-free main street. It was market day and we tried the local produce. We bought some buns that looked just like cinnamon rolls without the cinnamon. The vendors were very nice and told us about their goods. We walked on to see the Abbey. The Abbey and its grounds are beautiful and probably have looked the same over the past hundreds of years. Sherborne really appealed to us because of the hospitality we felt, the wonderful shops and the architecture of the area.

Our last village stop was to be in Shaftsbury. Shaftsbury is known for Gold Hill. It’s a hill sloping down from the town with a row of picturesque houses.

Shaftsbury was a strange town for us. It didn’t have that “bustling with locals” feel that Sherborne had. There were a lot of tourists there but they didn’t seem happy. And we had a very bad experience at the Wharfe, where the customers warned us before ordering that the female owner was as mad as a hatter. She was. My friend ordered an espresso and I ordered a cream tea with two scones. The owner found out that we were going to share the scones and wanted to charge me 25% more. The cream tea with scones was already £2 more than at other places. Anyway, we said we weren’t ready to pay the extra charge and she suggested that we cancel all of our orders. We did and left. That was the only bad experience we had with English restaurants.

Stonehenge

Last stop: Stonehenge. People have debated if a quick stop without touring the grounds is enough. I can’t answer that even though we paid the admission and walked around this mystery. We listened to our phones and, although the information was presented professionally and clearly, it seems that it’s still a mystery as to who propped up these stones in the first place. I enjoyed walking on the grass and looking at the stones, trying to imagine what it was like thousands of years ago. We saw many people stand behind the fence, take a quick picture and go again.

M25

M25 is infamous for its traffic jams. We were afraid that we were going to be caught in one on a Friday afternoon at 4.30. We were lucky and traffic moved slowly but constantly. Everything went like clockwork after that.

Summary:

The English and Hospitality

The English are very hospitable and friendly. They are well mannered and won’t speak until spoken to, but once the ice is broken; they love to talk and are very interested in where you come from.

The Roads and Bicycles

English roads are narrow and fast. I would never consider cycling on these roads because often there just isn’t enough room to pass. There are designated cycle trails that are safe and scenic.

The Food

Scones with clotted cream and jam are fantastic. English breakfasts are healthy (plain yogurt, fruit and cereal) to fatty (fried bread, ham, bacon and eggs). I would have liked to have ordered more salad plates but most restaurants don’t carry them.

Drinks

English cider: divine! It’s a bit alcoholic and equivalent to our Suure Most in Switzerland.

The Scenery

I’m a small village person and loved visiting the old villages in Devon and Cornwall. I wish we could have also seen Kingsbridge and Salcombe.

B&Bs

It’s high season and many B&Bs are fully booked. Because we wanted to be flexible, we only booked the first night in advance and waiting until the last minute for the rest. This can be very nerve-wracking. Try to have your B&B by 8.00 pm so you won’t be driving around the dark searching for B&B signs like we did.

Thank you all for your suggestions and recommendations. This trip was planned with your ideas and my German Cornwall/Devon guidebook.

schuler - Well done. Thanks.

Sandy

Thanks for reading it. I hope it will help someone with their trip planning.

Enjoy the summer! It rained last night in Switzerland and will cool off to "normal" temperatures next week.

Great report Schuler, very enjoyable. My sister worked in Chard for a while so I know the area pretty well. It is such pretty countryside around Dorset/Somerset. A good read from you, well done.

Hmm, English cider can be more than a bit alcoholic.
When I were a student, rough cider cost 4d a glass, that's about 1 1/2 pence in today's money.
You could get legless for a bob.

All together now!

Tom Pearse, Tom Pearse, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee
For I want for to go to Widdicombe Fair
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Day, Daniel Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.

And when shall I see again my grey mare?
All along, down along, out along lee
By Friday soon, or Saturday noon
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney
Peter Day, Daniel Whiddon, Harry Hawk
Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.

Then Friday came and Saturday noon
All along, down along, out along lee
But Tom Pearse's mare has not trotted home.
With Bill Brewer etc.

So Tom Pearse he got up to the top of the hill
All along, down along, out along lee
He see'd his old mare down a-making her will.
With Bill Brewer etc.

So Tom Pearce's old mare, she took sick and died
All along, down along, out along lee
And Tom, he sat down on a stone and he cried.
With Bill Brewer etc.

But this isn't the end of this shocking affair
All along, down along, out along lee
Nor though they be dead of the horrid career.
With Bill Brewer etc.

When the wind whistles cold on the moor of a night
All along, down along, out along lee
Tom Pearse's old mare doth appear ghastly white.
With Bill Brewer etc.

And all the long night be heard skirling and groans
All along, down along, out along lee
From Tom Pearse's old mare and a rattling of bones.
With Bill Brewer etc.

schuler, before your memories dim, could you tell us which was your favorite coast village and which was your favorite inland village? You know how some us like to tuck into a tiny place for several days. Your choices? (Chances are that I'll never drive in the UK, but let's pretend.) J.

Salü Zäma! (Greetings to all)

I should be packing but...

Love that traditional song! Like I mentioned in the above report, when you get the English talking, they really get talking.

Where were you, Josser, when we were drowning our sorrows about the stinky carpet in Okehampton? Could have used you to brighten us up.

J: I loved Bossington and the area around it on the border of North Devon and Somerset.

I also loved Dartmouth and would have loved to see the area below it in South Devon.

I'd go back to Totnes and Sherborne (Dorset)in a minute. I also liked Dartmoor and the whole atmosphere there.

It's hard to pinpoint an area because there is so much to see everywhere.

Schuler:

Thanks for getting it right about the M25. There's an awful lot of unnecessary moaning about it on this board. Truth is, even at peak hours, it usually moves around 50mph these days, except at the Dartford Crossing, which rarely affects foreign tourists anyway. The problem isn't that traffic often stops: it's that if you're unfortunate enough to hit it when it does, you're stuck.

On cycling. You're right that English roads aren't ideal for cyclists. In fact for cyclists who want to cycle two abreast, they're downright lethal. But there are very, very few dedicated cycle paths, especially compared to continental Europe. Our fantastic network of footpaths is suitable only for mountain bikes, and bikes of any sort are, at least in theory, banned from a very large proportion of them anyway.

Thanks, schuler! Packing? Where are you going now? (or is this the class trip?) I'm stuck in the local Honda dealership waiting room while my '93 gets its back-to-school mega service, so I'm amusing myself at fodors. J.

Your welcome, Flanner. Loved your country and your humour.

J: Packing for our trip to Seattle. I'm going home to see family. I'll know Terminal 4 at Heathrow quite well after this summer. All my flights seem to go there at some point.

Good luck with your Honda!

What a wonderful report - especially the little details. You travelled through areas that are very popular w/ British holidaymakers, but relatively fewer foreign visitors venture down those hedgerow lined lanes.

Have a good trip to Seattle . . . .