London to High Littleton
24th August, 2000
25th August, 2000
26th August, 2000
Thursday, 24th August, 2000
e were up at 7.30, showered and breakfasted, then the hassle of getting the bags downstairs in a 2 person lift. It took several journeys. We got the desk to call us a cab and it turned out to be a minicab, not the London Taxi type. The driver persuaded us it would cost nearly as much to go by Gatwick Express as it would if he took us. It certainly saved a lot of hassle and he dropped us at the Hertz depot at Gatwick, (which the train would not have done) Sixty five pounds, and it probably was a ripoff, but saved our feet and our muscles.
Our first Hertz, Toyota Avensis Estate
he car, which was supposed to be a Ford Mondeo Wagon turned out to be a Toyota Avensis, a Station Wagon with more room than it looks. We can get ourselves and all the cases in. It is air conditioned and smells like a public toilet of the most obnoxious air freshener (I suppose). Still, it is relatively comfortable and, once we had sorted out which direction to drive it, we got on all right. Two or three screaming and swearing matches. Thank heaven Geoff can navigate.
The Cerne Giant, Cerne Abbas, Dorset
e drove southwest, heading towards Winchester, bypassed it and went through the New Forest and into Dorset, lovely gems of villages like Piddletrenthide, thatched and flower laden till we reached the real pick of the bunch, Cerne Abbas. We all fell in love with it as we drove through to the Giant's Hill. Here the gigantic figure in full male pride is cut into the chalk of a sloping hill and we had come all this way to see it. It was fantastic, and Geoff and I were so pleased to see it in the flesh, as it were.
Geoff by the Sea, Lyme Regis, Dorset
hen we went on, ever westward, to end up in Lyme Regis, just as our landlord had described. He is a very pleasant man, David Endersby, and they have two cats, which pleased Mac. We have rooms to ourselves tonight, Geoff is happily watching TV by himself and Mac is snoring beside me. He and Geoff both have colds and sore throats. Hope it doesn't amount to anything. We drove into the town - it is sooooo steep! - and could only find fish and chips for tea which we ate on the sea wall. We had a walk and came home.
omorrow, hopefully, I can walk on the Cobb, in the footsteps of Jane Austen, Louisa Musgrave and Meryl Streep.
Friday, 25th August, 2000
The Cobb, Lyme Regis, Dorset
his morning dawned windy and cooler, with clouds and occasional splashes of rain. We took leave of our host, David Endersby of Rotherfield Guest House and wended our way down the steep hills of Lyme to the Cobb, a sea wall built to protect the fishing fleet in the 1700's.
Being Louisa Musgrave, The Cobb,
Lyme Regis, Dorset
t was incredibly windy, a startling contrast to the way it was last night but we walked to the end of the Cobb and thought about the way ladies in Jane Austen's day coped when the wind blew. I don't know how they coped with horses and carriages either, the hills to the sea are so steep.
Main Street, Bovey Tracey, Devon
eaving Lyme we drove through Devon by lovely country roads through forest, with avenues of old trees meeting overhead. We crossed Dartmoor, by some spectacular tors along the way until we reached Postbridge, where there is a very old pre-medieval "clapper bridge", which we discovered last time here. Geoff stopped to take some photos, then we proceeded to the forest park for a picnic lunch.
Our Room, The Old Coach House, Boscastle, Cornwall
tilising more country roads we navigated across into Cornwall and followed the directions sent us by our host for tonight, arriving at the Old Coach House, Boscastle, by about 4:45. It is another pleasant B & B, we have a triple room with a window seat looking over the valley but no glimpse of the sea.
Valency River and Bridge, Boscastle, Cornwall
fter coffee and biscuits we drove down to Boscastle Harbour, a lovely gem of a National Trust village with an ancient sea-walled harbour, like Clovelly and a lovely little river, the Valency, running through it to the sea, with ducklings taking swimming lessons in it.
We scouted around for the witchcraft museum and found it. It was too late to see it properly so we will go back tomorrow. I was quite impressed by the displays in the windows - it was Wicca, not Satanism. There seem to be a lot of occult, or at least New Age shops around selling all kinds of crystals, candles, jewellery etc. etc. So we will explore tomorrow.
e had a very impressive dinner at the Harbour Restaurant - Geoff had BBQ spare ribs, which he pronounced succulent and delicious, Mac and I had savoury potato skins with salsa and sour cream, also delicious. Then Geoff had a hearty seafood broth and Mac a chicken burrito, while I had blackened cajun style tuna steak, a little dry but more taste than anything I've had this week.
rove around Tintagel and came home, tired but not exhausted. Being a bit cooler helps, but having the car is better. It has everything that opens and shuts but seems to stall going into reverse. Don't know why.
omorrow we head for the Bath area, where we stop for a whole week.
Saturday, 26th August, 2000
Boscastle Harbour and Seawall, Cornwall
e arose relatively early and had a good Continental style breakfast in the Conservatory before heading back down the hill to Boscastle. We strolled (or at least in my case, hobbled) over the seawall breakwater to see where the waves were breaking outside the harbour. The tide was out, so only the trickle of the little Valency river was moving. But there was a small blowhole which puffed out spray regularly. The whole man-made harbour is very picturesque and protected by the National Trust.
Witchcraft Museum, Boscastle, Cornwall
e came back at 10:30 to the Witchcraft Museum, which was founded here in the 60's by the guy who had the Witchcraft Museum on the Isle of Man that Gerald Gardiner started. It was a fascinating place, some dark, some light and some grey areas. There was a section on Aleister Crowley, and other witches including Alex Sanders, Gerald Gardiner and Doreen Valiente.
After this, Geoff spent some time, (and a lot of money) in the Mystic Shop, buying himself a crystal wand and a book.
It was midday before we left.
Kitchen, Valley View, Greyfield Farm, Somerset
e followed the A39 all the way to High Littleton and it took us nearly eight hours! We seemed to get stuck behind so many tractors, trucks, caravans and motor accidents. Stopped for lunch at Bideford and the trail was lovely, by the coast, along Exmoor, through forests, etc. Some lovely views, but I was getting rather frantic as the hours passed and Geoff's blood sugar dropped. We found a Sainsbury's superstore still open at Street, near Glastonbury, so laid in some supplies but it was nearly 8 p.m. when we arrived at Greyfield Farm .
Conservatory, Valley View, Greyfield Farm, Somerset
im Merry welcomed us back, giving a convincing portrayal of recognition, and showed us to Valley View, our lovely little home from home for the next week.
It is really fantastic. Two bedrooms, one single, one double, lounge (with pot belly fire) conservatory, picnic table, fully equipped kitchen with fantastic stove, frig, dishwasher(!), washing machine/dryer and all the mod cons.
The bathroom is timber, and the whole place is lovely.
here was a message that Beryl had rung up from Burnham-on-Sea, and she rang again just as I was dishing up the pizza I had heated up. We will go and visit her on Wednesday.
Tomorrow I will wash our clothes, and possibly go to Glastonbury and Wells with Geoff. Maybe a walk in the woods. Now Mac is snoring on the leather couch after drinking a third of the bottle of Chardonnay June and Jim left in the frig.
This is a lovely place.
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