Jul 2005

I'm off to Devon to visit my family. Its been at least 6 months and considering how great they are that length of time if just too darned long!

In previous trips I have had the joys of driving all over Dartmoor. From barren and craggy moor tops to the lush and remote valleys there is more than you could see in a weekend and I have never been bored in my visits there!

Chudliegh is a neat little village that I have been lucky to enjoy. Walking from the modern housing developments up the hill to the town centre you can see centuries of change and there are lots of local tales telling of tunnels between the pubs and the church and all sorts that has happened there over the years. The history doesn't hang heavily in Chudliegh, instead it seems to welcome all the new events knowing one day theywill be the stories people will be telling.

To the north of Exeter is a road that runs in an arc around the dartmoor. Dotted all along this area are villages and manor houses and home farms that seem to have been there since man arrived. You can feel an old way of life continuing on within these places and it always makes me feel really peaceful. Newton St Cyres still has a road that fords a stream which in winter becomes a bit more of a river!

The contryside is lush and rolling and the journey from one side of devon to the other is constantly amazing. There is always something to see and so many places you just want to stop and stare at what is around you it could take weeks to completely the journey if you stopped at every point like this.

Every time I visit Devon I reminisce and every time I get there there is something new to see or something old I had forgotten about. The whole county is amazing. Its worth it to take some time to visit and explore down all those odd little roads and see the small and quiet villages.

While this isn't much of a report on a single trip i can say it is a recommedation if you are looking to go somewhere that will touch your heart and stay with you when you go home!

Update: The big adventure this time took us out to the south coast to visit Budliegh Salterton and East Budliegh - the birth place of Sir Walter Raliegh. The actual house is way out in the countryside and just spectacular. It must have been an awesome place to grow up as a child! The nearest village is East Budleigh which is a picture perfect Devon village with whitewashed, thatch-topped houses and narrow little lanes and even a dog show to top off the image!
Budleigh Salterton is a typical Devon seaside town but with a stoney beach and red clay cliffs that are incredibly striking against the moody blue of the ocean and the vibrant green of the grass that topped the cliffs. Magic!!
I was also super lucky to get in to see Comedy of Errors at the Rougemont Gardens but you can read more about that on another entry!
I have just the best family! I had such a fantastic time with them and they spoilt me rotten!