Devon Delights pt 2 – Climb every mountain

Hello again. Not only part 2, but also the end. Yes our time in North Devon is nearly up. We’re due to stay one more night have decided to head off this evening in the hope of quieter roads. We have some things to get on with at home too thanks to developments in the long running saga that is selling our bungalow.

It’s been great fun here. The site is great, nice and quiet in our little plot despite the abundance of kids and we’ve never had to wait for loos or showers either. Talking of showers – they’re massive. Heated tiled floors and  divided in to large cubicles with a mottled black panelling. Black! Lovely. The shower itself is operated by a motion sensor that activates when you wave your hand across it. Anyway, I was in there the other evening, having spent the afternoon covered in suncream, and having soaped and rinsed extremities, crevices and all bits in-between was in the process of drying off. I must have been doing it fairly vigorously as the corner of the towel  - or one of aforementioned extremities – I’m not sure - just swiped the sensor causing the shower to strike up again. Momentarily surprised I recoiled, slipped on the floor and nearly went arse over tit – and ended up with a wet towel too!

The other morning, having been over the facilities for the morning visit I called in to the site shop to pick up some milk. The lady behind the counter asked how I slept. Very well – as I usually do on site. Anyway, this woman who was getting a coffee piped up that she hadn’t slept too well. It was her first time camping and she wondered what the secret was. I was able to call on my years (well 16 months!) of experience and advise her in one word. Alcohol!

Right enough of the waffle. Catch up time. Here goes.

Tuesday afternoon and having completed and sent the last blog we headed in to Woolacombe. We wanted a couple hours or so – time for some lunch and to stroll around and get a few photo’s, however the main car parks were only charging for a full day. We were too mean to pay but eventually found some off road parking that gave us an hour. We had just enough time for a pint and  a sandwich then headed back, planning to return one evening for some photo’s.

The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to enjoy the sun but waiting anxiously for the phone call from the solicitor. Time was running out and it looked like we were going to have to carry out our threat when the phone rang. Our gamble had paid off and contracts were exchanged. I can’t describe the relief because although we’ve had a great time, both here and in Cornwall, it was always at the back of our minds.

Wednesday, and after another late start – and nothing to do with grog before you ask – we headed south to Barnstaple. A nice high street and a pretty little church and chapel tucked away in the middle and an excellent light lunch too.

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On the way back we called at a camping shop and picked up an electric cool box. Now, in the past you will know that when we’ve been caravanning, the weather hasn’t always been all that. In fact some of our trips have been more like arctic expeditions, but the upside of that was that when we’ve been out and about we’ve been able to pick up some local fresh meat (stop it!) without fear of it going off in the boot. This trip of course has been different. the box will work both off the mains and car so it can be pre-cooled before we go out anywhere. Not only that, but it heats too. Handy for the winter excursion to the curry house…..

In the evening we met up with friends Pat & Chris. Through the wonder of social media we discovered that they would be on the campsite just half a mile up the road from us. See, farcebook does have it’s good points! They came over for a bbq then we went in to Mortehoe to for a drink and a good old chinwag.

Thursday and with a lovely sunny but slightly breezy day in prospect we decided to go for a walk. Well, we left at 11am or thereabouts across the fields at the back of the campsite and returned around 4pm. All but half an hour of that was walking. We ended up on the National Trust coastal path at Lee and walked, climbed, puffed and staggered all the way around to Mortehoe.It was hard work but the views were simply stunning and it was worth it. For Trev it was a reminder of what a great job the surgeon at Papworth Hospital done on his ticker nearly ten years ago and he done really well.

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Of minor disappointment was the snack in the pub at Mortehoe. Reasonably tasty but the panini in particularly was poor value for money. We didn’t want to wait over an hour for the next bus so we walked back along the narrow road to the site.

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Friday and after un-seizing our tortured  muscles  Bideford was first on the list, stopping for coffee and to procure some delicious looking sausages from one of the butchers before heading on to Westward Ho! for no other reason than we were curious about the name. A large beach – when the tide is out and clearly popular with families. We stopped for lunch at the Rock Pool Cafe near the car park and the baguettes were truly delicious. Excellent value, well presented and tasty, in stark contrast to the previous days offering.

Last night we met up with Chris & Pat again, and went to Woolacombe for a drink and the chance to take a few photo’s as the sun began to set. Still very busy and clearly a very popular place – with a long stretch of sandy beach it’s easy to see why.

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So, that’s it. The end of another trip. We’ve been away nearly four weeks and the time has just flown by. We’ll certainly be back at some point – there’s so much more to see – the south Devon coast and northern Cornwall too. If only we could guarantee the same weather next time. It’s been lovely to finally be able to caravan in the summer – a proper one. Apart from the first couple of nights we’ve not sat in the van once and made full use of the awning. It’s been lovely.

So what’s next. Well home tonight and start clearing the rest of the house before the handover on Friday. We’re heading up to Cambridge for a few days to see HRH and catch up with friends before heading over to the Cotswolds again for a meet up with some Twitter friends near Adderbury. Then, who knows? It depends how long it takes for the flat to come through as to where we go next. There’ll probably be a blog or two though…

So, thanks, Warcombe Farm for putting up with us, you have a great site here and we may come and pester you again at some point – oh and the wine was lovely too. Thank you.