The best things in life...

Feeling lucky that we have had so many sunny weekends, Lizzie and I decided we ought to make the most of it, and so invested in two inflatable rings.  Taking them onto our idyllic corner of the River Teign, we had a cool, refreshing splash-around.  The Teign is a beautiful river, shrouded by trees so that we floated in and out of the dappled sunshine.  Every now and then, a fish would leap out of the water, and the delightful call of the kingfisher was confirmed by the ocassional flash of brown and turqoise flittering through the air.  We know a place on the banks where we frequently like to sit and watch the river roll by.  To me, it always feels like another world, peacefully unaffected by all the strife taking place across the planet.

I live in a stunning part of the country, and it really comes into its own on these long summer days.  The day after our river adventure, we went on one of my favourite walks - from Teigngrace, up the lane to Stover school, and then on through the woods to Stover Lake.  The walk takes many turns - you leave the village on a woodland track, but the trees give way at the highest point to reveal a beautifully enclosed field.  From here, it's possible to see all the way to the shining white tower of Haldon Belvedere, whilst at much closer range, wildflowers and grasses sway in the soft breeze, and hundreds of bees and butterflies enjoy a peaceful and undisturbed life.  This is one of my favourite spots, away from the roads, the tourists, technology and the hassles of our everyday lives.  There are also some stunning trees at this point, some with branches flashing out like giant forks of lightning.  

The Stover estate was first purchased in 1765 by James Templer, who landscaped the grounds into what is now a delightful country park.  It's a popular place with both locals and tourists, who circumnavigate the tranquil lake, feed the ducks, visit the interesting information centre, or just enjoy an icecream.  We tend to come up to Stover Lake on lazy weekends, and it is wonderful to see the wildlife changing throughout the seasons.  All too soon, the trees will reveal their autumn coats, the little spring ducklings will be fully grown, and the circle of life will complete yet another round.

Back into the woods for the walk home, we stop and play our usual game of pooh sticks at the usual bridge.  We've probably played this twenty times here, and I am yet to win a game.  On this ocassion, however, I manage to do even worse than my normal poor form, and my stick never appears on the far side of the bridge.  Another win for Lizzie.

Sometimes, especially in a Westcountry summer, you could do much worse than simply staying on your doorstep.  It's accessible, beautiful, interesting, fun, and totally free.



Up, up and away!

What a scorching couple of weeks we've had here in the United Kingdom!  Under stunning blue skies we've had three weeks of soaring temperatures, the mercury rising to register a cool 34 degrees Celsius (that's 93.2 Fahrenheit for you imperial buffs) at one point over the weekend.  Fully slapped-up with suncream, Lizzie and I went to sample the delights of the Tiverton Balloon Festival, both on Friday evening and Sunday, where a whole host of hot air balloons were in town for a celebration of summer.

It is pretty fascinating stuff to sit and watch a hot air balloon inflate.  For a start, they're so much bigger than you would imagine, bearing down on the spectators with unnerving unpredictability.  Once fully inflated, you begin to realise the power that these balloons pack, and it takes the strength of several men to stop them floating off unattended into the heavens.  One balloon nearly did escape after its rope came loose, caught the front of a nearby Land Rover, and ripped the registration plate off in one!  Once up in the air, though, the true serenity of these oddities becomes clear - they float with majestic presence, silently drifting across the expanse of dusky blue sky.  And it wasn't just the typically spherical balloon making an appearance - a Panasonic battery and a beerglass were amongst the highlights, whilst the festival programme also lists a pair of green Paddy Power pants, a cube, and a lager bottle.

As well as the balloons, Tiverton Balloon Festival presented a sizeable music stage, a range of craft stalls, local foods, archery, falconry, BMX stunts and, on Sunday, vintage aircraft displays.  In the intensity of the lunchtime sun, we found ourselves back in the festival grounds, clinging to the hedgerows and a thin sliver of shade.  After what seemed like an eternity, we heard the sound of a motor from on high, and flying into view with a trail of white smoke came a Beechcraft biplane.  The pilot wowed the crowd with twists, turns and loop-the-loops, inspiring a round of applause from the onlookers.  No sooner had our Beechcraft zoomed off and out of view, the deeper and slower sound of a Tiger Moth biplane came wafting across the sky.  No loops from this piece of aviation history, but a fabulous display from an iconic British aeroplane that I could have happily watched for hours.  My grandad trained in a Tiger Moth during the Second World War, and whilst the RAF replaced the model in 1952, Tiger Moths are still occasionally used as training aircraft in trial flying lessons.  I can see why they've been so popular for so many years!

What a great, if perishingly hot, weekend at the Tiverton Balloon Festival!  A new one on both our lists, we'll be sure to visit again.  And who knows, maybe next time we'll even hitch a ride!

The original television globetrotter

ALAN DONALD WHICKER CBE

1925 - 2013

A Day in Dartmouth

The sun was shining, there was a calm and warming breeze, it was that most rare of things - a fine weekend.  Lizzie had a birthday on Friday, so to compensate for having to spend the day at work, we took a boat trip to Dartmouth on Saturday.  We've previously taken the river cruise from Totnes, so decided instead to hop aboard a ferry around the coast, leaving from Torquay, via Brixham.  Our vessel made the whole experience even more interesting, for we set sail on none other than the Fairmile, a World War II flat-pack boat commissioned to recuse downed Spitfire and Hurricane pilots in the English Channel.  The Fairmile also played its part in D-Day operations, and once picked up a group of German prisoners from a sunken ship, taking them to Dartmouth.  Apparently the life-span of these boats is only ten years, so to come aboard some seventy years later really is to board a piece of British maritime history.

Dartmouth was looking serene under the bright blue sky, and we had a wonderful three hours exploring the little lanes and quirky shops of the town.  I actually thought the whole town was looking really good - clean, bustling, and very few empty shop units.  In the Royal Avenue Gardens, a fete was in full swing, and who could resist a little flutter on the tombola?  What's more, we even managed to win two prizes - a jar of Napolina pasta sauce, and a bottle of delicious Golden Lion syrup (is there any greater prize?)

Back on the waterfront, it's a pleasure to sit and watch the many and varied vessels navigate their way up and down the beautiful River Dart.  This is the starting point for ferries to Salcombe, Dittisham, Totnes, and Agatha Christie's home Greenway, as well as a number of pleasure cruises (indeed, whilst we were ashore, the Fairmile took a group of military enthusiasts on to Slapton Sands to investigate the disastrous Exercise Tiger.)  Across the river, the toot-toot of the South Devon steam train could be heard, its plumes of steam wafting into the air as it delivered people to and from Paignton.  The sheer amount of activity in the town was intoxicating, and really made me appreciate the fantastic variety that exists in South Devon.

If it's 15:45 then it must already be time to board the Fairmile and chug back up the coast to Torquay (but not before watching a good old-fashioned paddle steamer come noisily up the river).  We watched Dartmouth disappear around a corner of craggy cliffs, then we were out again in the open sea, traveling at quite a speed.  Just before we got to Berry Head, the boat's engines suddenly cut out and we drifted quietly.  The panic of a breakdown was quickly allayed, however; we had come to a gentle stop because our captain, with his excellent eye for wildlife, has spotted a seal sunbathing on a nearby rock.  Pandemonium ensued as everybody wanted a peek, the deck suddenly full to bursting with camera-waving tourists.  When the crowd had died down, I was able to get my own photo - isn't she beautiful?

Back in Torquay, itself looking quite fine in the late afternoon sunshine, we remarked on how much a few hours of sea air can tire you out, and we headed home, having been well-sunned, in the highest of spirits.  I hope you had a great day Lizzie!

One final note: Our day cruise was booked with Greenway Ferries, whose friendliness and service could not be faulted.  Thoroughly recommended!