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2009 Budleigh Salterton

Sat 2009-09-05 {20235}

Away 11h. Lunch bought in CMK, eaten at Leigh Delamere. Avoided huge jams on M5 S of M4/M5 junc via M32 and the centre of Bristol, in front of the Wills building and around the Triangle, over the Clifton Suspension bridge (50p). Arr ~15h45. Keys in keysafe and straight in. It's a terraced house in a crowded lane, very overlooked. Nice garden, long and thin but again mostly overlooked. Well-fitted in a modern style. Walked along the front as far as the nude beach, all pebbles and quite hard to walk on. Quite cool by then, but the rain held off. Cottage is at SY071823, naturist beach starts at SY060816.

Sun 2009-09-06 {20236}

(|) Some sunshine, strong wind off the sea. Walked on footpath to Otterton, small town, maybe 5km. Lots walking. To still-working water mill, free to look but \theta bought a pendant. Carvery lunch at the Kings Arms (we booked by phone from outside at 11h30, it was quite full). Walk back and a little along the seafront to the actual mouth of the Otter river, along which we walked earlier. Then back to house for read, sleep, eat and later Messiah from Proms. DAB OK in window. Seiko MSF got no update. Tesco (O2) phones got almost no coverage, indoors or out. FM radio is crap as well. Found a spot in the garden that's not too overlooked. Front door and inner door were both glazed with no curtains.

Mon 2009-09-07 {20237}

(|) A little rain overnight but brightening in the morning. Walk out along the South-West coast path to the east, good views back over the town from the top of the cliffs. Fewer walkers out here, but one of them was a woman on her own with 6 dogs and pink wellingtons, who offered us copies of the Watchtower (Jehovah's Witness). Several fit people power walking or jogging the path. Back to Budleigh in time for lunch at the Feathers, suddenly packed with a geriatric visiting bowls team; food was good and several good ales on tap (I had Bass and Landlord). Then to the naturist beach, getting more cloudy by then, and even a little fine rain at one point. Had a quick dip in the sea and pic taken by the sign. Then ice creams and back to the cottage for a doze while the rain came back. Maybe no O2 in the cottage and little in the garden or at Otterton, but strong by the sea and all along the coast path.

Tue 2009-09-08 {20238}

To Lyme Regis, where we met p-i-l over from their cottage in Wool (Dorset). Was dull to start, and foggy in all places above sea-level on the journey. Their cottage was good, but right on a main road. We parked at the top of the hill for 1L/day; the car park at the bottom was 1L/hour, so f-i-l left m-i-l at the bottom and took the car back to where ours was. Left girls in a cafe while f-i-l and I went for a walk along the front and in the town. Bought some plastic flip-flops for the pebble beach in Budleigh and books in a 2nd-hand shop. Then lunch at a pub on the front (the Royal Standard), p-i-l paid for food (me drinks). M-i-l had crab, f-i-l steak, \theta mussels in Thai green curry, \phi grilled sardines and Greek salad. Good. Then a little shopping, m-i-l walking up the steep high street despite her legs. Bought a couple of small glasses as only big ones at the cottage, and a diagonal-zip neck pullover for me (girlie and tight), both in charity shops. Then the Focus brought the women back up the hill to the top car park. M-i-l stayed in the car while the rest of us went a little way along the coast path. Journey back was still foggy in higher parts, tho' we saw a ray or two of sunshine back in Budleigh. F-i-l claimed he'd walked more today than total of holiday so far (which started for them on Friday).

Wed 2009-09-09 {20239}

(|) Rain overnight and early morning, but cleared. Walked up the footpath W of the brook, behind the cottage, onto the road and up to the White bridge again. From there N again up to the odd little aqueduct where turned W and came back on another path alongside where the railway embankment was (part still remains, inc a bridge). Couldn't see where it ran into Budleigh Salterton tho' [later saw a bridge the other side of main road that hinted more at the line]. By then the sun had come out, so back to the cottage, change clothes and pick up \theta's folding seat, and to the naturist beach. We made it up to 4 nudists when we got there. Lunch at the Feathers again, less crowded and food came quickly, good trout for me and crab salad for \theta. Beer today was Branscombe Vale Branoc 3.9%. Back to the beach now with maybe 2 dozen. Went briefly into the sea. Left when it started to get a bit cloudy which made the wind more noticeable. Ice creams and back to cottage where read in the garden for a bit, sheltered from the wind here, lawn reasonably screened from neighbours. The red sandstone cliffs impressive in the sunshine against the blue sky, esp as seen upside down lying on the pebbles. Actually not too bad, not really uncomfortable at all except when moving to a new position, and completely clean unlike sand. The naturists were probably 50s, the rest of the town mostly 70s and 80s.

Thu 2009-09-10 {20240}

(|) Another warm and sunny day. To Killerton park and house, N of Exeter, NT. Small formal garden and larger park with a collection of trees inc giant redwood. Little "bear" cottage in the grounds, built as a summerhouse, with 3 sections of floor in cobbles, tree slices and deer knuckle bones; 3 interiors again in 3 diff materials and with some C16 Dutch stained glass (and at one point it was used to keep a bear). House fairly boring. Had lunch in the stables cafe which was less crowded than the one by the house and gave us homity pie and salad. A good 2nd-hand bookshop here too. Then to Exeter where we found a parking place in the street and looked at the cathedral; 5L ea to go in so we didn't. Pleasant little green alongside it. Then looked at Lympstone on the Exe which had nothing of interest, and on to Exmouth where we found a pay and display space on the front. Walked along it and had an ice cream. Pleasant sandy beach with plenty of familes and the usu seaside amusements. Home in time for the last of the sun in the garden, dinner, and ready for the last-but-2 night of the Proms with Schubert's 9th. Had some good Proms here, Beet 6 last night and Messiah and Dvorak's 9th before that.

Fri 2009-09-11 {20241}

(|) Rubbish collection day. They collect from back doors as well and empty the bins into wheeled lid-less bins that they trundle back to the cart. Full-size dustcart even in this tiny car-lined lane, on hire from a firm with a London number. First to the beach in early sunshine and cool wind, had the whole beach to ourselves. Then the coast path to the W, which was up nearly all the way to the trig point at 129m (SY045811), from where there were excellent views over Exmouth and the Exe valley. Saw a small adder on the path, injured from having been stepped on. Down from there the same way and to the Feathers again for lunch. Different beers again this time (Otter Bright 4.3% today). Then again to the beach, quite well-populated by then, with a big empty gulf between the main front and the nudist bit. Stayed until I started to burn a bit, then via the ice cream shop back to house. Rang the owner from the front to advise of the bedroom light switch failure. A little more time reading in the garden, then more on the sofa inside in the sun. So 3 days of continuous sunshine. Eve to Indian in town, which was good. The landlady of the pub was in there buying a take-away. Walk back home in the dark, still warm, now still. People still fishing, and a barbecue party on the beach.

Sat 2009-09-12 {20242}

(|) Sunshine all day again. Set off 08h30, avoided M5/M4 junc (tho' no indication that it was still bad) from M5 J22 via A38, A4, A4174, A420, A46 to M4 J18, ~5h total inc petrol and lunch stops. \theta shopping at Tesco, then to collect cats, but they're open only 11..13h on Sat now, not 16..18h as well as before, they gave us the cats anyway for 135L.

2009-10-05..2009-10-05

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