Rather than simply speed straight up the M5 home on Sunday, we decided to take a more picturesque route, along the Jurassic coast of South Devon and into Dorset. All new territory for me.
First stop was Exmouth, from where we could look across the estuary to the sands of Dawlish Warren, where we’d been the previous afternoon. It was still quiet, with just a few people taking the morning air.
Taking a picture of the clock tower, I deliberately waited for a car to pass, thinking that this also looked remarkably like one of Daddy’s slides, except the car would be an Austin Allegro in
his!
On to Budleigh Salterton then and another shingly beach, preferred by many (including my parents) for not having sand to get everywhere.
We stepped onto the shingle for a walk, but soon found the small stones difficult to manage in sandals and stayed on the prom.
Sidmouth next, looking rather gloomy in this photograph, though in reality it was fairly warm and much brighter than it appears. By the time we arrived here, the coach parties were leaving the seafront hotels and it was easy to see the attraction of a week in this elegant Regency town.
Here, a crew from Sidmouth Gig Club were out training, and though not quite as sleek as the Exmouth boat yesterday, they were still making ease of the journey across the bay.
No takers for the windsurfing this morning, however.
Next stop Seaton, where families were beginning to come down to the beach and some brave souls were already soaking up the sun by their beach hut.
Some pretty large scale work was going on in the shingle, possibly managing those rather steep banks which must make launching the small fishing boats pretty difficult.
The workers had set out the essentials on the prom, ready.
Trusting people down here aren’t they?
Last stop of the day was Lyme Regis, where there were appetising wafts of fish and chips in the air and we were getting hungry.
First, though, a walk on the Cobb was called for. This was another of those places I’d read about and seen in The French Lieutenant’s Woman, of course. Even though it was a fine and merely breezy day, it felt exposed out there and we could only imagine what it must be like in more inclement weather.
Right out at the end, the air was clear and fresh – most invigorating!
There was a great view of the town and the beach, too.
A short while later, sitting on the seawall, the haddock and chips hit the spot perfectly.
Time for home then and a fairly trouble free drive through Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire to a quiet night in after a busy few days. Best of all, our own bed!
